A New Toy Would Like to Take Over Your Brain

UPDATE 5/01/2007: The movie was called Brainscan (how's that for a coincidence)

There was a movie from the 90's (or late 80's) that I've been looking for the name of all morning. In the movie, a teenager is engrossed with a video game with an artificial intelligence that possesses the ability to manifest itself outside of the game.

Like all cybernetic AI robot ninjas, the manifestation of the AI was evil, and was manipulating the boy into playing the game so that it could commit murder (since it could only manifest when the boy was playing the game). By killing people, the AI would then be able to eventually sustain a permanent form. Each time the boy played, his brain was hooked into the video game. His thoughts actively influenced the game world created.

Yes, I can assure you this movie is as cheesy as it sounds, but what does this have to do with arcade games?

A new company, NeuroSky, Inc, has developed a new "toy" that reads the brainwaves of a user to control the glow of a lightsabre being held by a giant Darth Vader-esque figure simply by having the user concentrate hard enough on the lightsabre. The technology from the company is being developed as a way to create more intelligent and realistic virtual worlds that enable a user to have more input on the game and it's surroundings.

Though the device is currently a simple prototype, the potential for its use is undeniably impressive. The company has been quoted as saying that anything from affecting your aiming reticule in shooting games to affecting your maximum speed in racing games can be altered by their device. If you are nervous or twitchy, the game will be able to manipulate itself to allow there to be an input based on your thoughts. If you are cool and collective, similarly, the game will respond likewise.

The company also has a more noble cause of enabling paralyzed people to move in a virtual reality simulator and to affect behavioral health issues by forcing an individual to concentrate and hopefully alter specific brain patterns. At this time however, they are focusing on using their prototype to influence game play in new ways, attempting to market their technology to game console makers such as Sony and Nintendo.

What the article featured on the AP news wire doesn't specify though is just what will happen if someone uses the technology to create a cybernetic robot ninja that goes on a murdering spree and controls a user by manipulating it's brainwaves... Like Zangief always said, in mother Russia, brainwaves control you.

Though we may be a long way away from someone manipulating our own brainwaves through a bio feedback device such as this one, you can't help but wonder what the limits for this sort of technology are.

To read the original article, follow the link below to the Yahoo! News AP Technology Report:

Mind Reading Toys

Marvel vs. Capcom 2 Tricks of the Trade Trailer

Combo Videos has uploaded a trailer of the upcoming DVD compilation by DJ-B13, Marvel vs. Capcom 2: Tricks of the Trade. The 3 disc box set scheduled for release July/August, is an in depth look at the combos and strategies featured in the Tricks of the Trade series of videos. The box set will include all of the released volumes in the series so far.

To view the trailer or pre-order the set, follow the link to Combo Videos. A portion of the money earned from sales from the box set will be donated to the Combo Videos site for the work it has done for the fighting game video community online. The price on the DVDs is set at $25 with $5 shipment worldwide.

With tournament season right on top of us, for Marvel vs. Capcom 2 fans this may be your opportunity to get even more of a fighting edge on your opponents. For fans of combo videos, the set provides a high quality selection of some of the top videos available for the game.

Strategy and Cheese Part VI (Street Fighter II)

The sixth part of the Strategy and Cheese series of Street Fighter II videos centers around everyone's favorite US Army Colonel, Guile. In most of the tier lists prior to Super Street Fighter II Turbo, Guile is considered to be one of the top 3 characters. Tomo, the person who is responsible for most of the strategies in these videos, actually has Guile at #1 on his list for Street Fighter II Champion's Edition.

Due to his control and ability to cut off an effective field of attack with his jab Sonic Boom, Guile can be played either extremely aggressively or defensively depending on the opponent. The combos featured in this section of the video are extremely powerful and will often times leave your opponent dizzied. This is what makes Guile so effective. A simple 3-4 hit combo into a dizzy can be game over if you follow it up effectively.

Due to the length of this section, there will be only one character featured. The previous sections of the videos can be found below.



Previous Videos:
General Strategies
Ryu (also includes a brief intro to the series)
Zangief/Vega
E. Honda/Blanka
Balrog/Chun Li
Guile
Ken/Dhalsim/Sagat/M. Bison

Tekken 6 Story and Character Profiles Updated

UPDATED - New translation for Leo and Zafina as of 5/24/2007. I'll update if there is another one that proves to be more accurate.

The Japanese Tekken fansite Sunlight Yellow has posted some additional details of the Tekken 6 story from the June issue of Arcadia magazine. The posting outlines both the official Tekken 6 story arc as well as several character profiles from the series, including the two new characters Leo and Zafina. A rough translation has been provided below.

OFFICIAL STORYThe 5th King of the Iron fist tournament had ended in mystery with Heihachi Mishima missing and Jin Kazama crowned the winner.

Kazama assumed his role as the head of the Mishima Zaibatsu, and used the Iron Fist special forces for acts of espionage around the world. Eventually the suspicion created by Mishima's actions, was used as an opportunity to cede discontent among the people which lead to riots and civil wars.

With the world enveloped in conflict, the Mishima Zaibatsu used its influence to declare its independence and usurp its power from several sovereign nations.

The Mishima Zaibatsu was intent on being the most powerful country in the world, and no one seemed to be able to stop them. Eventually the G Corporation began to build the strength necessary to stand in their way. The G Corporation was seen as a savior to the world. They opposed the Mishima Zaibatsu forces at every corner, and tried to prevent the rogue nation from solidifying its power even further. They eventually offered a bounty to anyone who can bring in the root of all the world's discontent, the devil Jin Kazama, alive.

As expected by the G Corporation leaders, Mishima Zaibatsu used this as an opportunity to declare the opening of the King of the Iron Fist 6 tournament.

For those those who wanted recognition, for those who sought money, and for those who simply wanted revenge, all of the competitors had their own motives for why they were gathered when the tournament began...


CHARACTER PROFILES
LEO
Leo is the child of world-renowned male explorer, and a top female executive of the biotech firm, G Corporation.

Leo’s father, whom she respected, disappeared during an exploration when she was a child, but even so, she strove to become an explorer like her father. She grew up to be a straight and narrow person with her kind mother, but her happy days came to an abrupt end when someone killed her mother.

Saddened by her mother’s death, she shut everyone out of her life, but the unexpected and inconclusive end to her mother’s murder investigation, prompted her to continue the investigation on her own. Not too long after she started her, she came across the name of a man named Kazuya Mishima, G Corporation’s very own. And as G Corporation was praised as the world’s savior, all attempts at approaching had ended in failure.

News of the Mishima Financial Group opening a martial arts tournament called The King of the Iron Fist Tournament was spreading, and knowing that Kazuya was going participate directly in the tournament, Leo too followed suit, believing this would be her only chance to avenge her slain mother.

Zafina
Zafina, who has great spiritual powers, was born to a group of spiritual warriors with an ancient past.

Since childhood, Zafina was raised to be a protector of an imperial tomb. Several years ago, a foreign army attacked the imperial tomb she and her group were protecting, and Zafina single handedly wiped every single one of them out. Since then, the group’s guru appointed her to be its sole assassin.

In her public life, she uses her spiritual powers as an astrologist, but recently she can only see evil omens, and her premonitions grow more and more intense day by day. Seeking to understand the meaning behind all of this, Zafina sought the advice of her guru, and he began to tell her an ancient tale passed down from generation to generation only to a select few. According to the tale, two evil stars will shake the world when they come into contact, and, inevitably, the two will unite with the sealed ancient evil being protected by her group, destroying the world. Zafina considered the meaning behind the guru’s tale and her premonitions well.

Setting out on a course that took her far east, to the place the evil stars were believed to be gathering, she journeyed with the intentions of destroying them.

Kazuya Mishima
Kazuya uncovered a conspiracy against him, and brutally killed all of the G Corporation employees which sought to betray him. Even with the world in chaos, Kazuya secretly maneuvered himself to become the head of the G Corporation. Kazuya, was unwilling to see Jin and the Mishima Zaibatsu conquer the world, and so, lead the G Corporation into war against Jin's elite forces.

He was seen as a hero by the people, and the G Corporation was praised as saviors. By his power and influence, Kazuya announced to the world that anyone that could bring in Jin Kazama would be awarded handsomely. Immediately following his announcement, Mishima Zaibatsu announced the opening of the King of the Iron Fist 6 tournament. Kazuya expected this reaction from his adversary, and smiled, deviously. The plan was going according to his design.

Heihachi Mishima
After the suicide bombing of the Jack unit failed to take his life, Heihachi awakened to discover that the King of the Iron Fist 5 tournament had already ended. When he attempted to return to the Zaibatsu's headquarters, an elite force of Iron Fist soldiers attacked and assaulted Heihachi. He was prevented from returning to his former home.

Soon after, Mishima Zaibatsu announced the King of the Iron Fist 6 tournament. From the announcement, Heihachi learned that Jin Kazama was the new head of Mishima Zaibatsu and became enraged. He is determined to recover his power and destroy Jin Kazama, at whatever cost.

Yoshimitsu
While attempting to avenge his fallen clan by defeating Bryan Fury, Yoshimitsu realized that his katana was weakening. His sword had become a cursed blade. It now sought the blood of evil, and when it received its sacrifice, it became more powerful. But if the wielder failed to give into its blood lust, it drove the user insane.

Yoshimitsu had to push the blade away, and was forced to use a new sword that blocked the powers of the demon blade. He entered the King of the Iron Fist 6 tournament in an attempt to seal away the blade's curse forever.

Made in America: Stern Pinball

Ever wanted to see the inside of a Pinball factory?

The Travel Channel's Made in America feature just recently did a focus on the Stern Pinball factory. For those who initially missed its original airing, Arcade Heroes has been kind enough to encode the original program and place it on its site via Youtube!.

The series is a rather interesting look at just how much hand work still goes into a pinball design despite most of the functions making a shift to electronic programming.

To view the video, please visit Arcade Heroes. For more information about the Stern Pinball company (including new projects), visit the Stern Pinball official website.

Nintendo Newsletter Updates

I'm probably late to the party here, but Nintendo's latest e-mail newsletter revealed an interesting addition to the official Virtual Console site. Now available at http://wii.nintendo.com/virtualconsole.jsp, Nintendo has posted videos of all of the games currently released for the US Virtual Console. These are just straight gameplay videos used to show just a little nugget of the game you would be purchasing, but it is a great tool to use to determine which titles are worth your Virtual Console points. Each entry also contains general information about the game such as compatible controllers, original system, release dates, genre, cost, publisher, and a basic marketing blurb to encourage you to purchase the title.

SEGANerds Interviews Cryptic Allusions

The Dreamcast is never going to die. Ever. Despite the announcement by Sega that production of GD-Roms is ceasing, the independent and homebrew community seems to always find a way to keep on trucking.

Cryptic Allusions was recently interviewed by Sega Nerds to discuss their experiences in the wacky world of Dreamcast game development. Their last commercial release was Feet of Fury, a music rhythm game that borrows the successful formula of Dance Dance Revolution and mixes it up for the Dreamcast console. Though the company now has their eyes on a different commercial venture, a remake of the classic Amiga PC title Donk, the interview touches base on their experiences both past and present including the inherent difficulties of their choice of platform.

To read the interview, head over to Sega Nerds. For more information about the company, please visit the Cryptic Allusions official site.

Card Fighter's Project Opens to Table-tops Everywhere

I picked up SNK vs. Capcom Card Fighters Clash yesterday on a bit of a whim. I never owned a Neo Geo Pocket Color despite wanting one, so I never had any experience with the first game. However, I will admit that I've been suckered into paying thousands of dollars playing Trading Card Games over the last decade or so. Couple this with my love for the source material, and I figured it was a match made in heaven.

Though I haven't had a chance to really play the game as much as I would have liked, one thing is for sure, it does have a great mechanics card engine that would transfer well to an actual table top game. Seems other people think so as well, as a recent news story posted by Brandon over at Insert Credit details. A fan project dedicated to bringing the Card Fighters game rules to kitchen tables has opened its doors on an official site on April 14th.

The SNK vs. Capcom Card Fighters Project already has made great progress in bringing the series ruleset to a downloadable set of cards. Though the SNK Characters, Action, and Reaction sections are not completed yet, the basic rules and Capcom characters are all updated and available for download. Since it is a fan project, there are no guarantees on when the cards will all be completed, but hopefully (as Insert Credit says) with enough people visiting the site, perhaps it will encourage the creator to expedite the process.

I've already downloaded the first part, and will more than likely print off all the cards sometime this weekend. Now I just need a Ryo to go with my Terry and all will be good in the world again.

Shake It: Portable Video Gamer Reports on DS Rhythm Titles

I have to confess something here... I have no rhythm. And this isn't the kind of no rhythm that would allow me to get away with only clapping my hands or snapping my fingers to a beat at a dance. I'm talking about no rhythm in the sense that if I tried to do half the things that I see being done on DDR machine in arcades, I would literally break my neck (and more than likely the machine) in a flaying, flying contorted ball of human limbs. I'm really that bad.

Fortunately, the Nintendo DS with its touch screen seems to have the answer. Instead of threatening life and limb (and the lives of those around me) trying to play a rhythm based game at an arcade, I can now play them from the comfort of my own home with a stylus in hand (so that my limbs don't break any valuable lamps). The added benefit of this is that when I fail miserably only my cat will see just how horrible I am (since I try to avoid playing rhythm games around my wife; she has tendency of laughing at me... a lot).

Just around the corner, the Nintendo DS has a full selection of new rhythm games scheduled for release. Though a lot of them are only announced for Japan only, due to the nature of the genre, most are relatively import friendly. But where to start once you are done with Elite Beat Agents and Gunpey DS considering the overwhelming number of titles available?

Portable Video Gamer has been kind enough to give a great run down of the upcoming titles that we expect to grooving out to on the DS in the next few months. Here's some notables from the article:

Moero! Nekketsu Rhythm Damashii Osu! Tatakae! Ouendan 2
Release Date: May 17, 2007 (Japan)
We played Ouendan and we loved it. We got Elite Beat Agents and we were left craving for even more rhythm action. Inis and Nintendo are making a full sequel to Ouendan, which was recently announced and surprised many with its closely approaching release date. Ouendan 2 will play just like its predecessor; tap enclosing circles on the touch screen as you follow the beat of the song. 19 songs have been confirmed featuring J-pop hits from different bands, as well as an extra group of cheerleaders which seem to compete against the popular black-leathered Ouendan from the first game. This game is highly recommended, especially if you tried either Ouendan or Elite Beat Agents and liked it. This game, like the first one, is very easy to navigate and understand, even with a complete lack of Japanese language knowledge.

Ontama Onpu Shima Hen
Release date: June 7th, 2007 (Japan)
Very little is known about this game, but the trailer’s song is pretty catchy! Ontama seems to play similarly to PaRappa the Rapper; you will rhythmically press different D-pad directions, as well as circling objects on the touch screen and even blowing into the DS’s microphone. We will have more information on the game as its release date approaches; for now, check out the trailer and sing along!

For the rest of the selections highlighted as well as some videos of the available games, please visit Portable Video Gamer Until then, I'll be jamming out at home to Guitar Hero 2 with extra padded protection in case I get a bit carried away. Stage dives from couches are never, ever recommended for recreational activities.

Free Arcade Shooting Games on the Wii

Looking for a good way to kill some time on the Nintendo Wii in between bouts of Gradius III and Star Soldier? With the Opera web browser, it is possible to play several Flash based games that were developed around Flash 7 and contain mouse support. DJ Incompetent over on the SHMUPS forums has been compiling a list of flash shooting games compatible with the Nintendo Wii. Though the list is small, it's growing every day as more Wii-compatible flash games are found through internet sleuthing and dedicated design by Flash programmers.

Working
Clash'N Slash by Enkord
Xevious by Namco & Creative Tech.
Wasted Sky by Tom Fulp
V-Force by Ferry Halim
Sky Fire by Sergei Smart
Mouse Wars by Binary
AeroChaos by arayh (Bombing is not currently supported via the Wii Opera Browser)
Earth Rock Hunter by Armegalo (Keyboard set as default, change to mouse support)
Inverse Shoot'em up by TheWeebl & GavD (You control the enemies. Send fighters from the side bar and click on your units to fire)


Working with Framerate or Quality Issues
Exofusion 2 by Kidgamez
Project Inthri 2 by Rhete
The Chickenator 2000 by Burning Fury


Working with Limitations
Unusual Side Scroller by Rory Cooke (This may crash after a few stages due to lack of Wii memory)
Retromania by Rekcah (Hit the top empty box to play. Not everything displays.)


For those interested in a full site with Wii compatible flash games, please visit Wiicade.com. The Wiicade is a fansite dedicated to flash designers who develop games primarily for use with the Wii Opera browser.

Treasure Now Recruiting (Related to the Xbox 360 game?)

After announcing an original Xbox 360 shooter, Treasure has been silent on pretty much all news surrounding the untitled game. Outside of the 1UP interview earlier this year, there have been no official details released about the project.

This hasn't stopped the internet and its wild speculation from trying to put together their own twist on the game. Fan sites and journalists have already attempt to link the game to everything from Ikaruga to Bangaioh. Treasure did put to rest most of the rumors about a Radiant Silvergun successor during the aforementioned interview, but by doing so, has also spurned even more questions than before.

Fortunately, it seems we may be getting one step closer to some official details, as Treasure has recently announced on their website that they are currently recruiting for several positions based around 3D game development. Though the website doesn't specifically state which console the project they are recruiting for is on, based on the description provided of the roles they are hiring for and their similarities to the information provided by Masato Maegawa, it is reasonable to assume it may have some connection to the unnamed Xbox 360 game.

If you have experience in game development, live in Japan, have a philosophy of wanting to participate in original projects, and have a passion for creating games, follow the recruitment links that Treasure has provided. The positions that they are currently looking to fill include 3D game programmer, 3D CG designer, animation/motion leader, effects designer, character modeler, background modeler, and scene designer.

With a design resume consisting of some of the best action games over the last three generations, it is safe to say that Treasure's history truly speaks for itself. To say that my "frothing demand" is increasing even with this tiny tidbit of information is a fair statement. Is it wrong of me to get so excited about a project that doesn't even have a title yet?

JAKKS Extends the NAMCO TV Games Deal

From Next-Gen.biz, JAKKS Pacific announced today an extension to their contract with Bandai Namco that allows them to continue to produce special TV game products based on arcade titles. My only experience with the line is with the Ms. Pac-Man plug and play game which I received as a gift not too long ago. Outside of the unfortunate lack of an AC Adaptor (which I'm told is sold seperately), the game played well. It may not be arcade perfect, but it was a cheap way to relive classic arcade memories. Plus, my wife loves it.


For more information about the line, please go to TVGames.com.

New Wave of Downloadable PSOne Games for the PSN

With the latest firmware update (1.7) released for the Playstation 3, Sony laid the digital foundation to allow for PSOne downloadable titles to be played on the home console. Previous releases to the Playstation Network were only compatible with the Playstation Portable. The first wave of new releases for PSOne to PS3 compatibility is scheduled to hit the server on April 26th, and will be comprised of 11 games (including R-Type S and Tekken 2).

SCEJ also announced that an additional 14 games will be made available for their PSOne to PSP service. SNK classics Last Blade, Samurai Spirits: Warrior's Rage, Real Bout Garou Densetsu, and Metal Slug X are all scheduled to be among the releases scheduled to also be available on April 26th.

The full list of games available for each part of the service can be found below:

PSOne to PS3
Spectral Force
R-Type S
A.IV. Evolution Global
Resident Evil: Director’s Cut
Arc of the Lad
Gunners Heaven
Marl Kingdom: The Adventures of the Puppet Princess
Bishi Bashi Special
Ganbare Morikawa-kun 2nd
Tekken 2
Ore no Shikabane o Koete Yuke

PSOne to PSP
WaiWai Tennis Plus
Ikasama Mahjong
Jigsaw World
Philosoma
A5: A Ressha de Gyouko u 5
Lunatic Dawn III
Fushigi Deka
Jiisan 2 Tabi Bikkuri
Metal Slug X
Real Bout Garou Densetsu
Garou Densetsu Wild Ambition
Samurai Spirits: Warriors Rage
The Last Blade

Guilty Gear Accent Core (Wii) Confirmed

When Gamefly updated their listings and included a page for Guilty Gear Accent Core for the Nintendo Wii, a lot of people have waited patiently for an independent verification that the game was currently planned for Nintendo's new console.

Arc System Works, developers of the series, only responded to requests for a confirmation with the claim that they did not know where Gamefly received their information. Though that was a long way from the answer that fans wanted, it did fuel the speculation engine long enough that media outlets have been reporting on this rumor for months now.

But after all the rumors, it seems that we can finally confirm it with authority. Famitsu has a listing for Guilty Gear Accent Core for the Wii in its coming soon section in its latest magazine. The game is scheduled for release on July 26th in Japan (with no word on an American release, despite Gamefly's listing of July 30th in America).

The Playstation 2 version of the game is set to ship on May 31st in Japan. Guilty Gear Accent Core for the Playstation 2 can be pre-ordered today at Play-Asia.com.

The Gernan King of Fighters.

Planet-SNK.de, a German based fansite for the King of Fighters series, has recently announced a joint partnership between SNK, Ignition Entertainment, and Atari to bring an officially sponsored King of Fighters NeoWave tournament to play2007 (nexGam Gaming convention). The tournament which is set to take place on Saturday May 5th, will be played in a best of 3 format using the King of Fighters NeoWave port on the Playstation 2. Not only do you get the honor of defeating all challengers and proving your prowess, but SNK is set to bestow the winner of the tournament the crown of the German King of Fighters. For more information about the tournament and the play2007 convention, please visit the official nexGam.de website.

Mario Kart Grand Prix 2 Updates!

Fans of kart racing, rejoice... Mario Kart Grand Prix 2 has finally been released in wide form in arcades across Japan.

The game delivers all the thrills that the series has been known for since its inception in 1992 on the Super Famicom. Like the original Mario Kart Grand Prix, Grand Prix 2 is based on the specially designed Triforce arcade system. It takes full advantage of the shared technology created by Nintendo, Sega, and Bandai Namco, to deliver a unique and incredibly fun racing experience.

Besides the obvious improvements to sounds and graphics, the game strives to perfect a few features originally introduced in the first game, including the Nam Cam, a facial camera that takes pictures of you as you race through the courses. The picture is then positioned in a bubble over your character's head sort of like a mini-avatar that your opponents will see while you are leaving them in your dust.

The game also supports the magnetic cards that the original had to save certain player's data including course records, win/loss ratios, and unlocked items that are found by completing certain tasks in game. It is possible to also carry over your card data from Mario Kart Grand Prix to use in Grand Prix 2, but if you do so, the card will not be able to be used in the first game again.

There is also an online ranking for those players interested in trying to find out if they really are the best of the best. The ranking includes a leaderboard for all of the modes in the arcade game, which can be found at the game's official site: Mario Kart GP2 Online Ranking.

According to Arcade Heroes, Coinopexpress is currently offering an upgrade for owners of the first Mario Kart Grand Prix game. Though there is no word on how much the upgrade costs (the first game ran around $17,000 when it was released, and it seems you have to contact Coinopexpress direct to find out more information), it is definitely a positive sign that the second Mario Kart GP may begin popping up in arcades around you.

So what do you get for your dollar? Take a look at the Mario Kart GP 2 vital stats below...

VITAL STATS

Multiplayer support

Three difficulties of play: 50cc, 100cc, 150cc

Choose between Normal and Time Trial modes

Race against your own ghosts in Time Trial mode with the game save cards

Opposition mode pits you against human opponents in several Mario Kart themed challenges

Win special items, customizable options, and more

8 different tracks based on fan favorites

13 characters to choose from, all with their own unique karts with abilities: Mario, Pacman, Luigi, Waluigi, Princess Peach, Yoshi, Blinky, Mametchi (Tomagatchi character), Ms. Pacman, Toad, Wario, Donkey Kong, and Bowser

Over 56 different items including character specific items

The King of Kong

In a column on GameSetWatch, Matt Hawkins takes an inside look at The King of Kong, a new documentary that asks the question just what does it take to dethrone a champion.

A Portion of the article from the column, Cinema Pixeldiso:

Last time we examined the story of a man vs. machine - Bill Carlton vs. Missile Command. This time we have Steve Wiebe vs. King Kong, but the true heart of the story is man vs. man, Steve Wiebe vs. Billy Mitchell. And who's Billy Mitchell? Why, he's "gamer of the century" of course.

The King Of Kong

Cinema Pixeldiso's previous entry, on 'High Score', and this latest one, on 'The King of Kong', might seem identical, since both tell the same tale, of one man's mission to be immortalized as the greatest player of a particular classic video game. Both even feature a normal, everyday kind of person on such an absurd quest. But that's where the similarities end.

Whereas in the case of Bill Carlton's journey, the key difference is the person he was also going after, the man who held the high score that Bill was determined to shatter. In High Score's case it's Victor Ali, a nice, mild-mannered man who felt that his achievement, which attained during his youth, was something that he was proud of, but it hardly defined or dictated his life. It was ultimately some silly little thing, and High Score did a great job illustrating that hardcore gamers are usually normal folks that have a quirky obsession, and that's about it.

The King of Kong, on the other hand, goes the opposite route, by showing how much ego, absurdity, and insanity can come into play as a record holder for video game playing. How? By taking a close look at a man whose entire persona, even existence, is built around the fact that he plays video games very, very well. Continued...

The film opens at the Tribeca Film Festival this Wednesday. For screening times, pricing, and more information, please visit Tribeca's website. It is set for a wide release sometime in the fall.

They don't make commercials like they used to...

There are certain rules about marketing that any basic advertising course will tell you to follow when talking about how to sell a product. I didn't think it was possible, but I believe I have found a video (posted by ShinRasputin on GameTrailers) that has broken every last one of them, and perhaps a few that didn't even exist before this commercial was released.

Let me have ShinRasputin explain in his own words (which are what he used to describe the videos posting on GameTrailers):

Wow, I can't believe I found this: an old ad for the arcade classic Dig Dug...FOR THE MOVIES! Oh man oh man is this exciting. What a crazy ad, too: we have government officials, scientists, and various couples in love all reacting to the danger that is Dig Dug. Why are all these creatures underground? Are they a threat? What will we do to stop them? Well, we go to the arcades and play Dig Dug! What a brilliant idea!

And who convinces us to do so? Why, it's a song and dance troupe, encouraging us to "do the Dig Dug!" It's the dance craze of 1982! C'mon everyone, let's do the Dig Dug!

Oh yeah, I swear I saw Harrison Ford as the man in the car, and heard Don Pardo (legendary radio and TV announcer) on the radio. Or maybe I'm just seeing and/or hearing things.

Yes... It's that bad.

In fact, I'm willing to wager it's probably even more horrible than you are imagining. Play the video, I dare you, and try to get the damn song out of your head. It's impossible.

Is this the worst commercial ever made, or is there something more nefarious behind its catchy tunes and great dance number? This is evil genius 80's territory here, and I can only imagine what sort of messages are being beamed into my head after watching it.



(I personally want to shake the hand of the marketing genius who got this commercial approved... I'm flabbergasted at just how great this video is.)

Art of Fighting Anthology for the Wii

After SNK Playmore USA's president Ben Herman sat down with IGN, several little tidbits of information were revealed that seemed to hint towards new Wii projects similar in scope to Metal Slug Anthology. Art of Fighting Anthology has been announced for US release as a Playstation 2 project for a few months now, but fighting game fans on other platforms can be satisfied in knowing that it will also be finding home on the Nintendo Wii.

The ESRB's ratings website has recently updated their entry for the Art of Fighting Anthology (due for release in the US on the Playstation 2 in June), and it now includes the Nintendo Wii under available platforms.

No further information has been provided at this time.

For those unfamiliar with the way the ESRB handles its reviews, for a game to be rated, a full version of the title must be submitted to the ESRB. It is a great source to find information on upcoming releases and previously unannounced projects (such as this one). I'll keep you updated if we hear word on a tentative release date.

Q&A: Betson's Cravens on the Future of US Arcades

Gamasutra and Brandon Sheffield (writer for Insert Credit) recently interviewed Ryan Cravens in Gamasutra's Q&A portion of Industry News.

Ryan Cravens serves as the senior marketing manager for one of the largest arcade distributors, Betson. He is also the son of the late arcade legend, Bill Cravens.

In the interview, Brandon and Ryan discuss the recent arcade resurgence, the direction our $6 billion dollar industry is heading, and just how exactly his father's name ended up in Capcom's Street Fighter.

There is also a rather tantalizing hint at the very end of the interview that sheds a bit of light in regards to future Raw Thrills/Play Mechanix plans. I always take claims of revolutionizing the industry with a grain of salt, but if Mr. Cravens is to be believed, by the end of the summer we should see something really exciting occuring in the arcade sector.

Q&A: Betson's Cravens On The Future Of U.S. Arcades

How big is the arcade game business now in terms of dollars?

Ryan Cravens: The AAMA estimates that our industry is about 6 billion. That includes coin drop, as well as the selling of the actual games.

How has the shape of the industry changed over the last ten years? How many distributors and developers working in the industry now, versus back then?

RC: In the last ten years, there has been a lot of consolidation. There are fewer distributors, but the companies that are currently in business have much bigger footprints. There are also fewer developers as of now, but more companies are popping up with designers that are new to the industry, or veterans coming back into the fray.

People are seeing what Eugene Jarvis and George Petro (both Midway veterans) have done with Raw Thrills and Play Mechanix. These companies are doing very well and they do not need to have 20 million dollar budgets and studios spread across the globe to achieve success.

What do you think it would take for arcades to make a resurgence to where they were in the 90s?

RC: The arcade is making a resurgence (now), and the number of games that are currently being sold is getting back to those (1990s) levels. However, these games are not going to the neighborhood arcades anymore.

The stand-alone arcades are going away, and they’re being replaced by large FECs (Family Entertainment Centers like Incredible Pizza), bowling centers (like Brunswick Zone, much more than just bowling lanes), movie theaters, indoor water parks and other multi-use entertainment centers for families. The arcades that are inside these beasts are often the size of the neighborhood arcades that we used to frequent as youngsters.

For this current trend of getting more arcade games into the wild, we are going to have to continue to bring good product to the masses. Continued...

The Vic Viper Launches on the Virtual Console

Weekly Virtual Console Releases from Nintendo

April 23, 2007 - Admit it. Somewhere deep inside, you’ve always wanted to go for the gold, take down Monster World, and have people call you Vic Viper. How cool would that be? Well, pay a visit to the popular Wii™ video game system’s Wii Shop Channel, and all those fantasies can now come true.

Three new classic games go live at 9 a.m. Pacific time. Nintendo adds new games to the channel every Monday. Wii owners with a high-speed Internet connection can redeem Wii Points™ to download the games. Wii Points can be purchased in the Wii Shop Channel or at retail outlets. This week’s new games are:

Gradius®III (SNES®, 1-2 players, 800 Wii Points):
Return as the pilot of the Vic Viper starfighter to battle the onslaughts of the Bacterion Empire. Blast through 10 action-packed levels in space, destroying everything in your path. Customize and power up your ship with weapons and upgrades including speed-ups, missiles, lasers, options, and shields.

Wonder Boy™ in Monster World (Genesis, 1 player, 800 Wii Points):
Monster World was a peaceful, happy place until one dark day when an army of BioMeka monsters invaded. As a young man named Shion, you’ve vowed to defeat the hostile foes and make the land peaceful again. You’ll attack enemies with swords and spears and guard against incoming projectiles with shields and armor. As you travel through the many different regions of Monster World, you’ll talk to the townspeople, collect money to buy items, and gather a large variety of weapons and magic. The further you venture, the more powerful your weapons and equipment, including suits of armor and boots, will become.

Battle Lode Runner® (TurboGrafx 16, 1-5players, 600 Wii Points):
This upgraded edition to the famous Lode Runner series includes a 5-player versus mode. Gold funds have been stolen from the Time Machine Research Center, and the group responsible used a time machine to escape and hide the gold throughout time. The center sends an elite team of “Runners” to go and retrieve the gold.

In addition to the familiar Puzzle mode, the game features Battle mode, where up to 5 players can compete, and Edit mode, where you can create your own original stages.

You can enjoy Battle mode in a number of different ways. Be the last one standing to win in Survival. Grab items from enemies and escape to win in Escape. With 4 players, you can separate into two teams to do battle in Tag Match.

Nintendo press release relayed via GoNintendo.com.

New Site, 100% More Pork!

Muchi Muchi Pork, Cave's latest game dedicated to the appreciation of large women (I'm not joking), is due for release in Japan sometime in the immediate future.

Though I haven't been able to pinpoint a specific date from any of my distributor contacts (I've been told roughly to expect it in the next week or two), location tests have all been wrapped up. The official site was also updated on April 19th and had been given a facial "make-over" to prepare for the game's inevitable ship date to arcades across Japan.

You may be wondering just what exactly the picture above is supposed to represent. and well, quite frankly, I have no idea. After perusing the official site for the game for the last hour or so looking for an answer, I can honestly say I still have no idea. I know that it was taken at the AOU 2007 convention, and I also know that it is in some way related to the game (because I found it on the official site), but beyond that I'm totally lost. Surprisingly enough, after reading as much as I could about the game and deciphering what is known about it's story, I'm just as confused about Muchi Muchi Pork as I am about the above picture.

Muchi Muchi Pork is a 2D vertical shooter developed by Cave. In the game (from what I've gathered), you choose between three female characters and battle between increasingly difficult levels while trying to collect medallions to increase your score.

Like most Cave shooters, the game is fraught with bullets and woven patterns you have to travel quickly through in order to avoid being shot down. Though the game doesn't appear to be as difficult as some of the other Cave shooters, the game features a traditional rank system that increases the difficulty the better you perform. Ikeda, while being interviewed at the AOU 2007 show, said it best: (In response to the question, what's this game like) "Large clamorous mechs versus chubby characters."

For more information about what to expect from the game, plump women, and pork (including recipes!), visit the official revamped website at Muchi Muchi Pork. You can also view the special promotional video that Cave produced for the title below. I may not understand it, but I definitely know that I can't wait to play it... Between this and Otomedius, this is going to be an odd year for shooters.


(Logo image courtesy of Insert Credit.)

The Evolving Amusement Division

Arcade Heroes recently posted up a great artile by Kevin Williams (author of the Stinger Report). Though most of the information is a recap of what's been going on in the arcade industry for the last couple of months, it does shed some light on some of the popular shifts that are currently going on in the arcade sector that have started to see a turn around on traditional arcade gaming.

The Evolving Amusement Division

By Kevin Williams

For some time the link between the consumer game industry and that of the amusement or Out-of-Home interactive entertainment sector have been strained. Though the incubator of consumer gaming, video amusement has been perceived as a barren, if not dormant market, unobtainable and aloof to the needs of consumer gaming developers - a place once popular but now only worth taking players from.

However recently the opportunities for diverse market presentation into this sector has been embraced by a number of consumer game publishers and the profitability of amusement applications has gained momentum as an uncharted audience is discovered. Continued at Arcade Heroes...

Dance Dance Revolution Hottest Party Release Date

So what do you get when you combine Dance Dance Revolution's aerobic work out gameplay with the Wii Remote's motion sensing? Well, outside of the threat of broken limbs, dislocated knees, and Wii Remotes through TVs, it sounds like a great time!

NGCFrance.com recently revealed that Konami's latest installment of the Dance Dance series (Dance Dance Revolution Hottest Party) specially made for the Nintendo Wii's unique capabilities will be released in August 2007. The game will ship included with the dance pad.

The game is set to feature 4 player multiplayer support, smash dance hits from the last 4 decades (including "Everybody Dance Now" and "Gonna Make you Sweat"), and entire new modes of play. Though I'm not personally coordinated enough to play the series, perhaps this will be a motivating factor to get me to learn. Anyone up for disco?


Source: Konami US Releases Dated (also verified on Konami's official site that shows a release date of August 2007 for the game with dance pad and a September 2007 for the stand alone edition without the pad)