Super Mario Run for iOS updated with more free content

Super Mario Run has officially launched for Android. Together with this release is an update for the iOS version.

The app will now be updated to version 2.0 and this includes various new features, as well as bug fixes, reports 9To5Mac.

One of the key updates is the addition of new playable characters and different colors of Yoshi. Playing with certain colors of Yoshi on Toad Rally will also unlock additional toads of the same color as Yoshi.

Apart from new characters, the update makes courses one to four available for free. These courses can be unlocked by completing Bowser’s challenges. Furthermore, completing courses one to four provides additional courses for Toad Rally.

These are just some of the items included in the update which will be enjoyed on both iOS and Android. The Android version launched in version 2.0.

Similar to the iOS, the Android version is free to download. A $10 app purchase will unlock all the levels of the game. However, the Play Store listing in Philippines still say “pre-register.” Alfred Bayle/JB

source: technology.inquirer.net

Mobius Final Fantasy to launch on iOS and Android

The release date for Mobius  Final Fantasy on Android and iOS has been set for Aug. 3 this year.

According to a report on IGN, players who pre-registered on the registration site will receive various Final Fantasy X items. This includes Tidus’ weapon, Brotherhood and a Yuna character card. Pre-registration is still ongoing.

Mobiles is an episodic RPG game for mobile devices. It is being spearheaded by producer Yoshinori Kitase who has worked on the classic  Final Fantasy VII as well as the Final Fantasy VII Remake.

Mobius Final Fantasy has been out in Japan since June of 2015 and is quite popular among fans. It was included in iTune’s Best 2015 games for the country.

The game follows the story of Wol who must fulfil a prophecy which states that one of the Blankers is a “Warrior of Light” who will free the world from darkness. He will be accompanied by Princess Sarah Lotte Cornelia, a princess for one of the kingdoms in Palamecia, and Mog, a moggle who decides to join Wol’s quest.  Alfred Bayle

source: technology.inquirer.net

New Nintendo Video Spotlights Upcoming Super Smash Bros. Fighters

REDMOND, Washington, United States — In the final video presentation dedicated to the Super Smash Bros.for Nintendo 3DS and Wii U games, creator Masahiro Sakurai provided many details about previously announced character Cloud from FINAL FANTASY VII, as well as introduced two new playable fighters to the franchise: Corrin from upcoming Nintendo 3DS game Fire Emblem Fates, and Bayonetta from the critically acclaimed Bayonetta games.

Bayonetta was the overall top pick in the recent Fighter Ballot, which asked fans to nominate characters that they would love to see added to the Super Smash Bros. series. Bayonetta was the No. 1 pick in Europe and in the top five in North America. When factoring in the amount of votes, Bayonetta was the clear worldwide choice.

This Smart News Release features multimedia. View the full release here: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20151215006747/en/

Bayonetta was the overall top pick in the recent Fighter Ballot, which asked fans to nominate characters that they would love to see added to the Super Smash Bros. series. (Photo: Business Wire)

In addition to detailed information about the new characters, Sakurai also revealed two new stages coming to both Super Smash Bros.for Nintendo 3DS and Wii U as downloadable content. Midgar – a familiar location for fans of FINAL FANTASY VII – will join the series as Cloud’s stage, while Bayonetta will feel right at home in the Umbra Clock Tower stage. New Mii Fighter outfits will also be added to the game, highlighted by a full costume inspired by Geno from the Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars game for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System.

All of these new additions will be the last downloadable content for Super Smash Bros.for Nintendo 3DS and Wii U. This new content brings the total number of playable characters to 58, the total number of stages in both versions of the game to 84 and the number of costumes and hats to 99 and 97, respectively.

“Mr. Sakurai knows how to go out with a smash,” said Scott Moffitt, Nintendo of America’s Executive Vice President of Sales & Marketing. “With the inclusion of even more surprising characters, stages and costumes, Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Wii U cement themselves as two of the most robust fighting games of all time.”

Launching as downloadable content planned for February 2016, Corrin from Fire Emblem Fates joins the roster of both Super Smash Bros.for Nintendo 3DS and Wii U. Like Wii Fit Trainer, Robin and the Villager, players can choose to play as a male or female version of the character. Corrin has the blood of a dragon in his veins, allowing him to transform and pull off attacks like no other fighter. Corrin will be available as a download in Super Smash Bros.for Nintendo 3DS or Wii U for $4.99, or both game versions together for $5.99.

As revealed in the Nintendo Direct presentation last month, Cloud from FINAL FANTASY VII is coming to Super Smash Bros.for Nintendo 3DS and Wii U. The character will have two costumes: one inspired by the original FINAL FANTASY VII game and one from FINAL FANTASY VII: Advent Children. Like in FINAL FANTASY VII, Cloud possesses Limit Breaks when fighting in Super Smash Bros. As Cloud gives and receives damage, or uses his Down Special Attack, his Limit Break meter will fill. Once full, Cloud can activate his Limit Break. While playing on Midgar, Cloud’s new stage, players can grab Summon Materia that call forth summons from the FINAL FANTASY universe like Ifrit and Bahamut ZERO. Once activated, only the player who triggered the summon will be safe from damage. Cloud and the Midgar stage will be available as a download in Super Smash Bros.for Nintendo 3DS or Wii U for $5.99, or both game versions together for $6.99, beginning within hours of today’s video presentation.

Launching at the same time as Cloud, a new Chocobo hat for Mii Fighters will release as downloadable content. Also launching is a costume based on fan-favorite character Geno from Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars, a classic role-playing game for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System created in collaboration with SQUARE ENIX. Additionally, Mii Fighter costumes for Sonic the Hedgehog series characters Knuckles and Tails, and even costumes inspired by more characters from other franchises will be made available for download in February 2016.

The Umbra Witch herself is joining the giant cast of playable characters in Super Smash Bros.for Nintendo 3DS and Wii U as a result of the worldwide Fighter Ballot. Just like in her action games, Bayonetta is a combo fighter in Super Smash Bros., chaining different kinds of attacks together. Her signature move is Witch Time, which slows down opponents if they are within range. Her new exclusive stage is called Umbra Clock Tower and is filled with moving platforms and even an alternate world. Bayonetta and the Umbra Clock Tower stage are planned for launch in February 2016, both available for download in Super Smash Bros.for Nintendo 3DS or Wii U for $5.99, or both game versions together for $6.99.

As with all the other playable Super Smash Bros. characters, Cloud, Corrin and Bayonetta will also get their own amiibo figures. More information about these upcoming amiibo figures will be revealed in the future. Additionally, amiibo figures for current fighters Ryu and Roy, along with a Famicom Color version R.O.B., will launch on March 18. All amiibo figures are sold separately.

For more information about Super Smash Bros., visit http://www.smashbros.com/us/.

Remember that Wii U and Nintendo 3DS features parental controls that let adults manage the content their children can access. For more information about this and other features, visit http://www.nintendo.com/wiiu or http://www.nintendo.com/3ds.

About Nintendo: The worldwide pioneer in the creation of interactive entertainment, Nintendo Co., Ltd., of Kyoto, Japan, manufactures and markets hardware and software for its Wii U ™ and Wii ™ home consoles, and Nintendo 3DS ™ and Nintendo DS ™ families of portable systems. Since 1983, when it launched the Nintendo Entertainment System ™, Nintendo has sold more than 4.3 billion video games and more than 686 million hardware units globally, including the current-generation Wii U, Nintendo 3DS and Nintendo 3DS XL, as well as the Game Boy ™, Game Boy Advance, Nintendo DS, Nintendo DSi ™ and Nintendo DSi XL ™, Super NES ™, Nintendo 64 ™, Nintendo GameCube ™ and Wii systems. It has also created industry icons that have become well-known, household names such as Mario ™, Donkey Kong ™, Metroid ™, Zelda ™ and Pokémon ™. A wholly owned subsidiary, Nintendo of America Inc., based in Redmond, Wash., serves as headquarters for Nintendo’s operations in the Western Hemisphere. For more information about Nintendo, please visit the company’s website at http://www.nintendo.com.

source: tehnology.inquirer.net

Review: Ubisoft turns ‘Rainbow 6′ into 5-vs.-5 war on terror

The world of online video games can be a nightmare, an every-man-for-himself, kill-or-be-killed wasteland that brings out our most nihilistic impulses. But big publishers are hoping to change that with more games that force us to work together—particularly as they try to invent multiplayer competitions that will appeal to the ever-expanding audience for “e-sports.”

“Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege” (Ubisoft, for the Xbox One, PlayStation 4, PC, $59.95) is a five-vs.-five contest with some similarity to one of the most popular e-sports titles, Valve’s “Counter-Strike: Global Offensive.” It could be an audience hit—I found it almost as entertaining to watch as to play—but it need a bit more variety to stand out in the saturated multiplayer market.

You play as a member of a commando squad, attacking or defending against a second team of commandos. (Ubisoft says they’re both counter-terrorist units—which defies logic, but welcome to Clancy World.) In a typical scenario, the defenders have taken over a large building; the attackers need to bust in and “neutralize” (OK, kill) them. There are a few variables: The attackers may need to rescue a hostage or defuse a bomb, or the defenders may be trying to protect a human “asset” from assassination.

At the beginning of each mission, you and your teammates have 45 seconds to prepare. Defenders can erect obstacles and set traps, while attackers can send reconnaissance drones into the site. Then you get a few minutes of mayhem.

It sounds simple, but the large environments offer a wide variety of approaches to the task. As attackers, do you want to rappel up the walls and bust through the skylights, or sneak in through the garage and try to take your enemies by surprise? As defenders, do you want to hole up in one room or spread out and aggressively hunt down the invaders?

You can also choose to play as one of 20 different operatives, who bring different weapons, traps and skills (like healing or the ability to sense enemies through walls) to the mix. You can acquire those operatives by spending in-game currency, which you earn by completing matches or playing through the solo “situations.”

Even if you’re itching for multiplayer, it’s a good idea to run through the situations, which give you a solid grounding in the techniques you’ll need to win. There’s also a “terrorist hunt” mode where one to five operatives can fight off waves of computer-controlled bad guys. They aren’t as satisfying as the epic solo campaigns offered by previous “Rainbow Six” games, so if you’re a lone wolf, you’ll be disappointed.

Indeed, I’ve already heard from franchise fans who are angry that it has veered so dramatically into online multiplayer. You’ll get the most out of it if you can team up with four players you trust—which can be a tall order for even the most sociable gamer. Two-and-a-half stars out of four.

source: technology.inquirer.net

‘Josie Rizal’ is first Filipino Tekken character

FILIPINO Tekken 7 players are in for a treat as they will have a chance to use a Filipino character in the said game.



The character is named “Josie Rizal,” a play on the name of the country’s national hero. She is a kick boxer who is also adept with the Eskrima technique.

In the trailer released on Sunday, Josie is seen wearing a gold dress and a blue skirt with gladiator sandals. She is also accessorized with gold earrings, bracelets and a red headband. She also spoke in English.

In a report by EventHubs.com, Josie’s character design was made by Mari Shimazaki, who is known for coming up with the character design for Tekken 7’s Kazumi Mishima.
Mad Catz’s Mark “Markman” Julio was also consulted for the character design of Josie. Tekken project head Katsuhiro Harada said that Julio, who has Filipino blood, told him about Filipino culture and “offered advice that shaped many of the character’s traits, including her name,” the report said.

Josie was launched along with two other Tekken 7 characters: Jin Kasama and Devil Jin.

The Filipino kick boxer is yet to have a release date on when she will be launched in the game. AJH

source: technology.inquirer.net

‘Super Mario,’ ‘Pokemon’ may soon be on smartphones

TOKYO, Japan — After years of scoffing at the threat from smartphones, Nintendo Co. is doing an about face and entering an alliance with Japanese mobile game company DeNA Co. to develop games for mobile devices.

The announcement Tuesday means that Nintendo’s trademark game characters such as Super Mario and Pokemon could finally feature on smartphones and tablets. Such characters have been fiercely protected by Nintendo, appearing only on Nintendo platforms such as the Wii home console and 3DS mobile machines.

Both sides said they will build a global membership service for various devices including personal computers, smartphones and Nintendo machines. The service is set to launch in the fall of 2015.

They said the mobile games won’t be mere adaptations of the games already out for the Nintendo machines but developed especially for the smartphone experience.

The alliance will be combining Nintendo’s intellectual property and game development skills with DeNA’s expertise in mobile games, the announcement said.

Under the alliance, Kyoto-based Nintendo will acquire about 15 million DeNA shares or a 10 percent stake. In return, DeNA will acquire about 1.759 million Nintendo shares, or 1.24 percent of the company. Both acquisitions are worth 22 billion yen ($182 million). The payment is due April 2, they said.

Nintendo has run into trouble in the past few years as people increasingly turned to mobile phones to play games and spend time on social networks. The company is expecting to turn a profit for the fiscal year ending later this month, a turnaround from red ink the previous year.

Tokyo-based DeNA, founded in 1999, has a reputation as an innovator and is one of the most successful of a new generation of Japanese technology companies. It develops and operates a broad range of mobile and online services including games and e-commerce.

source: technology.inquirer.net

Grand Theft Auto pulled out in Australia over ‘violence’

SYDNEY, Australia — Australian retail giants Target and Kmart said Thursday they will stop selling blockbuster video game “Grand Theft Auto V” over concerns that it encourages violence against women.

Target, a popular department store chain, acted after a petition authored by former sex workers, which has so far been signed by more than 40,000 people, called it a “sickening game”.

“Games like this are grooming yet another generation of boys to tolerate violence against women,” the petition said.

“It is fueling the epidemic of violence experienced by so many girls and women in Australia — and globally.”

Target’s general manager for corporate affairs Jim Cooper said the decision was made following extensive community and customer concern.

“We’ve been speaking to many customers over recent days about the game, and there is a significant level of concern about the game’s content,” he said.

“We’ve also had customer feedback in support of us selling the game, and we respect their perspective on the issue.

“However, we feel the decision to stop selling GTA5 is in line with the majority view of our customers,” he added.

Cooper said Target, which has some 300 stores in Australia but is not connected to the US retail giant of the same name, would continue to sell other R-rated games, suitable for over 18s.

“While these products often contain imagery that some customers find offensive, in the vast majority of cases, we believe they are appropriate products for us to sell to adult customers,” he said.

“However, in the case of GTA5, we have listened to the strong feedback from customers that this is not a product they want us to sell.”

Kmart, which like Target is owned by diversified conglomerate Wesfarmers, said it was also pulling the game from the shelves of its stores. The company has 190 outlets in Australia and New Zealand.

“Following a significant review of all content in Grand Theft Auto Games Kmart has taken the decision to remove this product immediately,” spokesperson said.

Grand Theft Auto has won legions of fans around the world, and as many critics, for game play in which winning depends on acts such as carjacking, gambling and killing.

Play in Grand Theft Auto games has included simulated sex with prostitutes and drunken driving.

The fifth installment in the series is set in a fictional city of Los Santos based on real-world Los Angeles and its nearby hills and beaches.

source: technology.inquirer.net

E3 unleashes next generation of gruesomeness

LOS ANGELES — Game makers at this year’s Electronic Entertainment Expo went for the jugular.

That’s not just a metaphor about the competitive spirit of the video game industry at its annual trade show this past week. There were also actual depictions of throats being ripped out — as well as spleens, spines, hearts and testicles — in some of the goriest scenes ever shown off at E3.

Developers of such titles as “Bloodborne,” ”Let It Die,” ”Mortal Kombat X,” ”Dead Island 2″ and “Dying Light” weren’t shy about harnessing the high-powered graphical capabilities of the latest generation of consoles to portray more realistic decapitations, dismemberments and other grisliness.

Why the apparent boost in high-definition gross-outs?

“I think in the early years of a console launch, you have the so-called early adopters and hardcore fan base,” said Shawn Layden, CEO of Sony Computer Entertainment America, which launched the PlayStation 4 last November. “I think they look for the latest gaming experience that takes them to another level from where they’ve been before, and a lot of our publishing partners are pursuing the new, most impactful experience for gamers.”

The parade of carnage kicked off Monday at Microsoft’s presentation when the creators of “Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare” demonstrated a level in which a character’s arm is ripped off while attempting to sabotage an enemy aircraft in South Korea. Michael Condrey, co-founder of “Advanced Warfare” developer Sledgehammer Games, later maintained the amputation wasn’t only intended to shock.

“We know that war is terrifying,” said Condrey. “The military advisers that we work with talk about the horrors of war. ‘Call of Duty’ isn’t just about gratuitous violence. The scene that you saw in Seoul at the Microsoft press conference, that’s an impactful story moment. The loss of the arm is really part of the narrative. We showed that for a particular storytelling reason.”

Other slaughter on display at E3 included a first-person perspective of a decapitation in a demo of the French Revolution-set “Assassin’s Creed: Unity” and several bone-crushing new moves in “Mortal Kombat X,” like extreme close-ups of characters snapping their opponents’ spines and manhandling their genitals.

“It seems, as time goes on, video games continue to become more violent, realistic and graphic,” said Brad J. Bushman, a communication and psychology professor at Ohio State University. “This is a disturbing trend. Unfortunately, I see no signs that it will stop. The research evidence clearly indicates that violent video games increase aggression in players, and can make them numb to the pain and suffering of others.”

But it wasn’t merely blood and guts on display at E3 this year. The virtual horse that players will mount in the open-world action sequel “Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain” has been programmed to spontaneously defecate. And in a creepy abandoned mental institution from the Victorian-era thriller “The Order: 1886,” there’s not just blood smeared across the walls.

Game makers defend that gore aids the narrative, yet many believe a little goes a long way.

“For us, it’s more impactful if it’s done tastefully,” said “The Order” game director Dana Jan. “If you just throw blood all over the place, it’s meaningless. … We have to look at what we think is disturbing or scary and figure out how to do that masterfully without going too over the top.”

E3 wasn’t completely consumed with bloodshed. This year’s show featured a plethora of non-bloody, artsy games that attracted an unprecedented amount of attention. Still, the biggest games at E3 are usually the most hardcore

While violence has long been part of gaming history, and these gory titles are destined to be restricted to adult buyers by the industry’s rating board, such footage received visceral reactions from even the most seasoned gamers this year.

“E3 2014, taken as a whole, doesn’t feel as obsessed with violence as past shows,” wrote Chris Plante, co-founder at the gaming site Polygon. That was before he cut the show’s most graphic violence into a one-minute video. “The supercut is dense with blood, organs and unrecognizable viscera,” Plante wrote. “It’s strange how these things can wash over you but make an impact when taken together. These conferences can be a bit desensitizing.”

source: technology.inquirer.net

Candy Crush tempts investors with sweet success

SAN FRANCISCO – Candy Crush is out to tempt investors with the sweet taste of success while avoiding the sourness left in the mouths of those who bit into social game maker Zynga.

King Digital Entertainment, the developer behind the wildly addictive puzzle game, said this week that Candy Crush is seeking a listing on the New York Stock Exchange.

The news set the Internet abuzz with chatter from those crowing about the mobile game’s dizzying success and from the cynical hearkening back to the lackluster fate of Farmville maker Zynga.

Zynga pioneered online social gaming at a time when Facebook was center stage and got caught on its heels when players enthralled by free play on smartphones or tablets flitted away from the San Francisco-based company’s titles.

- Zynga took arrows -

“Zynga was a pioneer in its space,” said longtime game industry analyst Scott Steinberg, now general manager of Phoenix Online Studios.

“The trouble is, sometimes pioneers catch the arrows.”

Zynga was an early innovator, and is not out of the game, although its stock is about half the price it was when the company made its stock market debut at the end of 2011.

While no one can predict how long a game will be a hit, Candy Crush has shown staying power and King has the benefit of learning from Zynga’s woes.

“Like anything else that comes to market and trades on popularity instead of business fundamentals, you have to be aware that the two will collide and the guys on the popularity side are going to lose,” said independent analyst Rob Enderle of Enderle Group in Silicon Valley.

Candy Crush – King’s top-seller – started life as a Facebook game in 2012 but can also be played online and on smartphones.

- Candy shared -

The game is free, but players can pay for in-app extras to help them pass up through its more than 500 levels.

In a move that encourages players to spread the game, Candy Crush lets people call on friends or family at Facebook to download the title and help them advance.

In a promising note, Candy Crush has characteristics in common with classic title Tetris, which remains a star at nearly 30 years old.

Millions of commuters, teenagers  - even pensioners – clock in daily to test their skills at the game, which involves lining up tiny pieces of colored sweets to make them vanish from the screen of their computer or mobile phone.

King rolls out new features and doesn’t rest on laurels, according to analysts.

A constant peril for makers of mobile games, which are often free, is that players can be fickle in their loyalties.

“It is one thing to have a game that is a cultural phenomenon,” Steinberg said.

“It is another to have one with a user base that stay loyal year in and year out.”

Candy Crush has “struck a nerve” and King is using it as a springboard for other games, according to the analyst.

-          Mini-bubble fear –

Enderle warned that the buzz ahead of King’s initial public offering may signal a feeding frenzy that could put early investors on the thin wall of a “mini-bubble.”

The analyst was leary of mobile or social game companies overall, reasoning that popularity tended to be fleeting and their business models yet to be perfected.

“Zynga showed that you are as good as your last game,” Enderle said.

King Digital Entertainment said it has asked the US Securities and Exchange Commission regulatory body for clearance to list shares on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol KING.

King hopes to raise some $500 million, according to an estimate in its SEC filing.

Candy Crush records some 700 million sessions a day and racks up daily sales of $850,000, according to the IDATE digital research and consultancy firm.

It claims to have 324 million monthly unique users for 180 games in 14 languages, available through its King.com website but also on mobile platforms run by Apple, Google and Amazon, and on Facebook.

source: technology.inquirer.net

Wii U Sales are Up 200%!

It seems reports of the Wii U‘s demise might just be premature. Nintendo‘s home console has seen it’s sales rise by more than 200 % for the month of September.

Nintendo recently dropped the price of its Wii U by $50 to $299.99. The company also began offering a Wii U bundle with The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker in September. The price drop and excitement over the new exclusive and bundle are thought to be the causes of the uptick in sales.

While the Wii U’s sales are up, it still trails the Sony’s Playstation 3 and Microsoft’s Xbox 360, and it will face the new consoles from both companies this Holiday season. Sony unseated Microsoft in September, selling more PS3′s than Xbox 360s for the first time in 32 months.

Hopefully the big N can keep the exclusives coming, at least enough to keep the Wii U in the game long enough for the Wii – V to come out! (I kid, I kid)

For more information, Nintendo’s press release follows below:

Oct. 17, 2013

Nintendo 3DS Repeats at No. 1, Wii U Responds Following Price Cut

Nintendo enters the critical holiday selling season with strong momentum, as Nintendo 3DS finished as the best-selling video game system in the U.S. for the fifth consecutive month and Wii U enjoyed new momentum following a price cut.

On Oct. 15, Nintendo revealed that Pokémon X and Pokémon Y, which launched globally on Oct. 12, combined to sell more than 4 million units worldwide during its first two days on the market. A full breakdown of U.S. sales for the games, as well as the new Nintendo 2DS handheld, which launched on the same day, will be included in next month’s NPD report. In addition to the latest Pokémon adventure, Nintendo 3DS fans have two exciting games on the horizon, both launching on Nov. 22: The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds and Mario Party: Island Tour.

On Sept. 20, Nintendo reduced the price of the Wii U Deluxe Set by $50 to a suggested retail price of $299.99 and introduced a limited-edition bundle that features a download code for a digital copy of The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker HD. Sales of Wii U hardware in September increased by more than 200 percent over sales in August, and that is with only 15 days of data being reported at the new price. Over the next few weeks and months, Wii U fans can look forward to playing Wii Party U (Oct. 25), Wii Fit U (Nintendo eShop, Nov. 1) Mario & Sonic at the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games (Nov. 15) and Super Mario 3D World (Nov. 22).

*Data regarding physical sales of games in September are from the NPD Group. Data regarding digital downloads of games and combined physical/digital life-to-date numbers are from Nintendo’s internal sales figures. All numbers, unless otherwise stated, are specific to the United States only.

source: intomobile.com

Ouya Android-powered game console now up for pre-order

Announced a few months ago and priming itself for retail in April 2013, the Ouya is a new video game console that’s primed at introducing Android-based software and games to the video game industry.

As a console that came into fruition via a Kickstarter campaign in July, the upcoming new console is the result of the efforts of Boxer8, headed by game industry veteran Julie Uhrman.

Fuseproject founder and designer Yves Behar was brought in to collaborate on the project, along with product manager Muffi Ghadiali. Backers were quickly gathered, and soon the console saw signs of life.

Built using open-source software technology that runs on the Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich operating system, the unit has a Quad-core ARM Cortex-A9 CPU powering it, and an 8 GB internal flash memory storage device and 1 GB RAM for memory. It supports 1080p HDMI Display, and visuals are supported by NVIDIA ULP GeForce GPU graphics card. It also has a 3in touchpad wireless controller, with eight buttons, two analog sticks, a d-pad, and a system button attached to it.

With an introductory price of $99, the Ouya is prepared to enter a world where Sony’s Playstation 3 and Microsoft’s Xbox 360 are the reigning rulers of the console market.

Via an update on Kotaku, the Ouya is now available for pre-order. The console doesn’t have a lot of launch titles announced for it yet, but one big name confirmed for it is a port of Final Fantasy III by Square Enix. Another game in development is a prequel to Human Element, an upcoming zombie game slated for release in PC and Mobile Devices by video game company Robotoki. Namco Bandai is also in negotiations to port some of their existing titles to the Ouya, but not much other info has surfaced so far. Freeware open media player Plex Media Center is also coming to the system.

More information can be read about the Ouya, as well as pre-order info, by visiting the official website, www.ouya.tv. — TJD, GMA News

source: gmanetwork.com

Comparing the Microsoft Xbox 360 Kinect With the Nintendo Wii

Wii Deals

One of the latest updates and releases for video game systems is the ability to play through motion detection. All major video game systems now have motion detection hardware, including the Microsoft Xbox 360 and the Nintendo Wii. If you are looking to purchase a new video game system you need to compare the two different systems with one another. Each has its own pros and cons, so you need to weight what is most important for your needs.

Price

When looking at the Microsoft Xbox 360 and the Nintendo Wii you have to start with the price. This is also the best selling point of the Nintendo Wii, as it is considerably less expensive than the Microsoft Xbox 360. In addition the Nintendo Wii has all the necessary equipment packaged right in the box. This lets you start playing the motion controlled games without any additions. This is not the case of the Microsoft Xbox 360. Not only is the video game system more expensive, but you must also purchase the Xbox 360 Kinect on its own. This adds additional expenses to your video game purchase.

Video Quality

The Microsoft Xbox 360 is a full high-definition video game system. This is not the case with the Nintendo Wii. The Nintendo Wii is standard-definition and does not provide the same video and audio quality of the Microsoft system.

Video Game Selection

The Microsoft Xbox 360 has a larger listing of video games. Although the full list of motion detection games is higher for the Nintendo Wii, you need to take into consideration the entire video game line up, which Microsoft has in spades. However, the Nintendo Wii has more games geared towards children, so if you have young children the Nintendo Wii may be the best system for you.

Gameplay

The gameplay between the Microsoft Xbox 360 Kinect and the Nintendo Wii is slightly different. The Xbox 360 Kinect has a single cable that monitors your motion, but no actual controllers are required as the system reads your movements. The Nintendo Wii, on the other hand, requires you to hold a small sensor. The game sensor detects the movements based on the small relay device placed at the front of the device. Often times, the Nintendo Wii is not as sensitive as the Kinect, as the motion display equipment in the Wii controller may become covered while in use and the docked sensor hooked up to the Wii itself is unable to read the movements. With the Kinect, you just need to make sure, when playing with another individual, you must make sure you don't stand in front of the other person, as it interrupts the Kinect camera's reception.

For more information on games consoles including gameplay or the best Wii deals or XBOX 360 deals, visit Which Console who have extensive experience of the games industry.

Article Source: http://www.ArticleBiz.com