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'Project Gotham Racing 4' trailer and details
The fourth incarnation ofProject Gotham Racingwill be hitting stores this fall, and today we have a new trailer, along with a few new(ish)PGR4details.

First the trailer:

Pretty, eh?

Now for the details

Halo 3 beta — between fun and meh

Okay, Mangojoyride, pervertdhermit, GabrielSaxon, and The Gurbil. I get it. You are better than me atHalo 3multiplayer. In my defense (and that's sorely lacking in-game) I have only played four matches and I am improving. In fact, I had a great match before these level sixes and sevens really took it too me…three kills in a row and I won the match! Take that.

Yes, theHalo 3beta is enjoyable, but I can't do it for more than an hour or so. I just get bored of it. I'm more of a puzzle-solving, story-driven gamer, so while this is fun, it's not my favorite. In fact the only multiplayer I've ever become addicted to isBrothers in Arms.

Here's one tip, though, that really drove me nuts. I'm an inverted Y-Axis kind of guy and I couldn't figure out where to adjust the control settings. If that's driving you crazy too, just hit Start and move the control stick to the right to open up the Settings menu. I just didn't see it there before.

Now, happy Halo-ing and look out for an ever improving LUNABEAN!

Halo 3 beta via Crackdown fixed
Now all you WATB can play your precious game.

Meet you there!

Gamertag: LUNABEAN

Best. Console. Ever.

Comic Book Guy would be so proud. A limited editionThe Simpsonsmovie branded Xbox 360 Pro…wow! And, when I say limited, I mean limited. Only 100 will be made. That's rarer thanRadioactive Man#1…rarer than a Krusty the Clown cocktail shaker…rarer than an unopened first-edition Malibu Stacy doll…I could go on, but won't.

The consoles will be given away at "special events and promotions" in conjunction with the July 27 release ofThe Simpsons Movie. We'll keep you in the loop in case any of the promotions actually sound like something that you could win. I want one so bad!

Also, check out the newThe Simpsonsgame preview. Although it's not due out until autumn and has nothing to do with the movie, it's still exciting.

NPD: Nintendo wins April
NPD Funworld has today released its report of video game hardware and software sales in the US for the month of April. The highlights include:

• Good month overall:A 20% year-over-year increase with $838.6 million in hardware, software and accessory sales.
• Software sales = "meh": Software sales remained stagnant at $389.8 million (last year's number was $395 milliion.
• Software sale breakdown:Handheld software sales surged 61% to $141.5 million, thanks toPokemon DiamondandPearlDS titles. Console software sales, on the other hand, fell 19% to $248.3 million. Keep in mind, April of '06 braggedKingdom Hearts 2andThe Elder Scrolls: Oblivion. April '07 bragged very little.
• Nintendo games selling like gangbusters:Nintendo held the top four spots on the software sales chart withPokemon Diamond(DS, 1.045 million),Pokemon Pearl(DS, 712,000),Super Paper Mario(Wii, 352,000), andWii Playw/ Remote (Wii, 249,000).
• Nintendo hardware selling like hotcakes:Hardware sales were up 52% to $338.4. In first place was the Nintendo DS with 471,000 units sold. The Wii came in second with 360,000 units sold. The PS3 came in 7th, between the Game Boy Advance and Gamecube, with 82,000 units sold.

The only surprise I see here is the uber-low 82,000 PS3s moved number. I'm cheering for you Sony, but, egad, you have to get some games out.

Update:
Jer haswhinedasked that I point outhis prediction last monththat March would be the last time we would see the PS2 at the top of the console charts.

The PS2, with God of War II has taken its last breath, and granted, it was an impressive gasp, but I predict that the days of seeing the PS2 at the top of the hardware sales for all consoles is now over.

Hey, it beats the big wigs at Wedbush Morgan Securities and Lazard Capital Markets who predicted software sales for the month of April would be up 15 - 24%.

Read more:
Gamespot
Next Generation

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'Condemned 2: Bloodshot' announced

SEGA yesterday announcedCondemned 2: Bloodshot, a follow up to the Xbox 360 launch title,Condemned: Criminal Origins. The firstCondemnedwas truly disturbing, throwing you into a pyschological nightmare where you were put so on edge that even a slight noise or the appearance of a mannequin out of the shadows was enough to make you scream. The game excelled because of it's atmospherics, which were detailed, eerie, and yet familiar (a department store, for example).

SEGA promises thatBloodshotwill evolve the series, adding a new combat system which features a lot of hands on action and grapples. You will once again play as Ethan Thomas, disturbed ex-investigator who is called back to duty to find his missing partner. The game will debut for the Xbox 360 and PS3 in early 2008.

Read the Press Release

'Project Gotham Racing 4' trailer and details
The fourth incarnation ofProject Gotham Racingwill be hitting stores this fall, and today we have a new trailer, along with a few new(ish)PGR4details.

First the trailer:

Pretty, eh?

Now for the details

NPD: Nintendo wins April
NPD Funworld has today released its report of video game hardware and software sales in the US for the month of April. The highlights include:

• Good month overall:A 20% year-over-year increase with $838.6 million in hardware, software and accessory sales.
• Software sales = "meh": Software sales remained stagnant at $389.8 million (last year's number was $395 milliion.
• Software sale breakdown:Handheld software sales surged 61% to $141.5 million, thanks toPokemon DiamondandPearlDS titles. Console software sales, on the other hand, fell 19% to $248.3 million. Keep in mind, April of '06 braggedKingdom Hearts 2andThe Elder Scrolls: Oblivion. April '07 bragged very little.
• Nintendo games selling like gangbusters:Nintendo held the top four spots on the software sales chart withPokemon Diamond(DS, 1.045 million),Pokemon Pearl(DS, 712,000),Super Paper Mario(Wii, 352,000), andWii Playw/ Remote (Wii, 249,000).
• Nintendo hardware selling like hotcakes:Hardware sales were up 52% to $338.4. In first place was the Nintendo DS with 471,000 units sold. The Wii came in second with 360,000 units sold. The PS3 came in 7th, between the Game Boy Advance and Gamecube, with 82,000 units sold.

The only surprise I see here is the uber-low 82,000 PS3s moved number. I'm cheering for you Sony, but, egad, you have to get some games out.

Update:
Jer haswhinedasked that I point outhis prediction last monththat March would be the last time we would see the PS2 at the top of the console charts.

The PS2, with God of War II has taken its last breath, and granted, it was an impressive gasp, but I predict that the days of seeing the PS2 at the top of the hardware sales for all consoles is now over.

Hey, it beats the big wigs at Wedbush Morgan Securities and Lazard Capital Markets who predicted software sales for the month of April would be up 15 - 24%.

Read more:
Gamespot
Next Generation

'Halo 3' Beta Basics, Tips, and Hints

A lot of you may be new toHaloorHalomultiplayer. You may be confused and overwhelmed by theHalo 3demo, what with getting killed almost instantly and not knowing what does who and why goes where. See, I told you that you're confused.

It is for this reason that I humbly offer some very basic tips to get you through your first few sessions of theHalo 3beta. If you're already an expert, and have some helpful tips to add, please do so in the comments section.

• Learn your controls- If the controls don't feel right to you, ie, you need to invert the Y-Axis, then hit "Start" and push right on the Left Control Stick to enter the "Controls" menu. It is here that you can adjust your controls to your liking. Also, go into "Button Layout". Here you'll see what each button does. Be sure to note your "Reload" (RB) and the "Melee Attack" (B).
• Learn some Weapons basics- You don't have to be a seasoned pro to earn some kills, but it does help if you know what the heck your weapons are doing. If your weapon has a zoom feature, you can use it by clicking down on the Right Control Stick (R3). In general, you'll want to use long range weapons like the Sniper Rifle and the Battle rifle from a distance and weapons like the shotgun close up in order to be most effective. The first few times you play, pick up lots of different weapons and see which ones you like.
• Jump when under attack- This is one of those general multiplayer rules. If you're under fire, jump. You are harder to hit when you're jumping. If you're just travelling from cover to cover, you don't have to jump as that may make you more obvious.
• Learn to use and love your Melee attack- The melee attack (B) is basically an elbow bop to the face. If you're in close quarters with an enemy, this is a very effective attack.
• If you're not moving, you don't show up on radar- Just keep that in mind. Run to where you want to go, stop, look around, run to the next location.
• To switch between types of grenades, hit LB

- I say this because I really like the spike grenade (don't know the real name of it). If you toss this type of grenade at an enemy, it'll stick into him and blow him up.

• Active camoflauge doesn't make you invisible

- The blue orbs that you see are active camoflauge. Pick one up to activate it. You are definitely harder to see, but don't go around thinking you're invisible.

• Dual-Wielding weapons is cool

- Certain types of weapons can be dual-wielded, meaning that you can hold one in each hand. If you're holding a one-handed weapon, like the SMG, then when you walk over another one-handed weapon, you'll be prompted to pick it up with the other hand. While dual-wielding, you cannot throw grenades, so keep that in mind.

That's all of the sage advice I have for you now. If I think of anything else, I'll add to this post. Happy gaming!

A 'Spider-Man 3' walkthrough begins
I'll begin work on theLBSpider-Man 3Walkthrough and Strategy Guidefor the Nintendo Wii version of the game.

I have already played through the entire game in just a couple of sittings (neither being too long). So, expect to see a complete rough draft of the guide by the end of the week.

As for a quick review, the game was "eh". It certainly had it's high points and the web slinging with the Wii controls was fun. However, everything else about it was on the weak side, including the five and a half hour story mode. We're hoping the Xbox 360 and PS3 version will be better. We know it will be longer. Look for that guide to begin in the next couple of days.

LBSpider-Man 3Game Guide (Wii)
LBSpider-Man 3Game Guide (X360)

Halo 3 beta — between fun and meh

Okay, Mangojoyride, pervertdhermit, GabrielSaxon, and The Gurbil. I get it. You are better than me atHalo 3multiplayer. In my defense (and that's sorely lacking in-game) I have only played four matches and I am improving. In fact, I had a great match before these level sixes and sevens really took it too me…three kills in a row and I won the match! Take that.

Yes, theHalo 3beta is enjoyable, but I can't do it for more than an hour or so. I just get bored of it. I'm more of a puzzle-solving, story-driven gamer, so while this is fun, it's not my favorite. In fact the only multiplayer I've ever become addicted to isBrothers in Arms.

Here's one tip, though, that really drove me nuts. I'm an inverted Y-Axis kind of guy and I couldn't figure out where to adjust the control settings. If that's driving you crazy too, just hit Start and move the control stick to the right to open up the Settings menu. I just didn't see it there before.

Now, happy Halo-ing and look out for an ever improving LUNABEAN!

Halo 3 beta via Crackdown fixed
Now all you WATB can play your precious game.

Meet you there!

Gamertag: LUNABEAN

Second Expansion For Age Of Empires III
Age of Empires III: Asian Dynasties will provide new content and several new gameplay elements that include new ways of winning and trading, random map styles that feature remixes of classic Age of Empires game styles, and 15 new Asian Wonders. The

Uncharted: Drake's Fortune
Preview: Uncharted: Drake's Fortune Preview by Mr. Marbles | 05/17/2007 | 16:29:35 PM PST print comments [ 0 ] digg this! Share on Facebook Yup, this is what Naughty Dog, of Crash Bandicoot and Jak&Daxter fame, has been hard at work on and very

3D Performance with Lost Planet Demo: DirectX 10 Benchmarks
Introduction Whenever a new API like DirectX 10 comes out promising better graphics and faster performance we're always eager to see if it delivers. For months now we've been patiently waiting for any type of game or application that could be used to

Lord Of The Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar Review
By Mark 'Thendar' Arsenault Lord of the Rings Online is likely one of the most anticipated games of its nature to be released in many years. The wild popularity of the movies and long time circulation of the novels have both contributed to interest in

News: Flagship Is No More!
Capcom's subsidiary, Flagship will cease to exist from the 1st of June forward. Keep reading for details. Some of you might not know Flagship, but it's the studio that developed portable Zelda games like Oracle of Seasons/Ages, Minish Cap and A Link to

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Villa4vacation.com Launches Mobile Phone Browsing for Vacation Rental Seekers (PR Web)
Just in time for the summer travel season, Villa4vacation.com has announced a new feature for the growing number of vacationers looking for rental options. Now anyone with a mobile phone can browse the Villa4vacation website for private residences around the world that are available for daily, weekly or monthly vacation rental. (PRWeb May 16, 2007) Post Comment:Trackback URL: …

Garage Condos (WPVI-TV Philadelphia)
So, you've got the Harley, the Jet Ski and the vintage Vette. But where are you going to park those grown-up toys?

Community Calendar (The Baltimore Guide)
Hey, Teens: The Brooklyn Branch, 300 E. Patapsco Avenue, has “So You Want to Be a Tour Guide” on Tuesday, June 5, 3:15 p.m. Learn about careers in the tourism industry and what it takes to be a tour guide. Info: 410-396-1120. The Cherry Hill Branch, 606 Cherry Hill Road, has “Chess Challenge” on Tuesdays, from [...]

Design: Design by numbers (The New Zealand Herald)
Pinup magnetic board in matt black, $69.95, from Nest. Loose numbers from set at Mainly Toys, other numbers from set, $18, from The Garden Party. Photo / Babiche Martens

Villa4vacation.com Launches Mobile Phone Browsing for Vacation Rental Seekers (PRWeb via Yahoo! News)
Just in time for the summer travel season, Villa4vacation.com has announced a new feature for the growing number of vacationers looking for rental options. Now anyone with a mobile phone can browse the Villa4vacation website for private residences around the world that are available for daily, weekly or monthly vacation rental.

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Solutions for the Cheese Case: Vendors Helping Retailers (The Gourmet Retailer)
Even the best cheesemongers need a little help now and then.

Lead Paint Trials: Go On Offense (SeekingAlpha via Yahoo! Finance)
Todd Sullivan submits: A question was recently posed to me: "What can the lead paint companies [Sherwin Williams , Valspar and NL Industries] do to preserve their image during these trials?"

Royal Caribbean Cruises: Compelling Valuation, Attractive Entry Point (SeekingAlpha via Yahoo! Finance)
Zacks.com submits: Royal Caribbean Cruises is the second largest passenger cruise operator in the world. The company operates a total fleet of 34 ships including its leading Royal Caribbean Cruises and Celebrity Cruises brands, and the recently acquired Pullmantur brand.

Motorcycle Stocks: Are They A Good Ride? (SeekingAlpha via Yahoo! Finance)
Stockerblog submits: Due to the high price of gasoline, many Americans are turning to motorcycles as an alternative to their SUVs and large sedans. Could it be that motorcycle stocks are a play on high gas prices?

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FF XII Re-make, New RPG Announced By Square/Enix
Yesterday was Square/Enix's annual media party, and there were a couple of interesting announcements. Game|Life's Chris Kohler was there, and reports on the most interesting announcement: a Final Fantasy XII re-envisioning entitled International: Zodiac

Video: Sonic Rush Adventure
review The Diet Coke of Evil… review Frenetic review The aesthetics of a Ferrari, the handling of a Vauxhall Belmont review Fans of the adventure genre take heart review Resistance is futile review Sony saved the best till last with this divine

Google Plans to Secretly Track Your Online Gaming
Privacy campaigners alarmed at new psychological profiling patent Google has filed a patent outlining new plans to compile detailed psychological profiles of gamers by monitoring their online game use on PCs and consoles, without their knowing, then

Two more for Euro Virtual Console
Open Tournament Golf and Ninja Spirit join the list of 85 classics available on the Wii Virtual Console. Nintendo has today updated the European Wii Virtual Console with the release of the 1992 Golf sim Open Tournament Golf and the Turbografx

Resident Evil 4 is ready for the Wii
By Teschia Blakley After being dubbed GameSpots Game of The Year in 2005, Capcoms Game Cube hit Resident Evil 4 will bring the pain to the Wii system. While spending time on the PS2 system, Xbox, and PC, Resident Evil 4 will once again make a lot of

Spring Is Here…And So Are The Xbox 360 Upgrades!
By Teschia Blakley Everyone knows what time of the year it isSPRINGwell due to the hands of global warming and natureSpring has been playing hide go and seek, but not the gurus at the Microsoft Corporation. Microsoft has announced that the Xbox 360 will

Nationwide Recall Of Magnetix Toys Expanded
Magnetic toys have been very much in the news of late. There have been several incidents in the recent past which have led to the recall of the magnetic building…

Dora and Diego Building Sets from Mega Bloks
Mega Bloks are easily one of my preschooler's favorite things to do! She loves building different things with these child-sized blocks which come in vibrant colors. Now, Dora and Diego…

Bratz Picture Gallery - New Bratz Pictures
Here's a little Bratz picture gallery for all you Bratz fans. The images highlight what's happening in the world of Bratz for Spring 2007. You can see images of the…

The Best Toy Boxes
Buying toys is easy. Figuring out where to store them is the tough part! I've run through several toy bins, drawers, cupboards and am still short of space for my…

Delta Enterprises My Friends Tigger and Pooh Art Desk/Cube Rocks!
My Friends Tigger and Pooh Child's Desk/Cube from Delta Enterprises is a really well designed, eye catching and a trendy looking addition to your child's room. It's colorful, fun and…

Mega Freeze Play 'n Freeze Will Cool You Off This Summer!
Here's a really cool product from Industrial Revolution which will go extremely well with those heavenly summer picnics you're planning - the new Mega Freeze Play 'n Freeze Ice Cream…

Farm Toys Galore!
Old MacDonald had a farm .. ee-eye ee-eye oh! Kids simply love to listen to this song over and over again. It's an indicator of how animals and animal farms…

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Fallout 3 Van Buren Tech Demo Released
gbridge writes 'Over eight years since the release of Fallout 2, the original (pre-alpha) tech demo of Black Isle Studio's abandoned Fallout 3 Van Buren project has made its way into the public domain. It's obviously a long, long way from being even beta

Original Fallout 3 available for free download
Yeah, I said it is FREE! On the heels of yesterdays announcement of the countdown to the trailer to Bethesdas highly anticipated RPG Fallout 3, the No Mutants Allowed website has posted the original technical demo for Fallout 3. Yes, its a rough sketch,

Microsoft to Tighten Up Xbox Live Marketplace Region Controls
Microsoft has decided that it will take strict action against accounts that have been made illegally to download content, which was originally made for other regions. They will now keep an eye on global locations of IPs so that users from one region

The 10 Worst-Selling Consoles of All Time
The majority of gaming consoles have taken the big dirt nap and only see the light of day at pawn shops and e-bay. Here's our list of top console failures. Be it a lack of games, poor strategy, or inadequate marketing, a majority of video game consoles

News: Nintendo UK Signs Coke Deal
Nintendo reveals a major new advertising partnership with Coca Cola, worth over a million pounds. Details inside… Coca Cola and Nintendo have signed a million pound deal for the Wii to be featured on around 182 million packs of Fanta, Sprite and Dr.

Your Baby Can Read - Educational DVD's For Your Baby
I like educational DVDs and believe that they really help young kids to pick up stuff like the alphabet and numbers. From personal experience, I can vouch that these educational…

Bratz Picture Gallery - New Bratz Pictures
Here's a little Bratz picture gallery for all you Bratz fans. The images highlight what's happening in the world of Bratz for Spring 2007. You can see images of the…

Mega Freeze Play 'n Freeze Will Cool You Off This Summer!
Here's a really cool product from Industrial Revolution which will go extremely well with those heavenly summer picnics you're planning - the new Mega Freeze Play 'n Freeze Ice Cream…

The Best Toy Boxes
Buying toys is easy. Figuring out where to store them is the tough part! I've run through several toy bins, drawers, cupboards and am still short of space for my…

Delta Enterprises My Friends Tigger and Pooh Art Desk/Cube Rocks!
My Friends Tigger and Pooh Child's Desk/Cube from Delta Enterprises is a really well designed, eye catching and a trendy looking addition to your child's room. It's colorful, fun and…

Nationwide Recall Of Magnetix Toys Expanded
Magnetic toys have been very much in the news of late. There have been several incidents in the recent past which have led to the recall of the magnetic building…

Farm Toys Galore!
Old MacDonald had a farm .. ee-eye ee-eye oh! Kids simply love to listen to this song over and over again. It's an indicator of how animals and animal farms…

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Classic Gaming: Centipede and Millipede Hit Xbox Live
Atari has announced the rather cool classics Centipede and Millipede are now available for Xbox LIVE Arcade! Atari claim the games delivers the same gaming sights, sounds and action as the originals. In addition to the classic form of each title, gamers

Microsoft Game Studios Europe Opens
Microsoft Game Studios Europe Opens Microsoft aggressively courts European development talent 4 May 2007 Link to this: Microsoft Game Studios is opening up a European division, based out of its Reading HQ, headed up by (pictured). This looks like a

Sony Home Beta Goes Live In North America, Screens Leaked
Sony Home Beta Goes Live In North America, Screens Leaked America catches up with Europe 4 May 2007 Link to this: The PlayStation Home beta has gone live in North America, according to a posting on the official PlayStation forums. Unofficial new Home

Microsoft Establishes MGS Europe
Microsoft Establishes MGS Europe Anonymous, post a comment on Post a comment anonymously, or Login and get 5 GamerPoints - Not a member? Comment: Latest games: Navigation News Sports News: Gaming&Betting:

My Pac-Man Interview Preview Video
Hey Xbox365, long time no see! TriXie here, with my attempt to interview a recent guest from Japan, but he threw a Nelson-like diva tantrum and stormed off. You can catch a preview video inside and check out the full details for the here. TriXie Says

Puzzle Quest set for XBox Live Arcade
Both of those audiences might share an interest in one upcoming game, as D3Publisher of America today announced its support for Live Arcade, headlined by Puzzle Quest: Challenge of the Warlords. Combining the gem-matching gameplay of Bejeweled 2 Deluxe

Ninja Gaiden and TMNT2 to VC
- According to the latest update to the official Entertainment Software Ratings Board's website, classics Ninja Gaiden and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Arcade Game are gearing up for release on Wii's Virtual Console. The games both appeared on

News: EA Playground Heading To Wii&DS
Electronic Arts reveals exclusive new sports titles for Nintendo systems! Gaming site IGN have interviewed third-party monolith Electronic Arts about a previously unheard of upcoming title for the Wii and DS. Tentatively titled EA Playground, the

Sakaguchi Doesn't Like the PlayStation 3, Kutaragi…and Microsoft's Marketing Strategy for Japan
But just when you'd think he would make such a comment because of his relationship with MGS Japan, Sakaguchi also provided some feedback on Microsoft. Microsoft has to change its marketing strategy in Japan. There are a lot of excellent games on the 360,

Sony and Kutaragi - What Went Wrong?
Last week's news that Ken Kutaragi was stepping down from his post at Sony wasn't exactly a surprise, but it does raise a number of questions. Given reports that Kutaragi has visions for PlayStations 4, 5, and 6 and analyst speculation that he'll be

Realistic toy guns can mean big trouble (KHOU)
Critics say that toy guns made to look like the real thing aren't really toys, especially when even police officers can't tell the difference.

Action News Extra: Clear The Clutter (Action News 4 Pittsburgh)
Do you ever feel like pulling your hair out because of the clutter piling up in your house and your life?

John W. Henrys Real Life Extension Challenge (SeekingAlpha via Yahoo! Finance)
Greg Newton submits: Search the phrase Red Sox + "immortal" and Google helpfully pops up 182,000 references, more than a few pointing in the general direction of the late slugger Ted Williams, today safely nestled in an Arizona cryogenic facility.

Options Trader: Tuesday Morning Ideas (SeekingAlpha via Yahoo! Finance)
Phil Davis submits: Did we pick the right time to get out yesterday or did we jump the gun? We closed just 20% of the open positions in the short-term portfolio , but we stand ready to take another round off the table if the markets are mean to us today. [...]

It's a Dog's World (Embroidery Monogram Business)
MARCH 19, 2007 — Just a few years ago, embroiderers, screen printers and other decorators who wanted to serve the $9.3 billion pet supplies market had to search for vendors outside the decorated apparel channel.

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