July 31, 2007
July 30, 2007
July 28, 2007
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July 24, 2007
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July 22, 2007
NYT: In console war,
The
![]("http://www.lunabean.com/graphics/wii.jpg"/)
![]("http://www.lunabean.com/graphics/ps3.jpg"/)
Despite Sony's best effort to convince the public that first year sales of a console don't really matter, it seems developers and publishers want to make and sell games for consoles that have sold well in that first year. What's more, these developers and publishers are preferring the inexpensive nature of making games for the Wii, as opposed to the PS3, which often costs twice as much. (Of course, if the PS3 was flying off the shelves, that wouldn't be a problem).
While none of this comes as a surprise to those who have been closely following the video game industry this year, the fact it is being reported in the mainstream media, provides another nail in the PS3 coffin, and another boost for the Wii.
The masses want to buy the console with the best games. TheNew York Timesis telling people that it's looking like the Wii will have the best games. And, while I still believe Nintendo President Satoru Iwata's comment that the
The demo reportedly contains over two hours of gameplay and will be a 1.1 GB download, so get your broadband ready. We'll definitely check it out and will start a walkthrough for it as soon as it enters the Lunabean HQ interweb. Microsoft today admitted to an "unacceptable number of repairs" ( Because of this situation, Microsoft has done the right thing…![]("http://www.lunabean.com/graphics/blue_dragon.jpg")
A demo forBlue Dragon, the highly anticipated RPG for the Xbox 360, will be available beginning on July 20th and will end on August 3rd.![]("http://www.lunabean.com/graphics/xbox360.jpg")
Peter Moore, head of Microsoft's Xbox unit, will resign to oversee sports games at Electronic Arts. Taking the place of Moore will be Don Mattrick, a former executive at EA.![]("http://www.lunabean.com/graphics/red_ring.jpg"/)
The company said it would extend warranty coverage to three years to cover the problem and would reimburse customers who had previously paid for repairs related to the three-flashing-lights error message. It also said it has made improvements to the Xbox 360 console.
Despite the $1 billion charge, and missing shipping expectations (11.6 million vs. 12 million), MS says it still expects to be in the black for fiscal year '08, which I believe, would be the first time the Xbox division is profitable for a full year.
Job well done, MS. Unlike many other technology companies, you've admitted to your mistake, said you'd fix the machines for free and extended the warranty to 3 years, which is one of the longest warranties for any consumer electronics product. This will help to maintain confidence in the product and will help with sales.
If your Xbox 360 has gotten the red ring of death, you can try the
If you suffer from any of these symptoms then you'll be glad that we have a growing In addition to the walkthrough, we have an extremely active Enjoy! Today, we have some Second, there's "PQRS," a game dreamed up when Spielberg played Miyamoto inWii Tennisat last year's E3. Apparently, Spielberg was so taken withWii Tennisthat it inspired him to make a game for the Wii. "Really, what that game is about is re-inventing classic blocks, but reinventing them with the Wii remote," Young said, beginning to describe a physics-based puzzle game of block stacking and block toppling. "Blocks can have physical properties. They can weigh different weights or they might explode and vanish, or if two combine they might have a chemical reaction." Well, count me in as excited. Let's face it. We all like getting a pat on the back for a job well done. It is for this reason that Xbox Live achievements have become so popular. I mean, who can resist seeking out all of the orbs in However, not unlike the Olympics, these pure and untarnished achievements are soon to be tainted by the pros…that is, they'll be sold to the highest bidder for sponsorship. As I don't know whether to cry or to welcome what is certain to become a steady cash flow for developers to offset production costs (hopefully giving us better games). I think I'll cry.![]("http://www.lunabean.com/graphics/frame_hp_ootp.gif")
Talking gargoyles got you down? Wand just not working the way it should? Getting lost in Hogwarts?![]("http://www.lunabean.com/graphics/steven_spielberg.jpg")
Last October![]("http://www.lunabean.com/graphics/paid_achievements.jpg"/)
July 21, 2007
New Site Design!!!And all
And all you thought we did was play video games. Geez. No respect. Yes, we've been busy lately redesigning the site to make it easier to use. Some new features that you may enjoy:
![]("http://www.lunabean.com/includes/lunabean2.jpg"/)
We're continuing to tweak with everything and have a good amount of work left to go, so if you see anything funky, just
Oh, and we'll be working on the
Enjoy the new site!
In the case of top ranked teams, such as Florida and Ohio State, we're talking about $150,000 pumped into the programs. Local teams Oregon and Oregon State pull in $95,300 and $60,000 respectively. What's most interesting is not the money, but that the colleges don't have to do anything for it…well, other than continue winning. Still, EA is advertising and branding these colleges not for free, but actually paying them to do so. Is it a win-win or another case of amateur athletes being exploited?![]("http://www.lunabean.com/graphics/ncaa.jpg")
Hometown paper,The Oregonian, today has an article titled,
The
Despite Sony's best effort to convince the public that first year sales of a console don't really matter, it seems developers and publishers want to make and sell games for consoles that have sold well in that first year. What's more, these developers and publishers are preferring the inexpensive nature of making games for the Wii, as opposed to the PS3, which often costs twice as much. (Of course, if the PS3 was flying off the shelves, that wouldn't be a problem).
While none of this comes as a surprise to those who have been closely following the video game industry this year, the fact it is being reported in the mainstream media, provides another nail in the PS3 coffin, and another boost for the Wii.
The masses want to buy the console with the best games. TheNew York Timesis telling people that it's looking like the Wii will have the best games. And, while I still believe Nintendo President Satoru Iwata's comment that the
Rockstar Games yesterday announced thatBully, the prep school-based sandbox game, will be coming to the Wii and Xbox 360 this winter. Bullywas definitely one of my favorite games of the past few years, perfectly capturing the prep school atmosphere, from cliques to the seasons. Ahh, autumn at Bullworth Academy. We wrote a comprehensive If you missed this game, I highly recommend it. Finally, we all thought, Sony has done something right. Granted, a 60GB and an 80GB PS3 was potentially confusing to the average consumer, but hey, you could get a PS3 for $499, so who was going to complain. Now, Sony has come out and said that they will This move effectively gives gamers a double middle finger. First, all of those gamers who purchased the 60GB PS3 for $599 now have a lesser model. Ouch. That hurts. Second, Sony's "price cut" is really nothing of the sort. It is simply a sale to get rid of the stock of the lesser PS3. It's a dirty, disingenuous trick. Sony continues to rub consumers the wrong way and this latest move is just one more example.![]("http://www.lunabean.com/graphics/ps3.jpg")
Sony's recent announcement of a
July 20, 2007
July 19, 2007
July 18, 2007
July 17, 2007
July 16, 2007
The Smart Cycle from
Fisher-Price is aiming to tackle the obesity epidemic which is rampant in kids today with the new Smart Cycle. What is the Smart Cycle, anyway? It's a stationary bike very…
Invent-A-Toy World Games is an annual event held by the organization By Kids For Kids, and sponsored by Mattel, Inc. It is exactly what the name suggests - a children's…
Here's an exciting opportunity for those moms looking to keep their little scientists and science lovers occupied during the summer. The Young Scientists Club is a wonderful educational way for…
We're well into the summer holidays, and I hope each one of you is enjoying the extra time with your kids. Around halfway through the summer, I usually run…
July 15, 2007
July 14, 2007
PS3 Price Cut —
First, the good news: Sony today has lowered the price of the PS3 by $100 effective immediately. The new price is $499.
The bad news is they added a second PS3 to the lineup, an 80GB version which comes withMotorsportfor the total of $599, the old price. Now, granted, this isn't necessarily bad news for the gamer, but it is yet another mistake made by Sony when it comes to the PS3. They need to keep it simple. Part of the problem with the original launch was that they also made the 20GB version, leaving the masses in confusion over two SKUs and which one had what. Now, they've done it again. They need to stick to one darn PS3. For now that should be the 60GB version. Then, in a few months or a year, announce the 80GB version for the same $499. Holy wow geez. This is what a trailer should be.Metal Gear Solid 4doesn't look like it'll disappoint. Yesterday, Nintendo announcedWii Fit, a fitness game that comes bundled with the Wii Balance Board, a sort of thin step aerobics board that can measure weight and weight distribution. And, oh, did you see the yoga at the end of the clip? This is exciting for us because we've just started to
December 3rd. Now how about an introduction from Reggie?
For all of you investor types, if you though Nintendo was doing well now, wait until the Holiday 2007 numbers are released.
November 12th, baby!
I've never playedGuitar Herobut I love it. I love thinking about how good I'd be at it. I love to imagine screaming at the top of my lungs, "Hello Cleveland!," and then proceeding to rock the stadium like no man before me. Well, maybe withGuitar Hero 3(October, PS2, PS3, Xbox 360, Wii), I'll finally fulfill my dreams. The big draw this time? Slash! That's right, Slash,theguitar player of my teen years is to be featured in the game. Add to that a killer line-up of songs includingWelcome to the Jungle(Guns n Roses),Even Flow(Pearl Jam), andPaint it Black(Rolling Stones), and you pretty much have the soundtrack of my high school years. Oh, and there's finally a wireless guitar. Do you know where you are? You're in the jungle, baby. Yeahahhahahahahhahhhhhhhh!!! Microsoft today admitted to an "unacceptable number of repairs" ( Because of this situation, Microsoft has done the right thing…
The company said it would extend warranty coverage to three years to cover the problem and would reimburse customers who had previously paid for repairs related to the three-flashing-lights error message. It also said it has made improvements to the Xbox 360 console.
Despite the $1 billion charge, and missing shipping expectations (11.6 million vs. 12 million), MS says it still expects to be in the black for fiscal year '08, which I believe, would be the first time the Xbox division is profitable for a full year.
Job well done, MS. Unlike many other technology companies, you've admitted to your mistake, said you'd fix the machines for free and extended the warranty to 3 years, which is one of the longest warranties for any consumer electronics product. This will help to maintain confidence in the product and will help with sales.
If your Xbox 360 has gotten the red ring of death, you can try the
July 12, 2007
Donate to Comic Relief,
For those of you who are neither British, nor in the know (don't worry, I was neither of these things ten minutes ago), today is ![]("http://www.lunabean.com/graphics/lego_red_nose.jpg"/)
While I'm bummed at this moment that we don't get BBC One, as that is where most of the entertainment is being provided (and it's a
Because we so applaud the efforts of Comic Relief here at
In order to claim your guide, please forward your donation receipt to us at info @ lunabean.com with the subject line "Red Nose Day". Please omit any personal details found within the receipt before sending it our way. Let us know if you'd like the text-only (printer-friendly) or screenshot version of the guide, and we'll send it off ASAP.
Please note, this offer is only good through today, Friday, March 16th, 2007.
If you're here now, you missed the free weekend. But, don't feel too bad because we're offering you a coupon! Yes, for simply visiting this page hoping for a free guide, you are being rewarded. You can either purchase the individual guide or join the LunaPass. END UPDATE This weekend, you have the chance to sample the To access the FREE guide, simply visit the If you like what you see, you can sign up for the You can also purchase any of our walkthroughs a la carte by visiting Have a great weekend and happy gaming! Download Now, for FREE! Nintendo sure is getting some fancy press. First it was the ![]("http://www.lunabean.com/graphics/covers/guide_cover_lego_sw2_lg.jpg")
UPDATE
Enter Coupon Code: CPN9442555565
Enter Coupon Code: 1279861FD5
The combination of it being a slow video game news day and my stomach rumbling with hunger has forced me to post the most delicious Zelda cake solution ever created.
![]("http://www.lunabean.com/graphics/zelda_cupcakes.jpg" "\"Zelda")
Mmm…imagine all of the 8-bit possibilities? Mario cupcakes for my birthday, please.
Hat tip to
July 11, 2007
July 8, 2007
July 7, 2007
Rock-a-high, babyJuly 2007 Rock
July 2007 Rock Band is the rhythm-action experience that we all fantasised about, while crashed out backstage (well, on the couch) after a session with the legendary Guitar Hero. Uniting up to four players in separate band roles - online or within the
Extract not available.
Hands-On After never being released in the United States in original form, Final Fantasy's second installment is being released for the second time to American audiences this summer for the Sony PlayStation Portable. So what distinguishes this Final
Developed by Taito and 505 Games, Furu Furu Park is a collection of 30 arcade-style games that take advantage of the Wii Remote(TM)'s range of motion to engage and entertain players of all skill levels and ages. 'Furu Furu Park's inventive use of the Wii
SEGA ANNOUNCES ONLINE MULTIPLAYER FUNCTIONALITY IN VIRTUA FIGHTER™ 5 FOR XBOX 360 Premier Fighting Game Franchise Goes Online In Europe and North America SAN FRANCISCO&LONDON (July 6, 2007) - SEGA of America, Inc. and SEGA Europe, Ltd. announced
July 6, 2007
'Harry Potter and the
We are beginning work on the
Per usual, you can check in on our growing guide as it's being written. Enjoy!
![]("http://www.lunabean.com/graphics/covers/guide_cover_hp_ootp_lg.jpg")
Update:For those who needHP: OOTPhelp beyond the current scope of the walkthrough, please post your questions in our
The most recent trailer forGrand Theft Auto IVhas hit the interwebs. In addition to the fantastic trailer, we've included a handy countdown clock for you to obsessively check every 34 seconds. Bookmark this page so you know exactly when G-day arrives (that's Grand Theft Auto IV day..shut up…I tried!). Microsoft today admitted to an "unacceptable number of repairs" ( Because of this situation, Microsoft has done the right thing…
The company said it would extend warranty coverage to three years to cover the problem and would reimburse customers who had previously paid for repairs related to the three-flashing-lights error message. It also said it has made improvements to the Xbox 360 console.
Despite the $1 billion charge, and missing shipping expectations (11.6 million vs. 12 million), MS says it still expects to be in the black for fiscal year '08, which I believe, would be the first time the Xbox division is profitable for a full year.
Job well done, MS. Unlike many other technology companies, you've admitted to your mistake, said you'd fix the machines for free and extended the warranty to 3 years, which is one of the longest warranties for any consumer electronics product. This will help to maintain confidence in the product and will help with sales.
If your Xbox 360 has gotten the red ring of death, you can try the
If you're a video game market wonk like myself, then you may get some enjoyment out of reading the The one thing we do continue to argue is that no system is likely to have the market share dominance of the first two PlayStation systems. The video game market is simply becoming diversified in multiple respects. Consumers are increasingly willing to buy multiple systems for multiple purposes. This means arguing who will be first or second is becoming increasingly irrelevant. In terms of long-term strategy it is worth comparing Microsoft and Sony. Microsoft has shown an even greater willingness to lose money to try and build long-term market share. The Xbox 360 was the system that could benefit most from the PS3's slow, late start. One of the biggest events (or non-event) over the past year is that the Xbox 360 did little to solidify its lead. In an interview with DFC Intelligence this week, Sony Computer Entertainment America president Jack Tretton said trying to compare Sony to Nintendo is like trying to compare Sony to Nike. In other words, these are two very different companies, with very different products and very different strategies. While I agree with all of these points, it's pretty easy to talk about what's already happened. The hard part is predicting what's next. That's why you should stick with us, the people who called the Wii a winner over a year ago and said that the PS3 was going to be in third. If you suffer from any of these symptoms then you'll be glad that we have a growing In addition to the walkthrough, we have an extremely active Enjoy! Let's face it. We all like getting a pat on the back for a job well done. It is for this reason that Xbox Live achievements have become so popular. I mean, who can resist seeking out all of the orbs in However, not unlike the Olympics, these pure and untarnished achievements are soon to be tainted by the pros…that is, they'll be sold to the highest bidder for sponsorship. As I don't know whether to cry or to welcome what is certain to become a steady cash flow for developers to offset production costs (hopefully giving us better games). I think I'll cry.![]("http://www.lunabean.com/graphics/stock.gif")
DFC Intelligence, a market research firm, has today issued their 800 page report on the video game industry. While this is something that one has to pay for, whenever they do one of these massive reports, they always include a nice summary.Talking gargoyles got you down? Wand just not working the way it should? Getting lost in Hogwarts?
The sun is out and it's hot. Your pasty white skin and mole eyes can't stand the rays without SPF 55 and polarized Ray-Bans. Why even risk going outside? I think your dermatologist would agree.
I suggest you do some gaming. What's that, you say? You don't have $50 to spend onShrek the Third. Huh? Come again? You think that paying $60 forPirates of the Caribbean: At World's Endis just silly?
We here at Lunabean HQ agree. That's why we've put together a list of the Top Ten Affordable Video Games. All of the games recommended are under $30, are fairly recent, are backwards compatible with the next-gens, and are a ton of fun.
Not only will this list relieve you of your summer gaming doldrums, it also prevents skin cancer!
So, without further adieu, here is Lunabean's Top 10 Affordable Video Games.
![]("http://www.lunabean.com/graphics/kameo.jpg")
TEN:
![]("http://www.lunabean.com/graphics/tecmo_super_bowl.jpg")
NINE:Tecmo Super Bowl(Wii)
hoursdays on end. The simplicity of choosing from 8 plays, the inanity of launching 70+ yard passes, and the ridiculous stats of certain players (Barry Sanders and Jerry Rice…I'm looking in your direction) makes this game, well, magical. If you played this game as a kid, in college, or are simply interested in what football games were like pre-Madden, then this is $5 well spent.