Reality is Broken, Guinness Gamer’s 2011 in bookstores now

Posted on January 20, 2011 by John Scalzo

Two video game-related books are now on the shelves of your local bookstore.

The book on the right, Guinness World Records 2011: Gamer’s Edition, needs no introduction. It’s the latest compendium of game records by the Guinness people and it was released today after a record-setting LittleBigPlanet 2 launch party in New York City. Some of this year’s new records include Largest Collection of Super Mario Memorabilia (5,400 items), Top Paid-For Apple App Store Game (Angry Birds) and Most Popular Facebook Game (FarmVille). I think it’s kind of funny that Apple revealed the official “top paid-for app” yesterday and Angry Birds wasn’t it. CityVille also surpassed FarmVille as the most popular Facebook game earlier this month.

The 2011 Gamer’s Edition also lists the Top 50 Video Game Characters of All-Time. After thousands of votes were cast, Mario came out on top with Link at number two and the Master Chief rounding out the top three.

The book on the left is Reality is Broken, which was written by Jane McGonigal, one of the creators behind the alternate reality game I Love Bees. McGonigal argues that the popularity of games has fundamentally changed the world and Reality is Broken is her blueprint on how to fix it (using game concepts in everyday life, of course).

We’ll have a review of Reality is Broken very soon.

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LittleBigPlanet 2 celebrates release with help from Guinness Book of Records

Posted on January 20, 2011 by Ryan Littlefield

In an attempt to solidify its place in platform gaming, LittleBigPlanet 2 found itself in the Guinness Book of World Records after fans set five consecutive records earlier this week.

The event was held at the Playstation Lounge in the New York City-based Sony Style store beginning on January 17th, and ending less than 48 hours later. Specifically, three fans who attended the event were the ones responsible for setting the records: David Dino (PSN ID: Gevurah22), Sean Crowley (PSN ID: Jaeyden), and one of the contestants from season 1 of The Tester, Lauren Guiliano (PSN ID: Lugey). SCEA earned recognition for two additional records through LittleBigPlanet 2’s release.

Records set by the fans included:

  • Longest marathon playing LittleBigPlanet 2
  • Longest marathon playing a platform video game
  • Most video game genres played in one video game in 24 hours
  • Most user-generated video game levels played in 24 hours
  • Most user-generated video game levels played in a video game marathon

Though some of the fans’ records seem like a stretch, SCEA received their two records for “Most Gaming Genres In One Video Game,” and “Most Player-Created Levels In One Video Game.” After the event closed, the Guinness Book’s staff issued awards to SCEA and the three fans who, in total, set seven records over the course of 48 hours. It is unclear whether these records had a say in the official decision to place LBP2’s Sackboy on the cover of the recently-released Guinness World Records 2011: Gamer’s Edition, but I can’t think of a cuter, sackier, better face for the cover.

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Ridge Racer 3D drifts into 3DS launch window

Posted on January 20, 2011 by John Scalzo

It’s Ridge Racer!

Namco Bandai continues the tradition of having a new entry in their long-running racing series ready for a hardware launch with the announcement that Ridge Racer 3D will be released for the 3DS this Spring. The publisher promises many new features will be available in the game including “breathtaking stereoscopic 3D visuals, a wider variety of dominating racing machines including American muscle cars, new environments, expanded customization options and updated drift mechanics that continue to define the Ridge Racer experience.”

And those drift mechanics will be easier to pull off in Ridge Racer 3D as the game will include a dedicated “Drift Button” for easy on/off drifting. The title will also include the option to use the franchise’s original drift controls.

Namco Bandai has released a few new screenshots of Ridge Racer 3D, which you can view after the break.

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Ubisoft bringing Splinter Cell, Rayman, Driver, more to 3DS launch

Posted on January 20, 2011 by John Scalzo

Ubisoft plans to bring eight games to the 3DS’ launch window, more than any other third party publisher and more than even Nintendo themselves.

As you might expect from the company, the eight titles are heavily skewed towards Ubisoft’s existing franchises. Exact release dates for each game weren’t announced, but gamers can expect a 3D take on Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell, the first-ever turned-based Ghost Recon game, a new entry in the Driver series, a remake of Rayman 2 and a new Rabbids platformer.

Ubisoft’s 3DS launch lineup is rounded out by Asphalt 3D, a racing game; Combat of Giants: Dinosaurs 3D, a one-on-one fighter starring dinosaurs; and James Noir’s Hollywood Crimes, a puzzle game with a quirky protagonist (shades of Dr. Layton perhaps?).

More details on all eight titles can be found after the break.

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Google zaps Android’s Kongregate support, blocking free arcade capabilities

Posted on January 19, 2011 by Ryan Littlefield

In an event that seemed to end as quickly as it began, Kongregate’s free Android app was taken out of the Android’s App Store by Google today. Google claims that Kongregate’s free app illicitly downloads and installs applications without users’ permission.

Kongregate stated the following in response:

“In truth, Kongregate Arcade just plays Flash games via the Android web browser and doesn’t install anything, though it does cache games for faster loading. The TOS limitation they reference for our takedown is so broad it would apply equally to content apps like Kindle, Slacker, and hundreds of others, and yet only our app has been removed.”

This action may be Google’s way of defending other Android app store developers, but Kongregate is still hosting the app directly via their own website. Kongregate is currently making an effort to get their app back into the Android’s store.

Source: Kongregate.com

Posted in Mobile, News |

Killzone 3 including multiplayer beta vouchers for SOCOM 4

Posted on January 19, 2011 by Mike Gutierrez

As if getting one highly anticipated PlayStation 3 shooter wasn’t enough, new copies of Killzone 3 from select retailers will also include vouchers for the multiplayer beta of SOCOM 4: U.S. Navy Seals.  On the pre-order site for Killzone 3, only Best Buy, GameStop, and Amazon are listed as supporting retailers, but be sure to check for box art with the SOCOM dog tags, as pictured to the left, to know if your copy has it.  The voucher will come on both standard and Helghast editions of the game, and players are encouraged to check the official SOCOM 4 site for details as soon as they pick up their copy.

2011 is looking to be the most cash-strapped year to date for PS3 owners, so it’s simultaneously nice and cruel of Sony to give us ways to check out multiple titles from one box.  Killzone 3 drops on February 22, 2011, and you can expect our very own Warp Zoned review to follow shortly, as well as yours truly losing all of his free-time on his second Killzone platinum trophy.

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Team Ninja planning Metroid cameos for Dead or Alive Dimensions

Posted on January 19, 2011 by John Scalzo

Does the suckitude of Metroid: Other M still sting? Well it looks like Team Ninja will be getting another crack at the game’s universe in this year’s Dead or Alive Dimensions on the 3DS.

In addition to the Metroid-themed stage you see in the video above, Samus Aran and Ridley will show up as background characters that can attack the DoA fighters. Does this also mean Samus might show up as a playable character? Nothing’s been confirmed, but we can certainly dream…

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Can you dig these WWE All-Stars trailers?

Posted on January 19, 2011 by John Scalzo

OOOOOOOHHHHH YYYEEEEAAAAAHHHHHH!

THQ is taking the WWE to the arcade this March (March 29 to be exact) with WWE All-Stars, a wildly over-the-top wrestling game that brings together two generations of the WWE’s finest.

Check out the game’s debut trailer above and hit the jump for a special message from “Macho Man” Randy Savage on why he’s the greatest superstar in the PS3, Wii, Xbox 360, PS2 and PSP game. At 58, the former Slim Jim spokesman is still more awesome than any wrestler working today.

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