8BitKid

Mario Tennis Open for 3DS Teaser Trailer

Wed, 22 Feb 2012 17:33:00 -0800

At today's "Nintendo Direct" event, the company showed off this new trailer for the Mario Tennis Open game. I cannot wait to pick this up for the 3DS when it comes out this May.

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Lego Minecraft Set Officially Introduced

Fri, 17 Feb 2012 11:00:00 -0800

via legocuusoo.posterous.com

Check out the official Lego CUUSOO blog for news on the exciting announcement of the Lego Minecraft set that will be launching this summer.

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Ni No Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch Shipping this Winter

Thu, 16 Feb 2012 11:00:00 -0800

via joystiq.com

It looks like Studio Ghibli's collaboration with Level-5, Ni No Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch, will finally be hitting American soil this winter. It has been a long wait, and it seems like we'll have to wait some more before we can finally start playing this beautifully-crafted RPG.

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Secret World of Arrietty Art Books

Thu, 26 Jan 2012 14:23:00 -0800

See the full gallery on Posterous

Studio Ghibli's latest film will be landing in theaters on February 17th. To coincide with the release, Viz Media will be releasing an artbook, hardcover picture book, and 2 volume film comic. These will be available on February 7th. All of the artwork in the trailers looks fantastic, so you may want to consider purchasing them.

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Mad Catz Modular Gaming Controller at CES

Fri, 13 Jan 2012 16:51:00 -0800

Mad Catz unveiled this innovative modular game controller at CES. It lets you swap the location of components to match your particular play style. The "MLG Pro Circuit Controller" is available on Amazon for $99 for PS3 and Xbox 360. If anyone picks one up, let me know what you think of it.

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James Bond Blu-ray Bundle Announced at CES

Wed, 11 Jan 2012 14:49:00 -0800

As a Bond nut, this Blu-ray set announcement has me pretty excited. You can pre-order it on Amazon.

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Mad Dog McCree Launches on iOS

Wed, 21 Dec 2011 13:49:00 -0800

See the full gallery on Posterous

Mad Dog McCree is a reminder on an odd era in gaming where full-motion video was integrated with arcades to provide a bizarre blend of experiences. I remember playing this light gun game at an arcade as a teenager, and these types of games were later released on laserdisc as well.

You can now play the game in a much more accessible way courtesy of a new iOS version that is available today. You can download it here, and be sure to watch the fantastic trailer below.

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Doctor Who: Worlds in Time Online Game Launches

Tue, 20 Dec 2011 15:08:00 -0800

This is a bit of a personal plug, but the MMO I work on as the producer for the BBC launched into open preview today. Doctor Who: Worlds in Time is an online MMO that is focused on collaborative puzzle-solving and was developed by Three Rings (creators of Spiral Knights and Puzzle Pirates). I may be biased, but the game is a lot of fun and appeals to new-comers and fans of the show alike.

Kotaku had a great write-up here, and also you should watch the trailer and "making of" featurette below.

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3D Hyundai Projection With Anamanaguchi

Thu, 08 Dec 2011 11:16:00 -0800

This is an amazing art project that blends chiptunes from the amazing Anamanaguchi, crazy effects, and advertising.

From the creators:

During Art Basel in Miami, we used 3D projection mapping technology to transform the façade of Ocean Drive's famous Tides Hotel into a giant 8,000-square-foot-canvas. Starring the Hyundai Veloster, the projection celebrated old school video games choreographed to an original 8-bit score composed by the popular chiptune band, Anamanaguchi.

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Mojang Proposing Lego Minecraft Sets via Cuusoo

Tue, 06 Dec 2011 09:53:00 -0800

Lego Cuusoo is a peer submission platform where fans can vote on design submissions, and if they get enough momentum Lego will actually release the set.

Mojang has actually started a new project to create official Minecraft sets. This seems like a match made in blocky heaven. You can vote for the project here.

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Lego Vending Machine

Thu, 01 Dec 2011 11:00:00 -0800

via flickr.com

A Flickr user found this photo while traveling in Munich. I'm lucky these haven't landed in the US yet, since my bank account would not be pleased with the ease of impulse brick buying.

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GamePro Magazine is No More

Wed, 30 Nov 2011 14:32:00 -0800

via venturebeat.com

The classic gaming publication has shut down today. I used to love GamePro, especially during my Sega years with a Genesis and Game Gear. It is a shame to see a part of my childhood close its doors.

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The Little Printer - Social Ticker Tape

Tue, 29 Nov 2011 12:18:00 -0800

This little printer doles out a daily dose of social news, info, puzzles, and more. It seems similar to the Chumby and Nabaztag, but with a more analog and tangible flair.

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Title Scream - Retro Gaming Graphics

Mon, 28 Nov 2011 09:55:00 -0800

Title Scream is a great collection of title screens from classic 8 and 16-bit games. It is worth taking a trip down memory lane and perusing these vintage graphics.

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Lego Brick Jewelry

Tue, 15 Nov 2011 11:00:00 -0800

A new Los Angeles-based jewelry designer is selling rings and earings based on my favorite building brick. The creator is called "©+", and you can view the debut line here.

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Level Design in Mega Man

Fri, 11 Nov 2011 11:00:00 -0800

This episode of "Sequelitis" highlights the level design brilliance of Keiji Inafune with the Mega Man and Mega Man X series. It details how cleverly the game creators helped players understand the rules of the game, and is a must-watch for anyone interested in game design.

I will warn you that this video features strong language, so if you're easily offended, take note.

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Polaroid Finally Makes a Combo Digital/Instant Camera

Thu, 10 Nov 2011 11:00:00 -0800

See the full gallery on Posterous

It seems like Polaroid should have done this years ago, but the company has finally come to their senses and made a hybrid digital/instant camera. The new Polaroid Z340 uses their thermal "Zink" printing technology to create photos in the classic 3" x 4" size. Additionally, it has a 14MP sensor so you can get the photos in all of their digital glory.

I'm excited to start to see some reviews of this new camera, which could make a great nostalgic holiday gift for the gadget geek in your life. You can buy it from Amazon now.

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BBC Worldwide's New Indie Games Podcast: 99 Coins

Wed, 09 Nov 2011 09:14:00 -0800

The BBC Worldwide has launched a new indie games podcast: 99 Coins. This is a bit of a personal plug, since I am one of the two co-hosts. The other co-host is my esteemed BBC Digital Entertainment and Games team cohort: Ben Milsom. We'll be focusing on the indie gaming community, and feature guests from the industry.

Our first episode is now live, and we interviewed Ricky Haggett (Co-Founder of Honeyslug) and Dan Marshall (of Size Five Games). We had a great inaugural episode which you can download from iTunes. Also, be sure to follow us on Twitter.

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Lego Universe Closing January 31st, 2012

Tue, 08 Nov 2011 11:00:00 -0800

I was a big fan of Lego Universe since I was admitted to the beta. It was the right combination of humor, creativity, and casual play to get me to play an MMO for the first time. However, Lego Universe couldn't cut it as a subscription-based game, so they recently tried to make the switch to a free-to-play model. However, it seems that this transition wasn't enough to keep the money rolling in. Despite having over 2 million players, not enough were monetizing well.

Lego has made the tough decision to close down the game on January 31st of next year. The company says they will focus on the licensed games developed by 3rd parties, which makes sense given their success.

However, this is a sad day for fans of the game and the brand. It really was an innovative and engaging project, and I hope that the developers give the game the proper send-off before they shut off the lights.

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Professor Layton Anime Available Next Week on DVD

Wed, 02 Nov 2011 13:42:00 -0700

Professor Layton and the Eternal Diva is the anime installment of Level-5's fantastic DS series. I haven't yet seen this feature film, but the press release provides the following summary:

Professor Layton, a true English gentleman, renowned archaeologist, and the world's greatest amateur super sleuth, sets out on his most daring adventure yet! A letter from Janice Quatlane, his old student and now a famous opera diva, draws the Professor and his loyal assistant Luke to the legendary Crown Petone Opera House to investigate a mysterious occurrences at the theater. Meanwhile, a rash of disappearances of young school girls hits London... How are these two mysteries related to each other, and to the secret of Eternal Life?!

The DVD will be available next week, and you can purchase it here.

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