GameDaily
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Cheaters Always Win with This PS3 Joystick
A new $89.99 PlayStation 3 joystick, the XCM Dominator, that will let you get a leg up (fist up, foot up) in fighting games. Instead of madly mashing buttons on the Sony PS3 controller, this joystick will let you program in combos (up to 20 keystrokes) -- then all you need to do is a hit a button to pull off a complicated move. Isn't that technically cheating? Maybe so, maybe no .... we're not going to judge.
The controller also has a rapid-fire mode for each of its buttons, which might come in handy while sniping the Helghast in Killzone 2 when the game arrives next week. And, this thing will definitely increase your cool factor (or not, depending on who you hang with) with its blue glowing LED lights. You can buy the Dominator now at Extreme-Mods and MoorGames.com. Also check out Mad Catz officially licensed Street Fighter IV joystick we saw at CES.
The controller also has a rapid-fire mode for each of its buttons, which might come in handy while sniping the Helghast in Killzone 2 when the game arrives next week. And, this thing will definitely increase your cool factor (or not, depending on who you hang with) with its blue glowing LED lights. You can buy the Dominator now at Extreme-Mods and MoorGames.com. Also check out Mad Catz officially licensed Street Fighter IV joystick we saw at CES.
Street Fighter IV Fight Pads from Mad Catz - Behold!
Fighting game devotees can get arcade style button mashing without owning a high-falutin' joystick/controller. These new Street Fighter IV Fight Pads (for both Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3) from Mad Catz feature six separate buttons, and the ability to assign 'Turbo' to whichever buttons you desire. The controller's directional pad is soft and spongy and floats above the surface of the controller -- making it easier to mash it in the eight directions required to pull off the game's killer combos.
The Fight Pads comes in five flavors -- each starring a well-known character from the Street Fighter Universe, including Ryu, Chun-Li and Blanka. It's hard to say if hardcore Street Fighter IV fans will choose these controllers over the superior Street Fighter IV Tournament Joystick, and at $60, they seem a little too expensive for casual gamers. Also of note, only the PlayStation 3 controllers are wireless. The 360 fight pads are wired, and it feels like a step down from the standard Xbox 360 controller. We'll see whether that matters (or not) when the Fight Pads hit stores on February 29.
The Fight Pads comes in five flavors -- each starring a well-known character from the Street Fighter Universe, including Ryu, Chun-Li and Blanka. It's hard to say if hardcore Street Fighter IV fans will choose these controllers over the superior Street Fighter IV Tournament Joystick, and at $60, they seem a little too expensive for casual gamers. Also of note, only the PlayStation 3 controllers are wireless. The 360 fight pads are wired, and it feels like a step down from the standard Xbox 360 controller. We'll see whether that matters (or not) when the Fight Pads hit stores on February 29.
Street Fighter IV Tournament Joystick - First Look!
OK, fanboys and girls, we know you're very excited (maybe even overly excited) about Mad Catz's official Street Fighter IV Tournament Joystick, due on February 20 just after the game's release. Today we got (the first!) sneak peek on the fully loaded joystick.
The Tournament Joystick, roughly the size of an Xbox 360 comes with the standard joystick and six buttons that feel sturdy enough to take a solid beating. Madcatz worked with Japanese company Sanwa to get the same exact buttons and joystick it used on the arcade versions of the game -- it's hard to get more authentic than that. At the top of the box is a special Turbo button -- once you press it you can assign Turbo to any of the buttons on the box. Just to cover all the bases, there are two types of Turbo -- faster and slower -- so hardcore fighting fans can get the fine-grain customization they're looking for. Once the customization is complete -- hit the lock button to make sure your settings stay put.
Other cool features: the start and pause buttons have been moved from the top of the box to the front -- to avoid accidently hitting them while pulling off multi-button maneuvers. There's even a storage area for the cord in the back. The top plate unscrews from the unit allowing modders to change out buttons and do those things that modders like to do. Of course, that will render the warranty invalid, but that's the tinkerer's curse, right?
The Street Fighter stick is also designed to work with other fighting games -- a switch on the top right hand panel of the box allows you to change the functionality of the joystick -- you can have it serve as a directional pad (a must for SFIV) or you can have it perform like a left-hand stick or right-hand stick on a regular game controller.
As for limited edition -- just how limited will the Tournament joystick be? Mad Catz reps say it's initially shipping 3,000 and "see how it goes from there." The $149.99 game controller comes in extra special packaging -- which includes a note and signatures from Mad Catz and Capcom executives.
Since my Street Fighter skills are, shall we say, lacking -- I talked to the two hardcore SF fans that wandered into the room to try out the Tournament stick. "It's awesome," says one. "I want one right now," says the other. We wouldn't recommend this to a casual gamers (it's not likely a laissez-faire gamer would drop $150 for a supped-up joystick anyway), but we predict this making waves among the hardcore fight community when it rolls out next month.
The Tournament Joystick, roughly the size of an Xbox 360 comes with the standard joystick and six buttons that feel sturdy enough to take a solid beating. Madcatz worked with Japanese company Sanwa to get the same exact buttons and joystick it used on the arcade versions of the game -- it's hard to get more authentic than that. At the top of the box is a special Turbo button -- once you press it you can assign Turbo to any of the buttons on the box. Just to cover all the bases, there are two types of Turbo -- faster and slower -- so hardcore fighting fans can get the fine-grain customization they're looking for. Once the customization is complete -- hit the lock button to make sure your settings stay put.
Other cool features: the start and pause buttons have been moved from the top of the box to the front -- to avoid accidently hitting them while pulling off multi-button maneuvers. There's even a storage area for the cord in the back. The top plate unscrews from the unit allowing modders to change out buttons and do those things that modders like to do. Of course, that will render the warranty invalid, but that's the tinkerer's curse, right?
The Street Fighter stick is also designed to work with other fighting games -- a switch on the top right hand panel of the box allows you to change the functionality of the joystick -- you can have it serve as a directional pad (a must for SFIV) or you can have it perform like a left-hand stick or right-hand stick on a regular game controller.
As for limited edition -- just how limited will the Tournament joystick be? Mad Catz reps say it's initially shipping 3,000 and "see how it goes from there." The $149.99 game controller comes in extra special packaging -- which includes a note and signatures from Mad Catz and Capcom executives.
Since my Street Fighter skills are, shall we say, lacking -- I talked to the two hardcore SF fans that wandered into the room to try out the Tournament stick. "It's awesome," says one. "I want one right now," says the other. We wouldn't recommend this to a casual gamers (it's not likely a laissez-faire gamer would drop $150 for a supped-up joystick anyway), but we predict this making waves among the hardcore fight community when it rolls out next month.
Logitech G-Series: PC Gaming Gear on Steroids
You've heard about someone having "too much car" -- you know, the guy who rolls into the gas station in a hulking H3 Hummer, and it's clear he's not in the military or hauling around much of anything other than his ego. The same logic may apply to the new Logitech G-series mouse, keyboard and headset, (all announced today at CES) -- three cool, but not really necessary, pieces of gear for the hardcore PC gamer.
The hulking command center in the image above is made up of (from L to R) the previously announced G13 gaming keyboard, Logitech's G9x mouse with a customizable grip and weight, Logitech's G19 Keyboard with USB 2.0 ports and an LED screen and the new G35 Surround Sound Headset that delivers that 7.1 surround sound experience directly to your ears.
Zoom in for a closer look at the three new pieces of hardware and there's some interesting (and some less interesting) features that can be had at a premium price.
The G19 keyboard, like the G15 keyboard before it, includes a LED screen with color display that can almost be used as a secondary monitor, keeping important game stats in sight at all times (we'd love to see this used for maps or our World of Warcraft stats).The G19 also includes two USB 2.0 ports and customizable lighting for the keys. It's a whole lot of keyboard, and if you can't live without the 2.0 ports or the mini-monitor, it's yours for the taking in March for a wallet-busting $199.
The Logitech G9x mouse is not that different from the Logitech G9, except that its sensitivity reaches 5,000 dpi -- offering gamers the finest of finely tuned mice that will lead them to victory (provided they have the skills to make it happen). The mouse, like the G9 before it, also has a customizable grip and weight system and will hit stores in April for $99.
For $130 you'll be able to lock and load these feature-rich G35 headphones, designed to simulate 7.1 surround sound. It also comes with an adjustable noise-canceling mic and three 'voice morphing' buttons on the side, which -- if done right -- will most likely be the best feature on this headset. There's also volume and mute buttons on the earpiece and the headset comes with a total of three different headbands that can be snapped on and off for further customization. You know what they say -- if you've got a big head... Look for the G35 headphones in April.
The hulking command center in the image above is made up of (from L to R) the previously announced G13 gaming keyboard, Logitech's G9x mouse with a customizable grip and weight, Logitech's G19 Keyboard with USB 2.0 ports and an LED screen and the new G35 Surround Sound Headset that delivers that 7.1 surround sound experience directly to your ears.
Zoom in for a closer look at the three new pieces of hardware and there's some interesting (and some less interesting) features that can be had at a premium price.
The G19 keyboard, like the G15 keyboard before it, includes a LED screen with color display that can almost be used as a secondary monitor, keeping important game stats in sight at all times (we'd love to see this used for maps or our World of Warcraft stats).The G19 also includes two USB 2.0 ports and customizable lighting for the keys. It's a whole lot of keyboard, and if you can't live without the 2.0 ports or the mini-monitor, it's yours for the taking in March for a wallet-busting $199.
The Logitech G9x mouse is not that different from the Logitech G9, except that its sensitivity reaches 5,000 dpi -- offering gamers the finest of finely tuned mice that will lead them to victory (provided they have the skills to make it happen). The mouse, like the G9 before it, also has a customizable grip and weight system and will hit stores in April for $99.
For $130 you'll be able to lock and load these feature-rich G35 headphones, designed to simulate 7.1 surround sound. It also comes with an adjustable noise-canceling mic and three 'voice morphing' buttons on the side, which -- if done right -- will most likely be the best feature on this headset. There's also volume and mute buttons on the earpiece and the headset comes with a total of three different headbands that can be snapped on and off for further customization. You know what they say -- if you've got a big head... Look for the G35 headphones in April.
Logitech's G13 Gaming Keyboard Wins CES Nod
We have to admit, the first time we laid eyes on the Logitech G13 Advanced Gameboard -- a funky backlit 25-key keyboard with a small programmable joystick and built-in memory that stores your preferred key configuration, no matter what computer you're playing on -- we thought we'd stumbled on to the Nintendo Power Glove for the hardest of the hardcore computer gaming set.
Turns out we were wrong -- that is, if the CES Innovations Awards board has anything to say about it. Today, the keyboard (plus eight other Logitech products) won the Best of Electronic Gaming Award, beating out two other pieces of Logitech gear -- the Logitech Driving Force GT and the Logitech G35 Headset. The keyboard runs for $80 and is set to hit stores in March, when you can finally show off your one-handed typing skills to the world.
Turns out we were wrong -- that is, if the CES Innovations Awards board has anything to say about it. Today, the keyboard (plus eight other Logitech products) won the Best of Electronic Gaming Award, beating out two other pieces of Logitech gear -- the Logitech Driving Force GT and the Logitech G35 Headset. The keyboard runs for $80 and is set to hit stores in March, when you can finally show off your one-handed typing skills to the world.
Home Attracts Horndogs
It's no surprise that when you create a virtual world and give people free reign – that sex will somehow be involved. Sony's brand new home has already attracted pervs as seen in this YouTube video with tons of guys dancing around two girls. We also love how the narrator of the video joins in by saying, "I'm not gay! ... and let's tap that!" Classy.
Source
Logitech: One Billion Mice Sold!
Logitech, the peripheral manufacturer that's been feeding our PC gaming addiction with mice, keyboards, speakers, etc. since the mid-'80s has officially declared that it has shipped one billion mice. In honor of the momentous occasion, the company's sponsoring a contest -- follow the mouse on its journey via blog.logitech.com and guess its final destination. Guess correctly and you'll "win some great prizes." We asked Logitech reps to shed more light on said prizes. In the meantime, you should check out this semi-amusing list of Logitech mice that never made it to market, which includes such rejects as a mouse with three scroll wheels, a mouse with a tiny joystick on top and a mouse with a laser pointer embedded in the front for impromptu presentations or -- more likely -- pissing off coworkers.
Guitar Hero Boxers for Those About to Rock
Show your love for Guitar Hero by (1) learning how to play all of the game's songs on Expert --blindfolded-- and (2) by buying these Guitar Hero boxers, which were a surprise hit on Black Friday. Good luck finding them, though. We spotted a single pair of the red boxers adorned with electric guitars (rolled up in a guitar-shaped gift tin) on sale at Kmart. The rock 'n' roll skivvies were priced at $8.99, and there was a single crumpled tin left on the shelves.
We can only imagine people rushing in for "door buster" bargains on flat-screen TVs, then stopping to chuck this novelty underwear into the cart as they race to the checkout counter. We checked for them online later and only found them listed (and sold out) on Kohls and Sears' Web sites.
You'll have more luck finding the other video game-themed skivvies that hit stores this season -- boxers that pay homage to Halo, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and Nintendo Wii -- each with their own gift tins. Unlike the Guitar Hero boxers, there are still plenty of these other gamer-centric underwear available online and in big box retail outlets like Target and Kmart. We're already rolling our eyes in anticipation of the Nintendo fans who will don a pair just to yell, "Hey, look at my Wii!"
New Nintendo DS Bundles (Ice Blue, Mario Red) Arrive on Black Friday
In case you didn't snag one of last year's Black Friday DS bundles (or even if you did), you'll now get a chance to pick up two more extra special bundles starting November 28 -- one with an "ice blue" DS that comes with a copy of Brain Age or a special Mario edition, that includes a red DS with a 'M' emblazoned on the top, plus a copy of New Super Mario Bros.
The two special edition bundles will roll into stores on Black Friday and run for $149.99. Both will also include a special edition carrying case for the DS -- ya know, so you can safely tote your system to any snooze-worthy family events over the holiday season. What's that, Grandma? I can't hear you over these Koopa Troopas.
Unboxing! Ice Blue Nintendo DS w/ Case
The Ice Blue and Mario Red Nintendo DS bundles arrive in stores on Black Friday (November 28). We received the darling Ice Blue edition this morning -- the bundle includes a copy of Brain Age and a turquoise blue wallet to hold the DS and three games (as well as an extra stylus!). The bundle retails for $149.99. Click to see all the goodies inside!
Robin Yang, AOL GameDaily
Ice blue carrying case - clearly Nintendo's caught on to the fact that women salivate at anything that comes in "Tiffany's blue."
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The Ice Blue and Mario Red Nintendo DS bundles arrive in stores on Black Friday (November 28). We received the darling Ice Blue edition this morning -- the bundle includes a copy of Brain Age and a turquoise blue wallet to hold the DS and three games (as well as an extra stylus!). The bundle retails for $149.99.
Robin Yang, AOL GameDaily
The wallet has a magnetic clasp securing it on the front...
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The Ice Blue and Mario Red Nintendo DS bundles arrive in stores on Black Friday (November 28). We received the darling Ice Blue edition this morning -- the bundle includes a copy of Brain Age and a turquoise blue wallet to hold the DS and three games (as well as an extra stylus!). The bundle retails for $149.99.
Robin Yang, AOL GameDaily
... and opens to reveal three slots for DS games, a stylus holder, and a zipped compartment. What could be inside?
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The Ice Blue and Mario Red Nintendo DS bundles arrive in stores on Black Friday (November 28). We received the darling Ice Blue edition this morning -- the bundle includes a copy of Brain Age and a turquoise blue wallet to hold the DS and three games (as well as an extra stylus!). The bundle retails for $149.99.
Robin Yang, AOL GameDaily
Our Ice Blue DS!
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The Ice Blue and Mario Red Nintendo DS bundles arrive in stores on Black Friday (November 28). We received the darling Ice Blue edition this morning -- the bundle includes a copy of Brain Age and a turquoise blue wallet to hold the DS and three games (as well as an extra stylus!). The bundle retails for $149.99.
Robin Yang, AOL GameDaily
The brand new DS in all its glory. The zipped compartment is lined with a soft fabric to protect your new baby from dings and scratches!
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The Ice Blue and Mario Red Nintendo DS bundles arrive in stores on Black Friday (November 28). We received the darling Ice Blue edition this morning -- the bundle includes a copy of Brain Age and a turquoise blue wallet to hold the DS and three games (as well as an extra stylus!). The bundle retails for $149.99.
Robin Yang, AOL GameDaily
Closeup on the new DS
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The Ice Blue and Mario Red Nintendo DS bundles arrive in stores on Black Friday (November 28). We received the darling Ice Blue edition this morning -- the bundle includes a copy of Brain Age and a turquoise blue wallet to hold the DS and three games (as well as an extra stylus!). The bundle retails for $149.99.
Robin Yang, AOL GameDaily
The new DS, opened -- you can see the reflection of our camera in its un-marred new screens!
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The Ice Blue and Mario Red Nintendo DS bundles arrive in stores on Black Friday (November 28). We received the darling Ice Blue edition this morning -- the bundle includes a copy of Brain Age and a turquoise blue wallet to hold the DS and three games (as well as an extra stylus!). The bundle retails for $149.99.
Robin Yang, AOL GameDaily
The back of the new DS.
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The Ice Blue and Mario Red Nintendo DS bundles arrive in stores on Black Friday (November 28). We received the darling Ice Blue edition this morning -- the bundle includes a copy of Brain Age and a turquoise blue wallet to hold the DS and three games (as well as an extra stylus!). The bundle retails for $149.99.
Robin Yang, AOL GameDaily
The whole kit and caboodle!
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The Ice Blue and Mario Red Nintendo DS bundles arrive in stores on Black Friday (November 28). We received the darling Ice Blue edition this morning -- the bundle includes a copy of Brain Age and a turquoise blue wallet to hold the DS and three games (as well as an extra stylus!). The bundle retails for $149.99.
Robin Yang, AOL GameDaily
Make This: Star Wars Lightsaber Cozy for the Wii-mote
One of our favorite stops on the Web is the official StarWars.com blog -- under the 'Kids' section we always find gems, such as as the Darth Vader toaster (burn Lord Vader's face into a piece of bread!) and the Hammerhead sock doll (use grandpa's old socks to make a Hammerhead plushie!).
Today, we found step by step instructions on how to make a Lightsaber cozy for your Wii remote, which -- aside from looking cute -- will help to keep your controller dust and scratch free in between strenuous sessions of Clone Wars, Force Unleashed (or pretty much any other Wii game).
The end product looks something like the pic below. Like what you see? Head to the Star Wars site for step-by-step instructions on how to make your very own cozy, to keep your Wii-mote, ya know, cozy.
Source
Today, we found step by step instructions on how to make a Lightsaber cozy for your Wii remote, which -- aside from looking cute -- will help to keep your controller dust and scratch free in between strenuous sessions of Clone Wars, Force Unleashed (or pretty much any other Wii game).
The end product looks something like the pic below. Like what you see? Head to the Star Wars site for step-by-step instructions on how to make your very own cozy, to keep your Wii-mote, ya know, cozy.
Source
Xbox Live Avatars Come Alive!
If something seems a little different when you log into your Xbox 360 today -- it is! The New Xbox Experience launches today with new navigation system, new design, Netflix connectivity and Xbox Live Avatars. Much like the Nintendo Wii's Miis, these cartoon representatives help deliver a more personalized presence on Xbox Live. Four GameDaily staffers joined an Avatar party early this morning, but after discovering that none of us had images or videos to share or games to play together, we disbanded.
If we weren't rushed to get into work on time, we would have discovered that our Avatar party can follow each other from game to game. So the four of us should be able to play a round of Horde in Gears of War 2 then hop into Left 4 Dead multiplayer with ease.
Avatars will also be incorporated into games, the first being A Kingdom for Keflings,a city-building simulation game. KoK rolls out on Xbox Live today, and can be downloaded for 800 points (or $10).
So, if you haven't already -- head online to download the New Xbox Experience update and then customize your Avatar. Then show it off to your pals by filling in your Xbox Live name in this link: http://avatar.xboxlive.com/avatarmyxboxlivename/avatar-body.png. (See mine on the right, which is pretty dead-on if I do say so myself).
Related: New Xbox Experience Hands-On Preview
Get In Shape, Gamer, With More Wii Fitness Accessories
Thrustmaster, the game accessory company best known for making joysticks for serious PC gamers, tries to attract a new kind of gamer with a new line of fitness accessories for the Nintendo Wii. The T-Fitness Pack Pro NW ($49.99)
Don't want to spend $50 on a bunch of fitness stuff that will probably collect dust next to your AbRoller and your Tony Little Gazelle? A cheaper version of the kit, the T-Fitness Pack NW ($30), comes with everything but the weights and floormat. Then again, you could also just step outside and take a jog for the low, low price of free.
Limited Edition Xbox 360 Controller Hits Stores Today
Seeing red? It's not a side effect from living without Xbox Live for an entire 24 hours -- it's the new limited edition red Xbox 360 controller that hit stores today "just in time for the holidays."Outside of the rockin' red color (with black accents), it's still just your standard 360 wireless controller. Speaking for myself, I'm a total sucker for packaging (the pink Xbox controller, aka "Lucky," is my weapon of choice), so we're already on bended knee, asking Microsoft to send us a 'review' unit. The new controller costs $65 and is available at retailers everywhere starting today.
Wii Gets Smell-O-Vision
File this one under frivolous video game gear, right next to force-feedback driving wheels and the Wii pool stick attachment. It's "Smells Like Wii Spirit," a box that attaches to the Nintendo Wii and emits scents that correspond with the action on screen.Playing through Mario Kart? You'll get a whiff of burnt rubber. Playing the back nine in Tiger Woods, cue the freshly cut grass. For Wii Sports, the box will purportedly release the smell of sweat.
China-based company AreusTech will be releasing the gizmo in Germany for 149 Euros (roughly US$218), and there are no reports that it will be wafting Stateside anytime soon. *Sniff*
UPDATE: Smells like Wii Spirit's purportedly a fake, according to our pals over at GoNintendo. Editor Kevin Cassidy says, "Someone did a Photoshop of an old external hard drive. You can check out the hard drive at the link below."
http://ga-forum.com/showpost.php?p=12869548&postcount=12
Franky, we're actually relieved that someone didn't actually invest money in creating something this bizarre, though, admittedly, we'd be the first to try it out.
Source: The Gaming Vault
Link 'Stache: Mega Man 9, Nintendo Lawsuit + More
More details on WiiWare bound Mega Man 9. [Kotaku]
Xbox beats Playstation in Europe. [Xbox Addict]
PS3 getting movie downloads. [Firing Squad]
Nintendo escapes being sued. [Gaming Today]
Young teen hangs himself after dad takes away his Wii. [N4G]
Rare power-ups for Mario. [Nintendo Wii Fan Boy]
