Tingle's Rosy Rupeeland - Review

What do you get when you build a game around the premise of a 35 year old single man who's in love with Rupees? You get a game aptly titled Freshly Picked Tingle's Rosy Rupeeland. And if you think the title is strange, wait until you play the game. Your main object in the game is to collect as many Rupees as you can all the while tossing them into a pool of water called the Tower Pool in the hopes of raising the tower high enough to allow you access into the magical Rupeeland found at the top. At least that's what Tingle's led to believe by a strange man named Uncle Rupee when he's sent out on his quest. This game is listed as an RPG, and while it does have quite a few RPG mannerisms involved, it would be difficult to classify this off-beat title into any one category, no matter how hard you tried. Having said all of this, after spending a few hours with this oddball title, I've found that it has a certain charm about it and offers up a very refreshing game play experience in a genre on the Nintendo DS that has begun to feel a little stale as of late.

It's worth mentioning for those who are expecting a Zelda-like adventure that Tingle is a very different game in most aspects than any of the previous Zelda titles. When you do battle in Tingle's Rosy Rupeeland you merely bump into an enemy and Tingle and the enemy will then scuffle around on the ground with a cloud of dust flying around them and you have to touch this pile up with the stylus to help Tingle defeat the enemy. You can also hire bodyguards who offer more brute strength to help you during these fights. Everything you do in this game revolves around Rupees. You have to bribe just about every character in the game in order to gain their cooperation and some are greedier than others. You have to be careful with your Ruppes as they act as your lifeforce. Lose all your Rupees and your game is over. You'll be asked to complete certain tasks throughout the game in order to earn additional Rupees. One such example is map-making. You'll have to explore areas and draw in certain structures that aren't currently on the map. As you complete maps, you can take these finished maps back to the map maker and you'll then be rewarded with Rupees for your trouble. As I said, everything you do involves earning Rupees that you'll need to continuously toss into the Tower Pool in order to raise it skyward. The game play is fun and interesting, but those looking for high action content you might be a little put off with all of the busy work and simplistic tasks laid out before you. If you can appreciate something a little different in the game play department, you'll most likely find this game quite appealing. I know I did.

Tingle's Rosy Rupeeland is a strange game and that can honestly not be emphasized enough. That being said, it's also a very interesting game that makes solid use of the DS touchscreen and offers a wealth of tasks to accomplish which really lends itself to a long and enjoyable adventure if you can stick with it long enough. It's certainly not a game that's going to appeal to everyone, but if you can appreciate something a little off the wall, you might actually find this unique title a whole lot of fun. I haven't been able to put it down since I got it. The good news is that since this game isn't available in the US, even if you do try it out and don't care for it, you can always sell it on eBay and recoup most of your money. In my opinion it's at least worth a try. (RATING: 8.1/10)

** Freshly Picked Tingle's Rosy Rupeeland is currently only available in Europe and Japan. If you're in the US, you'll have to import this one. **

Two Turbo CD Virtual Console Titles Coming!

That's right, Hudson has released the TurboGrafx-16 Virtual Console release list for October and there are two CD titles on it. Gate of Thunder and Super Air Zonk will kick off the release of Turbo CD titles and they couldn't have picked two better games. For anyone that's not played Gate of Thunder, let me just say that I consider it to be the greatest shoot em' up ever created. And Super Air Zonk is just as much fun as the original game that's already seen a release on the Virtual Console. To check out the Turbo CD previews, click on the Gate of Thunder logo. This is great news for Turbo fans!

Folklore (PS3) - Impressions

Before I go any further, it's worth mentioning that I liked Fable for the Xbox, but I didn't love it. I tend to lean more towards Japanese RPGs as a whole. I've put in a couple of hours on the Folklore demo and I have to say I have mixed feelings about the game. Visually, the game is astounding. The level of detail and the complex lighting effects really show off the Playstation 3's hardware and could be the most visually impressive games I've seen in action so far on the system. The game play system in Folklore is where my impressions begin to get a little muddled. It's not bad, it's just a little odd. As you defeat enemies, their id is released and you can capture and absorb it. You press the R1 button and UP on the controller to catch hold of the id. Once you have a hold of it, you then shake the controller back and forth in order to absorb the id. It's fun at first, but seems a little silly and pointless after awhile. I guess Sony is still feeling that need to make some use of the Sixaxis tilt function. Oh well, whatever makes them happy. The music in the game is also really good. Although you only get to hear a couple of tracks on the demo, if what's there is any indication of the soundtrack in the full game, we have a lot to look forward to once the full game hits store shelves. I wasn't really looking forward to this game when I first heard about it, but after playing the demo, I find myself beginning to get a little excited about getting my hands on the full US release. This is yet another upcoming Playstation 3 title to keep an eye on.

Crash of the Titans - Xbox 360

A demo of Crash of the Titans is now up on Xbox Live Marketplace and it won't cost you a penny to try this one out. I've been playing the demo for a few hours and although Crash of the Titans is not quite on par with the original three Crash Bandicoot titles, it's definitely a step in the right direction. The control is solid, the level design is great, and the visuals in the game are the best ever seen in a Crash Bandicoot game. But is this the game diehard Crash fans have been waiting for, or it is another mediocre Crash release to cash in on the name?

It's worth mentioning right up front that this game is very different from previous Crash Bandicoot games. While there's still plenty of platforming to be done, a big part of the game involves Crash taking control of various beasts. He basically kicks and punches the beast until it's dazed and then he performs a "matrix" style backflip in which he jumps on the back of the beast and covers its eyes with his Aku mask. He then controls the beast and can use it to defeat the stronger enemies in the game. The Aku mask can also perform many other functions including allowing Crash to stand on it and skate through certain parts of levels. As in previous Crash games, Crash has a large arsenal of moves that he'll need to traverse each level. The control feels fairly tight and taking control of the beasts is easy enough. The visuals are really detailed, but still don't reach the level of a Kameo. Having said that, the visual quality is still pretty astounding in places. The Dolby surround sound is incredible and features enough bass to knock your walls down. I think the sound effects and music were what impressed me the most with this demo. I'm now very excited to play the full game after spending a couple of hours with this demo and I'm happy to announce that this is most likely the best Crash game since the original trilogy back on the Playstation one system. Keep an eye on this one!(RATING: 8.2/10)

Final Fantasy Favorites

I've been playing the Final Fantasy games since 1987 when I got Final Fantasy I for my NES for Christmas. I don't think I left my room for a week. I had been an RPG fan for several years playing most of my role-playing games on my Commodore 64 and Apple IIc computers but it was great to see that RPGs were beginning to make an appearance on the consoles, and the first Final Fantasy game was a fantastic beginning. It's been 20 years since the first game so I thought I'd take a moment to talk about my 5 favorite Final Fantasy titles and why I love them so much.

1. Final Fantasy X - For me there is no other Final Fantasy title that I love as much as Final Fantasy X. The visuals, the storyling, the battle system, and the music are all top notch in my book. This game has what I consider to be the best RPG battle system ever created. I've played through this one from start to finish 3 times and it's been outstanding each and every single time. I doubt a Final Fantasy game will ever knock this one off of my all-time Final Fantasy favorites list. Only the almighty Chrono Trigger is actually ahead of this game on my RPG list.

2. Final Fantasy VII - There are no words to describe how blown away I was the first time I popped this game into my Playstation system. This game single-handedly changed the way RPGs would be played from then on. Gorgeous use of 3-D visuals, a fantastic soundtrack, and a cast of memorable characters made this game a masterpeice that is still considered one of the greatest RPGs ever made even still today. There's a rumor that a Playstation 3 remake is being developed and nobody is hoping that rumor is true more than me. This game deserves another release so those who missed it the first time can experience one of the best of the best.

3. Final Fantasy VI - I stood in line outside of Toys R Us the day this game came out for the Super NES. It was raining so hard I couldn't even see my car that was only about 20 feet away from where I was standing. When I got home and began playing this game, that's when it was clear that all the wait was worth it. This game is still one of the best SNES RPGs, and that's saying something considering how many outstanding RPGs the SNES has in its arsenal. Released here in the US as Final Fantasy III, this game represents the pinnacle of the 2-D Final Fantasy titles and belongs in any true RPG fan's library. It was recently released on the GBA system and is rumored to be coming to the Wii Virtual Console so maybe it will get another chance to shine. This is the Final Fantasy game that I've played through more times than any other and I honestly never get tired of it.

4. Final Fantasy IX - Final Fantasy IX is, to me, the most underrated of all of the Final Fantasy games. It was a bit of a departure from the first two Playstation outings, but the storyline and cast of characters really brought this game to life. I missed this game the first time around, but I went back and bought it about 2 years ago and it's quickly become one of my favorite RPGs. The soundtrack is also quite memorable and behind Final Fantasy X, this is my second favorite Final Fantasy soundtrack. Hopefully this game will see a release on the Playstation 3 store but I'm not holding my breath since the game is a whopping 4 discs. That would be one huge download. Either way, I'll be hanging onto the actual PS1 game in case I get the urge to play through it again. If you missed this one, track a copy down and give it a go.

5. Final Fantasy I - I had to include this one in my top 5 as it was the game that introduced me to what has become one of my favorite RPG series in history. The game has aged quite a bit, but the recent PSP remake is easily the best version of the game money can buy and I am in the process of playing through it again as I'm writing this. I still have the PSP remake of Final Fantasy II waiting for me after I finish this one. And just because this was the first Final Fantasy game don't think it's an easy one. This game will school even veteran RPG players if they're not careful. I'm thankful my mother bought this game for me when she did because that was and still is one of my best Christmas memories.

Well there you have it. I know that many people will disagree with me putting Final Fantasy X above Final Fantasy VII but it's just my personal opinion. The only Final Fantasy game I've played that I didn't particularly care for was Final Fantasy XI and that's mainly due to the fact that I don't really care for online RPGs. It's been a great 20 years and a lot of solid RPG titles and here's hoping we never see the true FINAL Fantasy game because I'd love to see another 20 years worth of the games.

Official Slim PSP Pouch Case - Impressions

Let me first say that I've tried just about every PSP case in existence trying to find a solid case for my PSP system. I love my Hori Compact Pouch that I have for my DS Lite, but unfortunately, Hori doesn't make a similar case for the PSP. In keeping with consistency, I picked up one of the Felicia Blue official slim PSP pouches when I bought my slim PSP from Play-Asia and I have to say, I'm fairly impressed with the case so far. It's not quite on par with the Hori case, but it at least comfortably holds the slim PSP system and a couple of games and has enough padding to protect the cosmetics of the system, although don't expect enough protection in the event you drop it. It's not that type of case.

As you can see the case is just a little larger than the slim PSP itself. It features a zipper that runs along the bottom and one side of the case. There are two UMD disc pouches on the inside that will hold two of your PSP games and there's enough space at the top to allow the TV tuner to fit in along with the slim PSP. Other than that, you're not going to get much else in this pouch as it's not large enough to hold much more, and you'd run the risk of scratching your slim PSP if you put anything else in there. As I said above, there's not a lot of padding inside but the inside layer is extremely soft and will make you feel comfortable that your screen will at least be well protected while your system is in the case.

To be perfectly honest, I really like this slim PSP pouch case. It's a nice looking case and will at least allow you to carry your PSP and a couple of games around without fear of scratching up the system. The outside layer of the case is even made of a water-resistent material, but I wouldn't recommend dunking it in water to test it if I were you. If you're looking for a no-frills case to carry your system around in, this might just fit the bill. It's easily the best PSP case I've owned to date and well worth the $20 it will set you back. It also comes in several colors to match the various colors of slim PSP systems available in Japan. No word yet on a US release, but I bet we see them here in the US eventually. (RATING: 8.5/10)

Felicia Blue Slim PSP - Impressions

Well I finally got my hands on a new digital camera this afternoon and after I figured out how to use it, I snapped some pics of my Felicia Blue slim PSP system. I've been playing with the new slim PSP for a few days now and I have to say that it's impressed me a lot more than I expected. After reading about the minor cosmetic changes that were made, I wasn't expecting much from the updated system, but it's amazing how even the smallest changes have made a huge difference with the comfort of the system, not to mention its overall functionality. So is the slim PSP worth your money if you already own an original model PSP?

The one thing that immediately stands out when you first begin playing the slim PSP is how much more comfortable it feels in your hands than the original PSP system. It's very light and the rounded edges keep it from digging into your hands the way the older PSP would do after long playing sessions. While the unit is thinner, it's not quite as noticeable a change as the lighter weight is. The WLAN switch is now on top so no more accidentily hitting it while playing. It is worth noting that now that the back of the slim PSP is glossy to match the front, the unit can become a little slippery if your hands begin to perspire while playing. It's not a big problem, but one at least worth mentioning. Another nice new feature is the way the d-pad, analog stick, and buttons feel on the slim model. The d-pad is much softer and more responsive and the buttons feel a little more clicky on the slim system. Sony might have decided to make subtle changes to their new and improved PSP system but when you add them all up, you get a nice little updated system that pretty much improved on the few things that actually needed it and left everything else alone.

The big selling point most people point to with the slim PSP is the video output that will allow you to view your PSP screen on your HDTV. It's worth noting that you must have a progressive scan-capable HDTV and you must use the component PSP cable in order to play games on your HDTV. You can use the composite and s-video cables to play photos, music, and video, but you cannot play PSP games using any cable other than the component cables so this obviously limits this feature for many PSP owners. The DS Lite was a huge improvement over the original model so it was easy for me to recommend it to gamers, even those who already owned the original DS system. While I love the improvements Sony made to the slim PSP, I don't know if I would go so far as to recommend that PSP owners go out and trade their original PSP systems in on a slim model. Think about the new features and decide if these minor improvements are worth it to you before you make your decision. I'm glad I got the slim PSP, but I also spend a lot of time playing the system so it was well worth the money for me personally. If your looking for a more comfortable PSP system that you can connect to your HDTV, this is your system. If those features aren't that high on your list, stick with what you've got.

Dragon Quest IV - Nintendo DS

After seeing all the video footage and screenshots of Dragon Quest IV shown at TGS, I've got to say, I'm getting pretty excited about this title. The 3-D visuals were sharp and colorful and the characters themselves had a great amount of detail, especially considering this game is running on the DS. If you get a chance, check out some of the videos floating around on various game sites and see for yourself how amazing this game is coming along. This one is moving up my most-wanted list fast. Let's just hope that with the success Rocket Slime and Dragon Quest 8 had here in the US that Square-Enix will see fit to bring this one stateside. It's already basically been translated on the NES anyway. I'll be keeping an eye on this one and I'll post more info when I get it.

Free Blu-Ray Movies My Ass!

For anyone that doesn't know, they're offering you 5 free Blu Ray movies if you purchase a qualifying Blu Ray player between July and September. The Playstation 3 system is one of these qualifying systems, so I went ahead and filled the form out, cut off the original UPC from my PS3 box, and included a copy of the dated sales receipt. I sent this off 11 weeks ago and still hadn't received anything so I went to the site and checked on my status and it came up as "unqualified" as it said I didn't include the UPC from the box. After checking with others who've tried to get this free offer, I found that 90% of the people still have not received the free movies and many were not qualified for the very same reason I was. I sent an angry email to the web site and basically told them that I was sending the entire box to them just to be on the safe side. That is of course except for the UPC that's no longer on the box. Truth is, the movies weren't that great. I mean what do you expect with free stuff, but that's not the point. The point is they made this free Blu Ray movies offer and they're damn well going to stick to it if I have to drive the Playstation 3 box to their El Paso distribution center that's 5 hours drive from where I live and slap somebody upside the head with it to get some service. For anyone else who've tried to get the movies and not received anything, I wish you good luck. And for those that actually did receive the movies, go out and buy a lottery ticket because luck is definitely on your side. : )

Felicia Blue Slim PSP w/ Pouch

Well I got in my Felicia Blue slim PSP system and pouch case yesterday, but my digital camera has officially bit the dust. It will flash but won't save the picture to the memory stick. I don't have to work on Monday and I'm going to Best Buy to pick up a new digital camera and I'll snap plenty of pictures of the new PSP and case as soon as I get back from the city on Monday afternoon. I will say this, the slim PSP is MUCH lighter than I expected and feels great in your hands. It's also a little more blue than I expected from looking at the pictures. I'll have more impressions on Monday when I post the pics.

Eternal Sonata - Impressions

Well it hasn't been easy, but I've finally gotten about 10 hours of play time on Eternal Sonata. I had no sooner picked the game up when I was called out of town on business and I've been holed up in this motel room ever since trying to play the game. I'm playing the game on my Macbook screen at the moment, but it's working out surprisingly well, although I do miss the surround sound back at home. I'm still quite a ways from finishing the game, but one thing has already stood out in my mind about this game versus Blue Dragon and that's the difference in feel of the two games. It's tough to compare these two games because they share few similarities. Blue Dragon has more of an epic feel to it, whereas Eternal Sonata feels more short and sweet. Blue Dragon has a lot of extra filler to it and a greater amount of plot detail whereas Eternal Sonata gets to the meat of the story faster and tends to progress at a much brisker pace. I have to say I'm preferring this faster pacing more as it allows me to better stay focused on the storyline. Whatever your taste is, let me just say that Eternal Sonata is a fantastic rpg and a welcome addition to a console that hasn't exactly lit up the scoreboard in the rpg genre so far.

The visuals in Eternal Sonata are staggering. The cel shaded graphic style really shines in high definition on the Xbox 360 and proves once again that the Xbox 360 has got a lot of processor muscle under the hood. The vibrant scenery in the game is eye-catching to say the least, and every new area seems to be a little more flashy than the last. The soundtrack is made up of some absolutely beautiful and melodic piano music mixed with orchestral touches that liven things up a bit. I have yet to hear a bad musical track and I can already tell you that even as much as I love the music in Blue Dragon, I'm leaning more in the direction of Eternal Sonata as it's been way more impressive than I expected. The combat system is similar to a 3-D version of the "Tales of" battle system. It's action style combat, but within a turn-based environment. Being able to move around in a 3-D plane adds even more strategy to the mix and breathes a fresh air into the genre unlike many of the cookie-cutter rpg battle systems we've been seeing rehashed lately. I'll get a full review up later on, but I just had to stop and write up some impressions as Eternal Sonata has really impressed me. If you're looking for a fresh rpg experience that offers up some originality and some awe-inspiring visuals, look no further. We should all hope that this game gets a sequel because the Xbox 360 needs more games like this. And soon!(RATING: 9.2/10)

On The Road Again...

Well I got called out of town on business at the last minute, so I'm currently residing here in the Comfort Inn. The good news is that I did bring my Xbox 360 along with me, the bad news is that the TV in my room doesn't have inputs I can get to so I had to connect the Xbox 360 to my Macbook using my USB 2.0 adapter. It's not pretty, but it works. I just got back to my room and I'm about to hit Eternal Sonata for an hour or two before bed. I'll have impressions up tomorrow afternoon. So far, it's an outstanding game.

Impressions - Castlevania: The Dracula X Chronicles

First off let me just say that I am a huge Castlevania fan. I have been since 1986 when I played the first Castlevania game on the NES. I've long wished that Konami would see fit to release the PC Engine version of Dracula X: Rondo of Blood here in the US as it's always been one of my all-time favorite Castlevania games. So no one was more excited to hear the news that Konami was working on an updated version of the game for the Sony PSP system. Well today I finally got a chance to sit down with the preview build of the game and I must say that my impressions are a mixed bag, to say the least.

The new visual look of the game is outstanding and shows off the PSP's gorgeous LCD screen to perfection. But something happens to my brain when I begin playing a game that looks so modern yet still plays the way it did back during the 16-bit era. It's like something doesn't fit. I dug out the original game and played it on my PC Engine about 3 weeks ago and it felt fine, but when I play the game with the updated look it's like my mind just naturally expects the game play to feel more updated as well. It's tough to explain, but when playing the updated version of the game it seems like the characters are crawling at snail speed. It would have been nice if Konami had sped things up a bit and maybe added a back-dash move or something new to add a fresh spin to the game play. The music is also really well done, although maybe not quite as "remixed" as I had expected it to be. It doesn't help that the PSP's speakers aren't the best out there, but even with the headphones the music didn't sparkle the way I had expected it to. The updated visuals are fantastic but they seem to overshadow all other areas of the game at times. I've only put about 2 hours into the game so far, so I'll post more impressions when I've had more time on the game. So far it's been really good but not quite as spectacular as I had expected.

Forgotten Favorites - Castlevania: Portrait of Ruin

Even as outstanding a game as Dawn of Sorrow was on the DS, Konami somehow managed to outdo it with the second DS Castlevania release "Portrait of Ruin." Everything was better. The music, the visuals, even the gameplay had been tweaked just enough to make it feel a little more responsive and smooth. I've always had a soft spot for the bosses in many of the Castlevania titles, but the bosses in Portrait of Ruin just rock. There's been no word yet on a third DS Castlevania title, but given the success of the first two games, it only makes sense that we'll see at least one more game on the DS before it's all said and done. All I can say is that if you haven't given Portrait of Ruin a try, you don't know what you're missing. It's the epitomy of everything a solid adventure/platformer should be. One of the best DS games of them all. (Rating: 9.4/10)

Big Week!

I'm going to be posting quite a bit on the blog this week so get ready. A few of the things on tap for this week are: Eternal Sonata for the Xbox 360 comes out on Tuesday. I'll be picking it up that morning and I'll post some impressions and a review of the game on here soon after. I also have a Felicia Blue PSP Slim system and an official pouch case coming from Play-Asia that I'll be sure and snap plenty of pics of and offer up impressions as well. I'm also playing the "Folklore" demo on Playstation 3 that I'll post some impressions on. As I said, should be a full week.

TurboGrafx-16 CD Titles Coming to Virtual Console!

You read it right! Hudson will begin releasing many of their popular TurboGrafx-16 CD titles on the Virtual Console beginning in October. There are already 10 titles said to be ready to go before the end of 2007 with more to follow in 2008. As soon as I get a list of the exact titles, I'll post them on here. Previews and game play videos coming on Virtual Turbo tonight. Good news for Turbo fans!

Playstation Store - Pixel Junk Racers

For those who don't already know, Sony has released the game "Pixel Junk Racers" in the online Playstation Store today. The game takes the simplicity and fun of the classic slot car race tracks that were popular back during the early 1980's and translates the idea into a unique video game experience. Now don't expect the type of arcade racer we've come to expect from games like Gran Turismo or Ridge Racer. This game is completely overhead and set on a small slot car race track. The control is simple. The left and right shoulder buttons control your speed and you use the d-pad's left and right directions to change lanes along the race track. Goals are normally simple like staying within a highlighted area using careful speed control or maneuvering in and out of lanes to pass other racers and pick up overtake combos. While this might sound quite easy, it quickly becomes challenging to meet the requirements of each race, not to mention being able to pick up a gold trophy in the process. Pixel Junk Racers might not look like much, but for $6.99, it's a good bargain for a game that's honestly a lot of fun to play. And for those wondering, the online play is as much fun as the single player experience. (RATING: 7.5/10)

Wii're #1

According to Gamespot, sales figures of the three current generation consoles were just released and they have the Wii in first place in worldwide sales at just over 9 million units sold. The Xbox 360, despite a year-long head start comes in at second place with 8.9 million units sold and Sony's PS3 a distant third place at 4.7 million units sold. It surprises me a little bit that Nintendo was able to surpass Microsoft in terms of sales so quickly and given the fairly lackluster lineup of games, at least up until Metroid Prime 3: Corruption was released this past month. Not to mention that Nintendo Wii systems have been pretty scarce at most retailers since it launched. I hate to admit it, but I find myself playing the Wii the least between the three consoles, normally spending most of my time lately on the Xbox 360. I guess the cheaper price tag and innovative control has paid off. And what's staggering about this is that these sales figures don't even take into account that three of Nintendo's biggest-selling franchises are being released within four months of each other. We just saw Metroid Prime 3: Corruption released and still have Super Mario Galaxy and Super Smash Bros. Brawl coming between now and December. On the plus side, Microsoft does have their key title Halo 3 being released in a little over a week, but I'm not sure if that's going to be enough to hold off the barrage of Nintendo's three big releases, especially with two of them right smack in the middle of the holiday shopping season. It looks like Nintendo is sitting pretty and might pull even further ahead by the time we reach 2008. I knew after the buzz we saw before the Wii was released that it was likely to sell quite well, but I didn't see Nintendo making up the ground quite this quickly. I'm officially impressed. That being said, we still have a long way to go in this console race, so let's not get too far ahead of ourselves here. : )

Anger Management?

Well we can't all be perfect. An unusual occurence happened today that hasn't taken place since the days of the NES. Today is the first time I've broken a game controller in frustration since the night I was playing Ghosts & Goblins on my NES almost 20 years ago and snapped the controller in half. I had been playing Minna no Golf 5 for a few hours trying to beat one of the final challenges on level 10 when on the last hole, I got stuck in a sand bunker and no matter how perfectly I hit the shot, the ball kept rolling back down into the bunker. When I had lost about 5 strokes, I threw the controller to the ground and then began stomping it into peices. Although I had thrown $50 down the toilet, I have to admit that I felt a lot better afterwards. That is until I walked into Target and paid $49.99 for a new Sixaxis controller. Then it stung a bit.

Component vs. HDMI

I normally get at least one question a day regarding using a component cable versus using an HDMI cable for the current generation video game consoles. Which is better? Which is cheaper? Is one really better than the other? So now I thought I'd take a moment to talk about some of the comparisons between the two types of cables not to mention which one I prefer and use myself. I'll try to keep this as simple as possible.

First let's take a look at the differences between the two types of cables. An HDMI cable carries both a digital video and digital audio signal. This is convenient since basically one connection can carry both signals at the same time. A component cable carries an analog video signal that's broken down into 3 connections. One cable input is the "luma" which controls the brightness, and then two more connections which carry red and blue data called "chroma." Many component cables also come with the standard two-RCA connections for analog audio as well. Most anyone with any type of electronics knowledge knows that digital signals are generally considered superior to analog signals, therefore it would make sense that an HDMI cable would be the superior choice, and can be in certain situations. When I got my Playstation 3, I tried both a Monster HDMI cable as well as a set of the official Sony component cables and I much prefered the softer look of the component connection. Same thing with my Xbox 360. When I got the Elite system, I tried that same Monster cable with it as well and was still more satisfied with the look and clarity of the component cables. I know it doesn't make sense, but I saw it with my own eyes. The best thing you can do is try both cables out on your particular HDTV and see which you prefer.

Now let's talk about the audio side of things. As I said, an HDMI cable carries the digital audio signal on the same cable as the digital video so you only need that one cable to use your digital surround sound. I need to stress this once again because of all of the emails I get regarding using surround sound with your game systems. To get true digital surround sound you must have a digital audio cable. Either an HDMI cable or an optical audio cable. Since the component cables for the Playstation 3 and Xbox 360 systems both feature only analog RCA audio inputs, that means you're going to have to purchase a separate fiber optic audio cable to use in order to get that true Dolby 5.1 or DTS surround sound. This is obviously where using an HDMI cable makes things so much less complicated.

As far as price goes, HDMI and optical audio cables range in price from $5.00 all the way up to $100 for the high-end cables. Here's the thing. Since there isn't a quality loss in a digital signal, it's either all or nothing with a digital video or audio signal, it's really not necessary to spend tons of money on a cable. I bought the Monster cables because they have a lifetime warranty and I got them on sale. There's no way in hell I'd spend $100 for one cable I don't care how good it is. My advice is this. When you buy an Xbox 360 system, you get a set of component cables with it. Try them out and see how they look on your HDTV. If you buy an Xbox 360 Elite system and want to try the HDMI cable out, run down to Best Buy and grab a $5.00 HDMI cable and give it a try. It might be worth the $5 for you to know which one works better for you. You can always sell the cable on eBay and recoup the money. If you get a Playstation 3 system, you don't get component or HDMI cables either one so my advice here is first try out the HDMI cable. Grab a cheap one and try it out. If you still want to try out component cables look around various retailers and you can still sometimes find the Playstation 2 component cables on clearance for around $10. They work perfectly with the Playstation 3 system. I got three sets myself as they were in the clearance bin at Circuit City for $6.99 each.

I'm going to mention one last tidbit before I close this article off and that's regarding the use of a component or HDMI switcher. With HDMI, the signal is digital so it's not as important to find a good quality unit as it is with component connections. Just basically find a reliable switcher with a decent warranty and you're good to go. With analog component video, there can be a loss of signal quality so you want to find a really nice switcher if you can afford it as to avoid any video signal loss. I recommend the Zektor HDS4.1 as it's proven to be not only extremely reliable, but also provides no signal quality loss at all. On the downside, it's a little steap in price at $249.95. It's your call.

After all is said and done, I hope this article goes a little ways in clearing up some confusion and misconceptions many gamers have regarding audio and video with these current generation game consoles. Seeing is believing and it's always best to try the different methods out for yourself when possible. Every HDTV is a little different in terms of how they perform using various types of connections. Plus different people tend to prefer certain looks in their HDTVs and that can play a big role in choosing a cable as well. All this being said, both component and HDMI offer very high-quality video signals so you really can't go wrong either way.

Hori Compact Pouch Case - Review

I posted this review back when this case first came out, but I've been getting a lot of questions about DS and PSP cases lately, so here is the Hori Compact Pouch DS Lite case review once again. I'm about as finicky as anyone when it comes to cases for my portable game systems. I don't like the zipper to touch the game system at all when I'm zipping and unzipping the case. I also like the inside of the case to be made of as soft a material as humanly possible. But above all I want a case that's going to be durable, offer the type of protection I'm looking for, and looks as good as my portable system does, which in this case, happens to be my new Ice Blue DS Lite system. If those criteria are met, I'm generally quite satisfied with a case. So the question is: How do I like this Hori Compact Pouch case?

We'll start with my obsession with the zipper touching my game system. Fact is, if a metal zipper is touching my system when I'm zipping and unzipping the case, it's going to scratch it. That's just a fact. Luckily the Hori case has a nice fluffy layer of cushioning that goes up around the DS Lite system in order to keep the zipper from touching it. Critierion #1 met. The entire inside padding of the case is also made of an extremely soft fabric which just seems to hug the little DS Lite just right when you pull the top down to close the case. No worries of scratching there, and it does offer a little padding in case you drop the system, although I wouldn't trust a case this small when it comes to dropping the DS Lite. It doesn't have that much padding. Criterion #2 met. Durability is an important factor in a carry case for a delicate electronic device like a DS Lite system, because if you can't count on your case to stay in one piece, how can you expect it to protect your valuable handheld system? Once again the Hori case lives up to the challenge and is extremely well made and even the stiching is flawless. The zipper is fairly smooth and doesn't snag on the soft inside cushioning, and the zippers even have tassles on then for easier gripping when opening and closing the case. Criterion #3 met. So far so good.

So we know the case is well made, but does it really protect the DS Lite? The simple answer is, to an extent. This is not a hard-body case or one with a lot of padding, this compact case's main goal is to fit snuggly around the DS Lite, keep it from getting scratched while being carried around, and keep as much dust away from it as possible. Those things this case does with ease. That being said, if you're looking for a case to protect your DS Lite during extreme conditions, like dropping the system, you may want to invest in a hard shell case instead of this one. Criterion #4 met. Last but certainly not least, does the Hori case look as good as it functions? To put it bluntly, hell yes! The light blue case I bought almost matches the exact color of my DS Lite system to a tee. You'll barely be able to tell the slight difference in hue between the two. It also features white highlights around different parts of the case which give it a very clean look when blended with the pastel color of the case. Criterion #5 met. To sum it up, I've owned tons of different cases for my various portable systems over the years, but this Hori Compact Pouch is one of the best I've owned. If you're looking for a simple, yet effective case to protect your system from dust, scuffing, or scratching from everyday use and transporting, this is the case for you. RATING: (9.0/10)

** I knocked off 1 point on the rating because the DS and GBA game pouches inside the case don't stretch at all and it doesn't hold as many games as I would have liked, but I'm being a little nitpicky here. **

Nintendo Renews Pikmin License

It's been three years since Nintendo released their last Pikmin title, and this has left many fans wondering if there would ever be another Pikmin release. While there's been no official news of a Pikmin game for either the Nintendo DS or Wii systems, we do know that Nintendo just recently renewed their Pikmin license which at least gives fans of the series some semblance of hope for a new Pikmin game. The question is, will it be developed for the Wii or the DS system. If I had to bet on it, I'd go with the Wii since it would seem like a perfect fit for the system given the innovative play control techniques used on the system, but as a fan I just want a new Pikmin game regardless of what system it's released for. I'll let you know if I hear any more news about it.

Here We Go Again...

Back when the Xbox 360 console had just launched here in the US, I was spending a lot of time on the Xbox 360 message boards. Many people kept asking whether or not there was a big difference between playing the system on a standard-definition television and playing it on a high-definition television. I took some pictures of several of the Xbox 360 titles being played on both types of televisions and posted them on a page of their own on my domain. That's when all hell broke loose. What began as me trying to be helpful kicked off a civil war on the message board pitting regular TV owners against HDTV owners. The HDTV owners praised the pictures and those who didn't own an HDTV basically called me every name in the book and swore that the pictures were not accurate representations of the differences. Since I had placed my personal email address on the page, you can only guess the enormous amount of nasty emails I began receiving from gamers who didn't appreciate the comparison pictures. This went on for about 3 weeks until the post finally closed and purged off of the board. The war was over - at least I thought it was.

Here we are 21 months later and I had completely forgotten about this page, and thankfully so had the Xbox 360 board, until yesterday morning when I woke up to over twice the normal amount of email that I generally get when I first check it in the morning. Instead of the 40-50 emails I normally have, I had 109 emails. My first thought was that I had gotten hit with a load of spam, but upon careful examination of the subjects, it didn't take but a second to realize what had happened. As it turns out, someone had come across this old page in their bookmarks and decided to stir up trouble again by posting it on several other gaming message boards. Unfortunately, I had not removed my email address from the page and once again, the profanity-laden emails had returned. Fifty-seven of them to be exact. I even tallied up the "for" and "against" and came up with 13 emails that loved the pics and 44 that wanted me dead.

Rather than spend all morning answering each email, I basically added this response to the original comparison page and posted the URL again on these two message boards. This is what I posted:

"I initially took the time to take these photos in order to help those who didn't own an HDTV better understand what the differences between the two types of television were. To show that the Xbox 360 would still output the astounding visuals no matter which type of TV you owned. I wanted to show gamers that an HDTV basically just made these visuals more crisp and clear. I know that these pictures originally caused a lot of disarray on the Xbox 360 board, and that's why I've never posted the link to this comparison page since that time almost two years ago. In all honesty, I probably should have just removed the page from the web server a long time ago, but once the debate died down, I basically just forgot about the page entirely. I still stand behind the pictures that I took because I think it was a fair and accurate representation of the differences between the two types of televisions. I took all of the pictures under the exact same conditions and distances. None of the photographs were touched up in any way, shape, or form. If there were no differences between the two types of televisions, then there would be no reason to spend a lot more money on an HDTV. I hope this will smooth some things over, and I absolutely WILL NOT remove this comparison page now just out of general principle and the hateful way in which many gamers responded to me via email instead of trying to have a normal discussion about it. I will not be discussing the pictures any further from this point on as I'll let everyone make up their own minds and have their opinions much the same way I have mine."

*** CLICK ON THE PICTURE FOR THE FULL-SIZED VERSION ***

Xbox Live Arcade - Cyberball 2072

For those of you who don't already know, Midway and Digital Eclipse released the classic Atari coin-op "Cyberball 2072" onto the Xbox Live Arcade on Wednesday. I absolutely loved this arcade game back in the day, and spent many a Saturday night standing in front of the arcade cabinet playing game after game with anyone who'd play. What's funny about that is that I'm not a big sports game fan. I love most sports in real life, but I've never really been into the sports video games for some strange reason. In fact, othen than the Mario Golf and Hot Shots Golf games, I've not really owned any other sports titles over the years. That being said, I bought this game for my Sega Genesis and didn't leave the house for a month so I was pretty excited to see it come out on Xbox Live Arcade. The game is an arcade-perfect rendition of the arcade release complete with all of the voiced sound effects the game was so well known for. The addition of the Xbox Live support just further adds to the playability of the game and judging by some of the people I've played so far, there's some pretty talented Cyberball players out there. The visuals are looking pretty dated, as they are with most of these older arcade releases, but this game was never about flashy visuals. It's about strategy and great arcade sports action and it hasn't lost a step even all these years later. If you're a fan of the arcade title, don't hesitate to pick this one up, and if you're not, 400 MS Points is a small price to pay for a great video football game that was, and still is, one of the most underated arcade sports titles ever. (RATING: 8.5/10)

Final Fantasy Fables: Chocobo Tales - DS

I love the Final Fantasy series, but I wasn't too excited about this game when I first heard that it was going to be yet another mini-game compilation instead of a straight up RPG. In fact, I completely forgot about the game until I waltzed into my local Wal-Mart this morning and saw the game in the case. I tried to talk myself out of buying the game as much as I could, but I just had to at least give it a try. After playing the game for several hours, I have to now admit that this game has really surprised me. Sure, it's probably what you would get if you crossed Wario Ware Touched with Final Fantasy III, but you'd be surprised at just how well the game blends rpg, puzzle, card battle, and mini-game elements into one very enjoyable little game. This game truly proves that you can't always judge a book by its cover.

The game creatively weaves a cute rpg storyline around an interesting group of mini-games. As you complete mini-games and various tasks you're given additional tidbits of storyline and new quests to undertake. There's also quite a bit of exploration thrown into the mix to add the rpg overtones the game relies on. You even get awarded battle cards at times that you can use in the card battle sections of the game. Now for those looking for something truly original, you might come away from this title a little dissapointed as it borrows much of its content from previous games not to mention many of the classic storybook fairy tales. Most of the characters are from the Final Fantasy universe, not to mention the fact that the majority of the musical tracks in the game are also remixes of past Final Fantasy tunes. It doesn't hamper the overall experience, in fact it gives the game a familiarity that will make fans of the Final Fantasy games feel right at home. I hope that gamers won't prematurely label Chocobo Tales as just another "kiddy" game that's just trying to cash in on the Final Fantasy name, because you'll really be missing a very unique and endearing DS title that really makes terrific use of the touchscreen function. Great little game and one that I'd definitely recommend. (RATING: 8.6/10)

Bonk III Released on the Virtual Console Today!

Hudson has finally given Bonk fans the third and final TurboGrafx-16 installment of the series and it's a good one. Bonk now has size on his side and can grow to half the size of the screen or shrink down to the size of a peanut. And he'll need to use both abilities in order to gain access to many parts of the levels he'll have to traverse. While many consider Bonk's Revenge to be the point at which this series peaked, it's hard not to think that Bonk III might still be the better overall game given these new game play elements. No matter what, Bonk III is a game any platformer fan should have in their collection. ** Click on the box art to head on over to Virtual-Turbo and read the full review of Bonk III. **

Forgotten Favorites - Feel the Magic XY/XX

Feel the Magic was one of the earlier Nintendo DS titles, and also one of the most obscure as well. The game uses mini-games that are made to take full advantage of the DS system's unique capabilities and packages them around an eccentric and sexy 1970's visual styling. The basic story of the game is that you meet the woman of your dreams and need a way to impress her. You join a club called the "Rub Rabbbits" and set out to complete wild challenges in order to gain your dream girl's attention. Everything from using the touchscreen to move and manipulate objects to blowing to shouting into the DS microphone. If it sounds insane, that's because it really is. That being said, the game has a very unique and addictive nature to it that makes it hard to put down once you begin playing it. I still find myself coming back to this game time and time again. If you've never played this game, do yourself a favor and pick it up if you can still find a copy around. You'll be surprised at just how much fun such a simple and unusual game can be. The perfect type of game to show off the DS capabilities.(RATING: 8.9/10)

Blue Dragon - Review

As I said last time, Blue Dragon has gotten some very mixed reviews since its release last week. Having put in over 20 hours on the game already, I thought it would be a good time to give you my take on the game. Is the game more a 6/10 or a 9/10? The truth is, Blue Dragon is a very solid Japanese RPG. The main problem the game encounters is that it's just not anything we haven't already played many times before. There's a few new twists here and there, but certainly not enough to make it really stand out from the crowd. You'll spend the majority of your time exploring new areas, some more intricate than others. To anyone that's familiar with Japanese RPGs, you know that this means enemy encounters. And plenty of them. While you can avoid enemies to an extent, as you progress in the game, these enemies tend to jump on you much more quickly and aggressively which makes avoiding them a tough task indeed. You will get some storyline and voiced dialog at intervals, but it feels almost like an after-thought than something that's important to the flow of the game. It's generally just enough to send you on your next exploration quest. And did I mention that there's quite a bit of enemy encounters? You'll become well versed in the battle system in a short amount of time in Blue Dragon.

Visually the game is outstanding. That being said, the cartoony theme the game sports might turn some gamers off who are looking for something a little more realistic, ala the Final Fantasy titles. Akira Toriyama has a distinct art style that most gamers either love or hate. The enemies and bosses are all very colorful and sport a very next-generation glossy look to them. If it's one thing that can be said about the visuals in Blue Dragon, it's that they're very crisp and clean. The musical score is about what you'd expect from Uematsu, but that's good and bad. The good thing is that he's responsible for some of the greatest RPG musical works ever created, the bad news is the tunes in Blue Dragon tend to sound like rehashes of some of his previous works. Ian Gillan of Deep Purple sings on the main battle theme, and while it's a very good track, it somehow feels very out of place in the cartoon-like world of Blue Dragon. The combat system is basically your standard turn-based system that allows you all the time you need to make your menu selections in between rounds. It feels a lot like the system used in Final Fantasy X. I personally love it, but gamers looking for something a little more in the vein of the ATB system used in many modern turn-based RPGs need look elsewhere. It's fun having control of your shadow beasts, but it really doesn't add much to the overall combat experience that couldn't have been achieved using just the characters themselves. It's a smooth playing game that should feel quite familiar to turn-based RPG fans.

At the end of the day, Blue Dragon is a solid RPG that should keep fans of the genre content for some time to come. With a quest that's over 50 hours and 3 DVD discs in length, there's a lot to this game. It's everything you could want out of a next-generation RPG, but it doesn't go much beyond that. I'm sure many of the lower review scores come from reviewers who were looking for more innovation and originality in the title, but Blue Dragon sticks to the tried-and-true RPG formula all the way. I've personally enjoyed the game, and I love the combat system as I was a huge fan of the system used in Final Fantasy X. I highly recommend this game to any RPG fan looking for an epic adventure that will keep you busy for in excess of 50 hours. Just don't expect the game to re-invent the RPG genre the way some of the media obviously thought it was going to do. (RATING: 8.3/10)