The Stoked Gamer

EVGA Celebrates Decade With Contests & Prizes

2009-07-16T18:15:00.013-06:00

Previously we had reported on the Team Fortess 2 Weekend that EVGA will be holding on July 25th and 26th. Today not only were the prizes revealed for the TF2 Weekend, but so much more. We are talking about prizes and contests galore. To celebrate their 10th Anniversary, EVGA has teamed up with many important sponsers to give back to the PC Gaming Community.

EVGA has provided 5 different ways the PC gaming community can win prizes. You can read some of the official details below with links to each contest page. Don't miss out on all of the excellent prizes!

EVGA Decade Celebration

Over $50,000 in prizes!

EVGA's Decade anniversary brings back all of our favorite promotions from the past and a few new ones into one big explosion of games and prizes. There truly is something for everyone here! Over 100 prizes, including 4 custom built systems, will be won by our community to show you how much we appreciate your support throughout our ten years.

Scavenger Hunt

The famous EVGA Scavenger Hunt is back for our Decade anniversary! We have hidden 10 "Decade Ribbons" throughout the website, think you can find them all? In order to collect each ribbon, you will need to answer two questions correctly about EVGA and our sponsors. This is the largest single giveaway we have ever done!

Team Fortress 2 Weekend

On Saturday July 25th and Sunday July 26th EVGA will be doubling its public TF2 servers and running a weekend long prize giveaway! Signup and participation is free and easy for any who wishes to participate.

This is not a competition or tournament, merely a chance for regular gamers to come out and play your hearts out for some great gaming goods. All prizes will be raffled off over the course of the weekend!

Wallpaper Contest

So, you've got some 'Shop skills... Care to show off to the entire EVGA community? We want your best EVGA-themed wallpapers on our flickr channel. You have a full month, entries stop on 8/16/09, to come up with and implement a design and it will be judged by EVGA employees and voted on to win.

EVGA on the Tube

Think you have the skills to make an EVGA-themed commercial? We want to see what you've got! We're giving you nearly two months to put together the greatest spot based on anything EVGA. You will upload your commercial to YouTube and enter the link below. They will be judged by EVGA employees and voted on to see who wins the grand prize!

SO NET Extravaganza

Once per day, every day, EVGA will give away a random prize to someone that participates in one of our Social Networking sites. It could be EVGA bucks, a free video card, or a gift card from a popular retailer. You never know what we're going to give away or when! We're kicking off this promotion with our Decade anniversary, but we will continue on for over 250 prizes per year just for keeping track of us at your favorite sites.

ModNation Racers Trailer

2009-07-16T17:46:00.008-06:00

One of the games that really stood out to me during the Sony Press Conference at E3 was ModNation Racers. I have always been a huge fan of Mario Kart and other chaotic type racers. With the ability to create and share your tracks I believe the PlayStation 3 Community will latch onto this game. It is scheduled for release Spring 2010.

Official Description:

Get behind the wheel of PlayStation's latest Creative Gaming title. ModNation™ Racers is exclusive to the PlayStation 3 and is a thoroughly fresh take on classic kart racing that empowers the player to personalize their entire game. Enjoy endless karting fun, where you can shoot, boost & drift your way to the finish line.

Create your unique racing experience with the same tools used by the development team. Express yourself by creating your own Mod character, quirky kart and imaginative track, and share your unique racing experience with the rest of the world.

Battlefield 1943: Coral Sea Map Should Unlock Today

2009-07-14T02:07:00.015-06:00

Ever since the release last week of Battlefield 1943 I have been hooked. Tonight I completed my 100th match and received the Tour of Duty II Achievement on Xbox Live. Finally I have received all 200 gamerscore points. To make a long story short I have done all that I can (Air Raids FTW) to help unlock the Coral Sea Map on the Xbox 360. At the current rate the Xbox 360 is racking up kills, the Coral Sea should unlock today as some have predicted. Talk about getting 43 million kills in a hurry.

At the time of publishing this article, the Xbox 360 is sitting at over 38 million kills, while the PlayStation 3 has over 20 million kills. So the Xbox 360 should get Coral Sea today with the PlayStation receiving the new map probably around Saturday. Pick up the pace PS3. ;)

It should be exciting to play on a new map finally, especially 12 vs 12 air combat. Looking forward to seeing you on battlefield. Below you can read the full description of the Coral Sea Challenge and watch the trailer.

UPDATE: CORAL SEA IS NOW LIVE ON XBOX 360

Official Description:

Here are the details for the battle plan: the goal to accumulate 43 million kills will begin for Battlefield 1943. The more time you spend putting lead in the bodies of your sworn enemies, the quicker everyone will be able to play Coral Sea. To keep track of the progress keep visiting the website to view the real time kill counter per platform of how you and your fellow soldiers are progressing towards the goal of 43 Million.

Coral Sea is the ultimate online multiplayer dog fighting map ever released! With two aircraft carriers supplying your team with all the F4U and Zero fighters you’ll need as your conquest to control the skies and make your place in history as an Ace Pilot of Battlefield 1943. Use the volcanic island terrain to your advantage and flank your enemies or weave in and out of the low arches to avoid enemy fire. Stay with your wingman, practice the Thach Weave, and soon you’ll dominate the skies of the Pacific! The choice is yours once you’ve helped achieve the 43,000,000 kills.

Mass Effect 2: Reveal Trailer

2009-07-10T18:00:00.003-06:00

Bioware provides an awesome new look into the Mass Effect 2 universe. Once again commanding Captain Shepard, there will be very difficult decisions that can result in deadly consequences. Also addressed in this video are details about the missions, combat and exploration.

The original Mass Effect holds a place in my personal top ten games of all time. I believe it safe to say this is one of the most anticipated titles in the next nine months.

Daily Gaming Picture - Crusin' the Waterfront

2009-07-08T22:21:00.004-06:00

A recent in game photo while crusing around the waterfront. This was taken just prior to pulling a 360 Flip 180 up the stairs. Can't wait for the Maloof Money Cup DLC tomorrow. Check my online Skate profile for more pics and videos. I really need to take the time and upload all of my saved content to EA Nation.

Battlefield 1943 Launch Trailer

2009-07-08T10:47:00.003-06:00

Battlefield 1943 launched on Xbox Live this morning. So far I have only played the complete tutorial. Apparently EA is having some server overload this morning. Hopefully this will be fixed ASAP. Perhaps they underestimated just how many people would be purchasing this game.

So far just playing the tutorial is really fun, especially having the frostbite engine involved for the great explosions and damage to buildings. I am going back to the battlefield now. Expect a review sometime very soon.

Stoked: Europe Release Date & Mountain Trailer

2009-07-07T16:03:00.011-06:00

In September (the 25th according to Amazon.co.uk) European gamers will have a chance to finally purchase the exclusive Xbox 360 game Stoked. This has been a long time coming for gamers in Europe considering the game was released on February 24th in America. Unfortunately, Destineer the original publisher was unable to bring the game to other countries. Thankfully they have now partnered with zushi games to bring the game to Europe.

Personally I love the backcountry and open feel of this game. The game also provides a much more realistic feel to snowboarding compared to games like SSX. The controls are similar to controls found in the Skate series, which is a really great thing. Also I like the music a whole lot more than what Skate 2 has to offer.

If you are a board fan, there is tons to love about this game. Not to mention it's $29.99 price tag here in the US. Below you can view the latest Stoked Trailer and Official Press Release.

Official Press Release:

June 24th, 2009 Hit the mountains on your quest to become the next snowboarding phenomenon in Stoked, the open-world, back country snowboarding experience featuring five huge open-world mountains, changing weather patterns, and the sponsorship and cooperation of some of the most respected and influential names in the sport.

Developed in conjunction with world-renowned snowboarding movie creator Absinthe Films, Stoked captures the pioneering spirit of professional back country riders. Exhilarating snowboarding experiences are born from dynamic backcountry conditions. The riders who brave and master these conditions are the stuff of legend in Absinthe videos and the pages of snowboarding magazines. The look and style of these riders are emulated across the world. In Stoked, it’s your turn to become a legendary rider and wow the world on Xbox Live online entertainment network by becoming an absolute snowboarding phenomenon.

In Stoked, craft a snowboarding career with your own customizable style and ride five famous mountains featuring over 45 square miles of open terrain in each location. Discover new drop points by helicopter. Dynamic and ever-evolving weather conditions await riders as they choose where they ride and what they ride in by tracking conditions that suit their tastes.

Riders get instant drop in access to multiplayer action where they team up with friends to create a wide variety of riding experiences, both cooperative and competitive. Players can also go up against other riders on Xbox Live in a series of sponsored events to boost their fame!

Own trick spots, show up rivals, and build your reputation. Take pictures of friends and capture video of your best moves to win the kind of attention that lands you on the cover of a snowboarding magazine. Conquer massive mountains and carve your path as a snowboarding phenomenon in the deepest, truest backcountry snowboarding video game yet: Stoked.

With the title already performing well in America there is a huge anticipation for the title across Europe.

“We at zushi are delighted to have reached an agreement with Destineer for our first Xbox 360® title Stoked. After a successful launch in the USA earlier this year we believe Stoked has huge potential in Europe which zushi is backing with our biggest ever pr & marketing campaign spend across trade and retail.” Barry Hatch zushi games.

“Destineer is thrilled to be working with zushi to bring our highly anticipated game Stoked to the UK and Europe. We’re equally excited to be working with zushi and hope to continue working with them to bring more Destineer titles to these territories.” explained Paul Rinde, CEO of Destineer.

"Stoked is also supported by the biggest magazines in the snowboarding industry. Headlining is Method Magazine one of the biggest snowboarding magazines in Europe. Along with Method, Huck Magazine, Onboard, Snowboard Canada, and Snowboard Mag. “It is an awesome opportunity to be featured in a game like this. It is a great experience. I am sure that all European fans of snowboarding will love this game.”

Five Gigantic Real-World Mountains: Leave worn-out resorts behind and travel the world in search of the ultimate back country location. Explore five world-renowned summits. Discover new drop points by helicopter, bail out and experience more than 45square-miles of open terrain on each peak.

Dynamic Weather and Environments: Every day the snow and weather conditions change on each of the mountains featured in the game thanks to a dynamic weather and time of day system. Snow accumulates on mountain surfaces, changing the riding experience, opening new paths, and building new trickable features and challenges. Different weather conditions offer different experiences and riding challenges. Choose where, when, and in what conditions you’d like to ride!

Seamless Multiplayer: Invite your friends to ride with you in instant drop-in multiplayer! While riding together you can select custom helicopter drop points, create competitive or cooperative challenges, or call out tricks for members of your posse to pull off as you snap their photos. When you’re ready to get serious, go up against other boarders on Xbox LIVE in sponsored events to build your fame.

Style Crafting: As you develop your style, the animation system will adapt to how you play, and the other riders on the mountain will emulate your moves! But doing tricks isn’t the only way to convey a sense of style. Thirty of the industry’s top gear manufacturers, clothing brands, and international magazines have joined forces with Destineer and Absinthe to help you build your career. As your legend grows so will your stylistic choices.

Real Riders, Real Pros, Real Sponsors: Stoked features some of the most influential professional riders and names in the sport: Travis Rice, Nicolas Mueller, Wolle Nyvelt, Annie Boulanger, Romain de Marchi, Tadashi Fuse, Gigi Ruef, and Bjorn Leines. An impressive line up of 30 authentic sponsors also appear in Stoked including but not limited to: Burton, Dragon, Arcus, Von Zipper, Eleven, 686, Billabong, DaKine, Electric, LibTech, Nitro, Northwave, Oakley, Quiksilver, Ride, Hart, Rome, Salomon, TechNine, Vans, Volcom, Anon, Nikita, Raiden, Red, Roxy, Sodalicious and VonZipper!

About Bongfish

Bongfish GmbH has developed authentic licensed action-sports video games since 1999. Located in Graz, Austria, the studio specializes in recreating the ’soul & vibe’ of action sports experiences using their own proprietary technology.

About Absinthe Films

Absinthe Films established themselves as a premiere snowboard film production company with the late 90’s. Since then, owners Justin Hostynek and Patrick Armbruster have been pushing the envelope of snowboard film making the world over while remaining committed to environmental awareness and responsibility. For more information on Absinthe Films visit www.absinthe-films.com.

MAG Developer Video Diary - Command and Control System

2009-07-07T13:30:00.005-06:00

This November the PlayStation 3 is scheduled to receive the 256 player first person shooter MAG. This faction based game looks similar to a game like Battlefield 2, but on a much larger scale. Many have questioned whether or not 256 players on the battlefield is possible without lag. Smizzle9o4 of the PlayStation Forums leads a discussion called "MAG Does Not Equal LAG" to combat this sentiment. I think everyone would love to believe this true. It will be awesome if 256 players proves to be possible.

Below you can watch the most recent MAG Developer Video Diary. The developers from Zipper Interactive discuss the command and control system, why teamwork will be so important, and how they are creating small skirmishes on the battlefield.

Street Fighter IV PC Launch Details & Trailer

2009-07-07T10:36:00.011-06:00

Today the long wait is finally over for PC gamers, because Street Fighter IV has launched. After the the very impressive showing on gaming consoles, it is no suprise that the PC version of SFIV is generating universal acclaim by critics. Not only that, the game has been optimized to run well on a variety of PC hardware. If you are concerned if your PC can handle this game you can always try running the Street Fighter IV Benchmark.

Street Fighter games require precise control. If you are looking for the best, I would recommend checking out the Street Fighter IV FightStick Tournament Edition for arcade quality control. There are also plenty of other great game controllers that will work as well. The game itself is available for purchase through Steam and many other retailers.

Below you can view the Street Fighter IV PC Launch Trailer. For any fan of the Street Fighter series this trailer is sure to create some excitement.

EVGA's 10th Anniversary Team Fortess 2 Weekend

2009-07-07T00:49:00.006-06:00

A company that continues to provide great support to the PC gaming community is EVGA. This year as a company they are celebrating their 10th Anniversary. In order to show some love to their fan base they are holding a Team Fortress 2 gaming event. It is important to note that it is not a tournament, but a fun chance to game with the community.

The event will take place starting July 25th and end on July 26th. During that time there will be a prize giveaway. To sign up for the TF2 Weekend and to learn more you visit the EVGA Decade Celebration Page. You can also visit the Official Forum if you have any questions or comments regarding the event. On July 16th more infromation will be available regarding prizes.

Official Description:

To celebrate 10 great years of improved gaming, EVGA Gaming will be hosting a very special Team Fortress 2 event for all the great pub players who make our servers some of the most popular gaming locations around.

On Saturday July 25th and Sunday July 26th EVGA will be doubling its public TF2 servers and running a weekend long prize giveaway! Signup and participation is free and easy for any who wishes to participate.

This is not a competition or tournament, merely a chance for regular gamers to come out and play your hearts out for some great gaming goods. All prizes will be raffled off over the course of the weekend!

To qualify for this event, you just need to signup here with your Username and Steam ID. One you do that just login and play, it's that easy! Once you play you are automatically entered for a chance to win! We hope you have fun and continue to make our wonderful gaming community as great as its always been.

Daily Gaming Picture - Getting in the Pirate Mood

2009-07-06T23:27:00.006-06:00

In anticipation for the release of Tales of Monkey Island, I spent some time tonight playing Sid Meier's Pirates!. It really is such a fun game to play. You can download the game on Steam or purchase the game from the Xbox Originals Catalog on Xbox Live. I am not afraid to admit I own the game in both places. :)

Tales of Monkey Island Gameplay Trailer

2009-07-06T20:48:00.005-06:00

PC gamers who enjoyed adventure games in the 90's will certainly remember the Monkey Island series. Filled with great humor and plenty of puzzles it was yet another gem for the LucasArts adventure repertoire. For years fans have been hopeful that a new game would be released for the series. Thankfully LucasArts has teamed up with Telltale Games to create an episodic series of adventures for the game's protagonist Guybrush Threepwood.

This fifth installment of Monkey Island named Tales of Monkey Island will be released for the PC and Nintendo Wii (WiiWare). Each month a new episode will arrive with the very first entitled "Launch of the Screaming Narwhal" releasing tomorrow, July 7th.

We should have a review of the first episode posted within the next couple of days.

LucasArts Announces Back-Catalog For Steam

2009-07-06T06:28:00.009-06:00

Some downright awesome news for PC gamers today. LucasArts has announced a partnership with Steam that will allow for the return of their back-catalog of games via digital distribution. Speaking with Joystiq, Darrell Rodriguez the president of LucasArts said the following:

"We have the plans in our back pocket and if things go extremely well, we'll roll out those plans and put them into action. Whether it's Maniac, Day of the Tentacle, or Grim."

Such exciting news for old school PC gaming fans. You can read the full press release below which includes the ten games that will be released this Wednesday July 8th.

Official Press Release:

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. – July 6, 2009 – Fans have asked and LucasArts has delivered! Today the company announced a new initiative in its effort to revive its classic and beloved franchises by making its games available for the first time ever as digital downloads online.

In this first round of releases, ten fan-favorite LucasArts PC games will be made available Wednesday, July 8 on Steam®, Valve Corporation's delivery and management platform for the PC. Scheduled for release are classic adventure titles like LOOM and The Dig and hit action games including Star Wars Battlefront II and Star Wars Republic Commando.

The complete list of games to be released on July 8 via Steam includes:

• Armed and Dangerous™
• Indiana Jones® and the Fate of Atlantis
• Indiana Jones® and the Last Crusade: The Graphic Adventure
• LEGO® Indiana Jones: The Original Adventure
• LOOM™
• Star Wars Battlefront® II
• Star Wars Republic Commando®
• Star Wars Starfighter™
• The Dig®
• Thrillville®: Off the Rails™

“This effort is going to make it possible to introduce a whole new generation of gamers to LucasArts’ classic games,” said Darrell Rodriguez, president of LucasArts. “It also gives more people a chance to play our games by making them available long after they’ve disappeared from store shelves. We hope our fans are as excited as we are about our plans and we can’t wait to share what’s coming next. This is just the beginning.”

This series of launches continues LucasArts’ new mission to revitalize its deep portfolio of beloved gaming franchises.

LucasArts previously announced the return of the classic Monkey Island® franchise with two new projects due to be released in the near future. Tomorrow, July 7, Telltale will premiere the Tales of Monkey Island® game series on PC, delivering a completely new epic storyline and swashbuckling flair that will unfold across five monthly episodes. The first Tales of Monkey Island chapter is expected to release for WiiWare™ in the coming weeks as well.

The Monkey Island celebration continues on July 15 when LucasArts publishes The Secret of Monkey Island: Special Edition, a completely re-imagined version of the first game in the series that adds updated high definition graphics, a re-mastered musical score, and full voiceover to the classic adventure game originally launched in 1990. The Secret of Monkey Island: Special Edition will be made available on Xbox LIVE® Arcade for the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, and PC via Steam and other online distribution channels.

Future announcements about the re-release of LucasArts’ back catalog titles will be made through LucasArts’ Twitter feed at http://twitter.com/lucasartsgames.

About Steam
The leading online platform for PC games and digital entertainment, Steam delivers new releases and online services to over 20 million PC users around the world. For more information, please visit www.steamgames.com.

About Valve
Valve is an entertainment software and technology company founded in 1996 and based in Bellevue, Washington. For more information, please visit www.valvesoftware.com

About LucasArts
LucasArts, a division of Lucasfilm Entertainment Company Ltd., is a leading developer and publisher of interactive entertainment software worldwide for video game console systems, computers and the Internet. Based in San Francisco, Calif., as well as on the Internet at www.lucasarts.com, LucasArts was created in 1982 by George Lucas to provide an interactive element to his vision of a state-of-the-art, multifaceted entertainment company.

EVGA X58 SLI Micro Motherboard Launched

2009-07-02T06:02:00.013-06:00

EVGA has unveiled the newest member in their motherboard family the EVGA X58 SLI Micro. As the name indicates this motherboard is packing tons of power on a small piece of PCB real estate. Priced at $199.99, PC gamers looking for a compact solution may have found exactly what they are looking for.

Motherboard Features:

-Supports Intel® Core™ i7 Processors
-Intel® X58 Express Chipset with the ICH10R Southbridge
-Supports over 6.4 Giga-transfers per second
-Supports Intel® Turbo Boost Technology
-Supports RAID 0, 1, 5, 10
-EVGA VDroop Control
-100% Solid State Capacitors
-6 DIMM triple-channel DDR3
-Enthusiast layout supporting 2-way SLI
-6 SATA II 3.0GB/s ports
-EVGA E-LEET Tuning Utility Software
-EVGA EZ Voltage - points at the top of the motherboard for 100% accurate power testing.

Street Fighter IV TE FightSticks Are Finally In Stock

2009-07-01T22:21:00.021-06:00

Perhaps the best way that you can prepare for Street Fighter IV is to get equipped with a solid controller. The Street Fighter IV FightStick Tournament Edition is certainly my favorite. With the special integration of Sanwa arcade parts, the ability to mod the joystick, and compatibility with the PC (Xbox 360 FightSticks only) it is easy to see why.

Unfortunately for MadCatz supply has been a real issue in recent months. The demand for this $150 piece of Street Fighter glory has been rather unprecedented. Obviously many people took advantage of this period of time and sold their sticks for ridiculous prices on eBay.

Finally you can purchase this product from many different online stores. For PC gamers this certainly could not come soon enough, because Street Fighter IV PC is released July 7th. If you still haven't purchased, the following onlines stores currently have them available:

Amazon.com:

Official Street Fighter IV FightStick Tournament Edition for PlayStation 3

Official Street Fighter IV FightStick Tournament Edition for Xbox 360

Buy.com:

Official Street Fighter IV FightStick Tournament Edition for PlayStation 3

Official Street Fighter IV FightStick Tournament Edition for Xbox 360

Newegg.com:

Official Street Fighter IV FightStick Tournament Edition for PlayStation 3

Official Street Fighter IV FightStick Tournament Edition for Xbox 360

Below is a link for SFIV Gaming Bundles and other accessories.

GameShark.com:

Street Fighter IV Gaming Bundles and Accessories

Daily Gaming Picture - Christmas in July

2009-07-01T01:11:00.001-06:00

Nothing quite like getting a 5 Kill Streak to unleash an airstrike with. This picture was taken from the Christmas Crash map on Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare. I have been playing with the Zombie Squad lately and it has been a ton of fun. Hurry up November, because I need Modern Warfare 2 right now.

Skate 2: Double-Up Weekend

2009-06-30T15:17:00.013-06:00

The team at Black Box is making getting the Maloof Money Cup DLC even sweeter the opening weekend. To celebrate the real life event, players will earn double cash and XP in all online ranked events. Can't wait for next week. Just when I thought there would be no more Skate 2 DLC...bam here it is!

Fans of Skate 2 will also want to check out the Skate 2 Swag at Zazzle.com.

Official Description:

To celebrate the release of the Maloof Money Cup DLC Pack for Skate 2, the team from Black Box is letting you Double Up on in-game Cash and XP starting July 9th to the 12th! Throughout the weekend, anytime you play an online ranked event you'll earn double the cash and XP!

The Maloof Money Cup DLC Pack is available on July 9th in the PLAYSTATION Store for $3.00 and on Xbox LIVE Marketplace for 240 points in North America.

Splinter Cell: Conviction - Behind Closed Doors #1

2009-06-30T11:29:00.006-06:00

The dev team from Splinter Cell: Conviction provide an interesting look into some of the gameplay mechanics that have been incorporated into Sam Fisher's latest stealth adventure. Everything about this game looks extremely solid. I can't wait.

Battlefield Heroes Gameplay Video

2009-06-29T23:33:00.007-06:00

Below is a video that I captured using Fraps last night. I may not be the best pilot, but this is still a pretty good example of what makes this game so much fun. It is quite the experience having teammates sit on each wing while you fly around shooting at whatever moves. Don't forget to checkout our Battlefield Heroes Review. There is really no excuse not to at least check this game out, because it is free and will run on almost any computer.

Skate 2: Maloof Money Cup DLC

2009-06-29T23:13:00.004-06:00

So extremely stoked for this. If there is one game this year I have put the most hours into it is Black Box's Skate 2. Generally I do not take the time to collect all of the achievements in a game, but Skate 2 for me is an exception. I have earned all 1,250 achievement Points. This will be a day one purchase for me. Hopefully I can get the next 250 achievement Points.

Official Press Release:

REDWOOD CITY, Calif. - June 24, 2009 - Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ: ERTS) announced today that starting July 9 gamers can download and compete in Skate 2's Maloof Money Cup Pack, based on the largest pursed event in the history of professional skateboarding. The pack will be available in the PLAYSTATION® Store for $3.00 and on Xbox LIVE® Marketplace for 240 points in North America.

"Skate 2 has been embraced by the gaming and skateboarding community across the globe, making it the perfect stage for the Maloof Money Cup's videogame debut," said Joe Maloof, President of Maloof Companies. "Now players everywhere can experience the world's greatest skateboarding championship and revel in the high-stakes excitement of the competition for themselves."

Skate 2's Maloof Money Cup Pack will feature separate gameplay events both online and offline - freeskate, single player vert and street contests that put gamers against world class pros, and an online competition in which gamers will be able to compete against their friends in new activities and challenges for bragging rights. Xbox 360 gamers get an added bonus as there are 250 achievement points up for grabs.

The Maloof Money Cup presented by etnies and Monster Energy boasts the largest purse in the history of professional skateboarding with nearly $450,000 in cash and prizes. The three-day competition and festival takes place July 10-12, 2009 at the OC Fair & Event Center in Costa Mesa, Calif., during the opening weekend of the OC Fair. All attendees can ride the virtual course for themselves in the Skate 2 booth, located near the front of the festival, where the Maloof Money Cup Pack will be available for playing.

Skate 2 ups the ante in delivering all the grit, creativity, and culture of skateboarding with all-new tricks that allow players to skate it their way - both on and off the board. Gamers can create their own epic skate spots which can then be shared and experienced by others around the world. The game also features a revamped Thrasher Hall of Meat mode that will have players spending countless hours pulling off bone-crushing wipeouts and bails.

Skate 2 is developed by Black Box, an Electronic Arts Inc. studio in Burnaby, British Columbia. The game is rated "T" for Teen by the ESRB and 16+ by PEGI.

Daily Gaming Picture - Another Batarian Bites the Dust

2009-06-29T19:33:00.006-06:00

Shoot first ask questions later. So goes the philosophy when encountering Batarians in Bioware's recently released title Mass Effect Galaxy for the iPhone and iTouch. Expect a review posted very shortly. Considering that the game is only $2.99, it is a must have for any Mass Effect fan.

Tales of Monkey Island Trailer & Game Update

2009-06-29T12:29:00.016-06:00

PC gamers who enjoyed adventure games in the 90's will certainly remember the Monkey Island series. Filled with great humor and plenty of puzzles it was yet another gem for the LucasArts adventure repertoire. For years fans have been hopeful that a new game would be released for the series. Thankfully LucasArts has teamed up with TellTale Games to create an episodic series of adventures for the game's protagonist Guybrush Threepwood.

This fifth installment of Monkey Island named Tales of Monkey Island will be released for the PC and Nintendo Wii (WiiWare). Each month a new episode will arrive with the very first entitled "Launch of the Screaming Narwhal" releasing July 7th.

Right now over at the Telltale Games website you can pre-order the season for only $34.95 which also includes the following bonuses:

-All 5 Games Delivered Monthly
-Collector's DVD (available at the end of the season for the cost of shipping)
-Exclusive DVD slipcase painted by Steve Purcell
-Free TellTale Games episode of your choice
-Access to exclusive monkey island section of Telltale's Site

For fans of the series and newcomers alike this is an awesome deal, but you better act fast this deal only lasts till July 6th. Hopefully at some point we can also get some Day of the Tentacle, Grim Fandango, and Full Throttle action as well. Also don't forget that The Secret of Monkey Island: Special Edition will also be available this summer for Xbox Live Arcade and the PC. To help get you ready for all of this swashbuckling action, you may want to download the free soundtrack to the Monkey Island series.

Official Description:

While explosively stripping the evil pirate LeChuck of his demonic mojo, Guybrush Threepwood inadvertently infects the entire Caribbean with the arch-fiend's expelled voodoo, which threatens to transform buccaneers into unruly pirate monsters. Pursued by a notorious cut-throat Pirate Hunter and a creepy French Physician who believes that Guybrush's eerily-infected hand holds the secret of eternal life, Threepwood sails the seven seas in search of La Esponja Grande, a legendary sea sponge with unparalleled voodoo exfoliating abilities. But little does Guybrush know, his quest is part of a larger, more sinister plot, and good and evil are not always as they seem…

Who can Guybrush trust? Where can he turn? Everything you think you know will be challenged as Tales of Monkey Island builds to its unexpected finale!

Review: Battlefield Heroes

2009-06-28T20:55:00.015-06:00

In case you hadn't heard EA has finally released Battlefield Heroes out of beta. It is now open to the public to play for free. Yes..that's right for free. The game itself does not cost a penny beyond having an average PC with an Internet connection. You can go ahead and download and get playing at BattlefieldHeroes.com.

Instead of charging money for the game EA uses microtransactions to generate revenue. Each player has the option of purchasing Battlefunds. A payment structure kind of like Microsoft points is used. In this case $5.00 will purchase 700 Battlefunds and so on. These funds can be used to customize your heroes with clothing, weapons, experience boosts etc.

Currently in Battlefield Heroes you can select between two factions that resemble the British and German armies from World War II. The player can then choose between the soldier, gunner, and commando classes. You can create up to four different heroes total.

Each class offers different weapons and abilities and the battlefield. Obviously with the ability to create multiple heroes, it is good to at least have a hero from each class.

The gameplay itself is based on classic Battlefield 1942 in which each team tries to capture various points on the map. A few vehicles are available at your disposal to accomplish this task such as planes, tanks, and jeeps. Your team wins when they can make the other teams ticker reach zero. This is mostly through kills on the battlefield.

Controlling your character can be somewhat difficult, considering all gameplay is from the 3rd person view. Also the lack of a sprint function can make reaching the next point rather tedious if a vehicle is not close by. I'm not sure if I would completely categorize the character movement as slow and clunky, but it certainly isn't fluid.

Even with the above mentioned control issues I still have had quite a bit of fun with the game. In fact I usually find myself playing about six matches in a row during sessions. In total I have probably played about 45 matches between my beta participation and the publicly released version.

Stoked:

-Fun atmosphere with vibrant cartoon graphics. The player animations can be hilarious at times. It seems that EA was going for a cross between Team Fortess 2 and World War II. This works decently although I still prefer the characters from TF2.
-Classic Battlefield gameplay. In others words crazy things are happening all of the time. Nothing is quite like jumping out of a plane, parachuting into a tank, and then taking out 3 enemies to take control of a point on the map.
-FREE! This should be stated again and again. For a free game certainly expectations should not be through the roof. Nobody is forcing you to purchase Battlefunds. You can jump over to BattlefieldHeroes.com and start playing right after download.

Broke:

-Movement can feel sluggish from the 3rd person view. You can adjust mouse sensitivity, but it doesn't always help.
-Balance on the battlefield can be affected by the amount of players using perks from Battlefunds.

Daily Gaming Picture - Wallace and Gromit Ep3: Muzzled

2009-06-28T19:39:00.007-06:00

A really great episode. I highly recommend it to fans of the Wallace and Gromit Series. I am always impressed by Telltale Games.

Daily Gaming Picture - Poor Electronic Gaming Monthly

2009-06-27T15:25:00.009-06:00

To Maxim or Not to Maxim...That is the question.