The News Review:
- Mario Kart Wii sticks to formula of big fun
- Record business expected for ‘GTA IV’ debut
- Grand Theft Auto countdown
- ArenaFan Online : AFL ArenaFan Originals
- Sony to delay ‘Home’ online service for PS3 again
Mario Kart Wii sticks to formula of big fun
Toronto Star – Apr 26, 2008
It is a very quick very silly experience rendered in bright primary colours. It is a bit like a demolition derby where nobody gets hurt and neither do the cars. Again this much is standard in Mario Kart games. The big new thing this time out is online play and the happy news is that it works beautifully. The game will randomly find opponents from around the world (or a smaller region if that is your thing) or you can race against your friends provided you have entered their codes into your Wii. The key thing is that it is easy to find opponents and the other key thing is that once you are in a race the whole thing plays smoothly and crisply and does not get chuggy or irritating as some online games do. Some changes are minor (each race can accommodate 12 cars instead of the original eight) and some are merely cosmetic (you can attach your "Mii" character to an online race).
Record business expected for ‘GTA IV’ debut
Press-Enterprise – Apr 26, 2008
For the first time in the history of the "GTA" franchise up to 32 players will be able to compete simultaneously online in the same game according to Carey Littlefield shift leader at Game Crazy on Magnolia Avenue in Riverside. "What they did was map out Manhattan Brooklyn and Queens and made digital renderings of them within the game" he said. "So you have that much area to roam during the online game. " Littlefield said his store already has about 230 pre-orders for the game and will be one of several local Game Crazy locations to participate in a midnight launch. More than 3500 GameStop stores nationwide will also be open — including more than 20 in the Inland region — with trivia contests "Grand Theft Auto" character look-alike contests and giveaways beginning at 9 p. according to a news release from GameStop which also owns video game retailer EB Games.
Grand Theft Auto countdown
Toronto Star – Apr 26, 2008
"It’s that "get-it-first culture" that has Rockstar Games worried about GTA IV leaking early ? and it’s also why they’ll take all sorts of extraordinary measures to prevent that from happening. The game publisher was so nervous about sending out Grand Theft Auto IV to us early for fear of theft and illegal copying while in transit it flew out a New York-based employee to Toronto to hand-deliver the disc to my home office last Monday. The affable courier was also instructed to disable my Xbox Live connection so I couldn’t show the online world I already had the game. I then had to sign a multi-page non-disclosure agreement. In case you’re wondering no he didn’t ask for a DNA swab. (As this section was going to press there were reports on the Internet that the game had indeed leaked online despite Rockstar’s best efforts to keep GTA under wraps. ) But here’s what I’m allowed to share with you prior to the game’s launch: In Grand Theft Auto IV you play as Niko Bellic who arrives on U.
ArenaFan Online : AFL ArenaFan Originals
ArenaFan Online – Apr 26, 2008
It is not often that I decide to rant to the masses but I have seen enough this season with bad calls especially late in games that are aiding in the outcome of games. With the competition committee looking to improve the game each year (I will be positive and say they have done a great job the past couple of years) it is time that they do the one thing that will improve this game more than anything else give us some form of instant replay! Please. Over the past couple of weeks I have hit my peak with watching games being decided by an incorrect call or a whistle and yellow laundry. I will first have to start with the Orlando against Chicago match-up two weeks ago… Originally from New York Jeff has been living in the Chicago area for the past ten years and is an avid football fanatic. He holds a BA in communications from Hofstra University in New York and a sports management certificate from Loyola University in Chicago. The opinions expressed in the article above are only those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts opinions or official stance of ArenaFan Online or its staff or the Arena Football League or any AFL or af2 teams.
Sony to delay ‘Home’ online service for PS3 again
Dose.ca – Apr 26, 2008
} TOKYO (Reuters) – Sony Corp’s game unit said on Tuesday it was delaying the launch of its “Home” 3D virtual online community service for the PlayStation 3 game console to autumn of this year the second such delay. Sony last year postponed the launch of the “Home” service which is aimed at giving users a place to interact with other PS3 users to early this year from last autumn. As in the “Second Life” virtual world Home users create online characters or avatars. They can chat with other visitors play games and customize their own rooms located in the virtual world. Sony locked in a three-way battle with Microsoft Corp.