Joystiq http://www.joystiq.com Joystiq http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/http://www.joystiq.com/media/feedlogo.gif Joystiq http://www.joystiq.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[Joystiq interviews Metanet's Mare Sheppard and Raigan Burns]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/09/10/joystiq-interviews-metanets-mare-sheppard-and-raigan-burns/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/09/10/joystiq-interviews-metanets-mare-sheppard-and-raigan-burns/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/09/10/joystiq-interviews-metanets-mare-sheppard-and-raigan-burns/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,


After we played the excellent pre-alpha DS version of N+, we were asked by the game's producer, David Geudelekian, if we wanted to meet Metanet, the creators of the original N. It's sort of a strange feeling, to play a game and then be escorted directly to the people responsible for it, by another person responsible for it. Or, at least, it would have been, had Metanet's Mare Sheppard and Raigan Burns, as well as David, not been so genial. Metanet was at PAX promoting the Xbox Live Arcade N+, which they are developing along with Slick Entertainment.

Metanet's N+ booth, hidden behind Atari's in the corner of the exhibition hall, was as indie as the game, featuring a custom-built 360 display unit accessible only after a series of wall jumps and guarded by automated machine gun turrets; Mare and Raigan took a break from challenging convention-goers to multiplayer N+ (victors got t-shirts) to take part in an impromptu chat about the new multiplatform adaptation of their Independent Games Festival Audience Award-winning Flash game, its platforming influences, and even about their mysterious new game, Robotology. The interview continued via email afterward, when we weren't in one of the world's loudest places.

Continue reading Joystiq interviews Metanet's Mare Sheppard and Raigan Burns

JoystiqJoystiq interviews Metanet's Mare Sheppard and Raigan Burns originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 10 Sep 2007 13:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>DSMacmetanetnpax07PCPSProbotologyXbox-360Mon, 10 Sep 2007 13:59:00 EST<![CDATA[Joystiq interviews FarCry 2's Clint Hocking]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/08/31/joystiq-interviews-farcry-2s-clint-hocking/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/08/31/joystiq-interviews-farcry-2s-clint-hocking/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/08/31/joystiq-interviews-farcry-2s-clint-hocking/#commentsFiled under: , ,


Ubisoft's Clint Hocking made a special trip to PAX this year to show off his latest project: FarCry 2. But this isn't your run-of-the-mill FPS sequel, as our liveblog of the demo details, but an ambitious open-world shooter set in the exotic locale of the African Savannah. We were lucky to grab a couple minutes of Clint's time following the demo for an interview where we asked about the FarCry brand, the possibility of console ports, and how long they think this open-ended game will take to finish.

Why use the FarCry brand to make this game?

Well, I think that's kind of a business question for Ubisoft but my answer to that is, Ubisoft started with FarCry, published it and obviously started making the console games. The same time they were doing that - keep in mind I started conception before FarCry Instincts even shipped. They were in production when I started conception. And Ubisoft knew at that time that they wanted a top tier PC sequel. At the same time they knew about FarCry; at that time Boiling Point was announced; we didn't know about Just Cause; they knew they were going to make at least two sequels on the console; LOST was on TV. Literally they said, "We're worried that we're going to dry up this brand."

Gallery: Far Cry 2

Continue reading Joystiq interviews FarCry 2's Clint Hocking

JoystiqJoystiq interviews FarCry 2's Clint Hocking originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 31 Aug 2007 11:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ClintHockingFarCry2FPSPAX07PCPlayStationUbisoftUbisoft-MontrealUbisoftMontrealXboxFri, 31 Aug 2007 11:05:00 EST<![CDATA[Kohler: GeoWars is better on the Wii, should've been Wii Ware]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/08/28/kohler-geowars-is-better-on-the-wii-shouldve-been-wii-ware/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/08/28/kohler-geowars-is-better-on-the-wii-shouldve-been-wii-ware/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/08/28/kohler-geowars-is-better-on-the-wii-shouldve-been-wii-ware/#commentsFiled under:

Chris Kohler over at Wired took time to check out the Wii game Geometry Wars: Galaxies while at PAX07 and came away with the opinion that it was better than that of its original Xbox Live Arcade game. Even though we're huge Nintendo fans, we can't say we actually believe him, because the dual-analog control scheme of the original is just about perfect. Still, he sticks to his guns.

Not only does he comment that the control setup of the Wii game is more intuitive, he also comments that there isn't any reason why the game couldn't have been a download on Wii Ware. We have to agree, because even though the game is almost guaranteed to be fun, we doubt it'll ever warrant a price tag of more than twenty dollars.

JoystiqKohler: GeoWars is better on the Wii, should've been Wii Ware originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 28 Aug 2007 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ActionArcadeBizarreBizarre-CreationsGeometry-WarsGeometry-Wars-GalaxiesKujuKuju-Entertainmentpax07ShmupSierraTue, 28 Aug 2007 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[PAX 07 hands-on: Insecticide]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/08/28/pax-07-hands-on-insecticide/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/08/28/pax-07-hands-on-insecticide/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/08/28/pax-07-hands-on-insecticide/#commentsFiled under:



I didn't get as much time with Crackpot's Insecticide as I liked, but I got to mess around in both an action stage and the detective mode, at least superficially enough to know how they worked. I can tell you right away that all three Psychonauts owners, as well as LucasArts adventure fans, are going to want this.

The action mode looks and feels just like Psychonauts, with the exception of touch-screen integration, of course, and your character's use of a projectile weapon rather than melee. It's pretty much a standard 3D platformer. The graphics have taken a significant hit compared to the concept art, obviously, but the style of the game (like its neighbor at the Gamecock booth, Dementium) helps cover. The touch-screen control scheme was a little hard to manage, seeming to involve more limbs than a non-arthropod like myself had available. However, I quickly found that I could lock-on to targets with a button, and could therefore avoid the stylus altogether. I fell through platforms a couple of times, but that was actually a pretty common problem for some of the really early versions of games I played at PAX.

Continue reading PAX 07 hands-on: Insecticide

JoystiqPAX 07 hands-on: Insecticide originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 28 Aug 2007 15:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>adventurecrackpotgamecockinsecticidepax07platformerTue, 28 Aug 2007 15:40:00 EST<![CDATA[In Zelda, even walking can be an adventure]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/08/28/in-zelda-even-walking-can-be-an-adventure/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/08/28/in-zelda-even-walking-can-be-an-adventure/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/08/28/in-zelda-even-walking-can-be-an-adventure/#commentsFiled under: ,


We don't have to tell you that a lot of people weren't exactly fans of The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker; Nintendo fans who loved it (and even those who didn't) heard the complaints over and over again. That's made a few people a little wary of the upcoming Phantom Hourglass, and we understand. Really, we do, even if we don't necessarily agree. But from every scrap we've seen from the latest handheld entry in the franchise, it's shaping up to be a real adventure -- which is the biggest complaint about the series as time goes on. We've seen it. We've done it. We've been been heroic through the ages, and though we love every moment spent in Hyrule, sometimes, we crave something a little different. From the looks of things, we're about to get just that, and more.

Our own JC Fletcher spent some time with Phantom Hourglass recently at PAX, and his report is nothing short of glowing. Everything in the game feels fresh and new, and what's more? It's just plain fun. There are all the elements we need for a Zelda game: familiar enemies and tasks, but the smooth stylus-based controls turn the forests and seas of Hyrule into a whole new world. We've been waiting for this one for a long time, but the closer we get to release, the more it seems that it's all been worth it.

We've tucked a video behind the break that offers up a short glimpse of simple navigation that shows off the stylus-based movement, so you can see for yourself. Just watch out for the trees.

Continue reading In Zelda, even walking can be an adventure

JoystiqIn Zelda, even walking can be an adventure originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 28 Aug 2007 12:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>adventureimpressionsLegendofZeldaPAX07PhantomHourglassZeldaTue, 28 Aug 2007 12:20:00 EST<![CDATA[Joystiq interviews Sony about Uncharted at PAX 07]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/08/28/joystiq-interviews-sony-about-uncharted-at-pax-07/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/08/28/joystiq-interviews-sony-about-uncharted-at-pax-07/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/08/28/joystiq-interviews-sony-about-uncharted-at-pax-07/#commentsFiled under:


During last weekend's insanely busy Penny Arcade Expo (PAX), Joystiq was able to get a lengthy interview with the Line Producer for Uncharted, Sam Thompson. They go over technical improvements since E3, Home support and the benefits of SDK 1.80.

The interview is a bit on the long side, but what better way to pass the time while you wait for Warhawk to download?

JoystiqJoystiq interviews Sony about Uncharted at PAX 07 originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 28 Aug 2007 01:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>pax07unchartedTue, 28 Aug 2007 01:45:00 EST<![CDATA[PAX 07: Joystiq interviews Sony's Sam Thompson about Uncharted]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/08/28/pax-07-joystiq-interviews-sonys-sam-thompson-about-uncharted/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/08/28/pax-07-joystiq-interviews-sonys-sam-thompson-about-uncharted/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/08/28/pax-07-joystiq-interviews-sonys-sam-thompson-about-uncharted/#commentsFiled under: , ,

At last weekend's PAX 07, one of the biggest titles Sony was showing was the latest build of Uncharted: Drake's Fortune. We were eager to get our hands on the action platformer to see if any of those problems from E3 had been fixed, but before that we were able to talk to the Line Producer for Uncharted, Sam Thompson about his game. He talks about tweaks and fixes to the game, technical details surrounding development and whether or not they'll be supporting Home. Check out the interview below and come back in a bit for hands-on report as well.

Can you go into the tweaks that have gone into this Uncharted demo since it's showing at E3 last month?

Absolutely, one of the things we did and we looked at very closely at E3 and after the show was the targeting system. And believe it or not the targeting system is still an evolutionary process and probably going to continue until we release the game. And one of the things we are doing to focus on this is bringing in test groups and getting a lot of peoples hands on the game and listening to what they have to say about it. The development team has taken an active roll as well, into kind of tuning the system. A lot of the time, artists won't have time to play the game until they're done with their contribution to the product. But we've really been trying to get everybody's feedback as often as possible because when you're dealing with a game like this it is an evolutionary process and it takes a lot of tuning to get the targeting system to where it needs to be.

The second thing we've done is that we noticed during E3 that there was actually problems with the way the enemies were animating and people were getting a little kind of frustrated. So we decided to change the way the enemies were reacting so there is no invulnerability state when they grab at their knees or flinch after taking damage. At E3, there was a two second window where they wouldn't take any damage, so it gave people the impression that you had to pump 60 bullets into the guy to kill him.

Continue reading PAX 07: Joystiq interviews Sony's Sam Thompson about Uncharted

JoystiqPAX 07: Joystiq interviews Sony's Sam Thompson about Uncharted originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 28 Aug 2007 01:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Naughty-Dogpax07PS3sam-thompsonSCESonySony-Computer-EntertainmentUnchartedUncharted-Drakes-FortuneTue, 28 Aug 2007 01:30:00 EST<![CDATA[PAX 07: Pink Godzilla vs. our money]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/08/27/pax-07-pink-godzilla-vs-our-money/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/08/27/pax-07-pink-godzilla-vs-our-money/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/08/27/pax-07-pink-godzilla-vs-our-money/#commentsFiled under: ,


Retailer Pink Godzilla's presence at PAX was one of the more drool-worthy booths at the show. In addition to piles and piles of Dev Kit kits, PG t-shirts and stickers, the booth was rife was classic and import games and consoles. If you were looking for a copy of Face Training or Doki Doki Majo Shinpan or even Yume Penguin Monogatari at PAX, this was the destination. I personally had a PC Engine Coregrafx in my hand at least twice, desperately battling over whether or not to buy. I totally would have if stuff didn't cost money.

The most impressive (and expensive) items were on display in a glass case, and included things like Toilet Kids, Dracula X and even a sealed Super Metroid ($300). I ran off with a Twin Famicom took a bunch of pictures of the booth, when I wasn't getting trampled.

Gallery: PAX 07: Pink Godzilla

JoystiqPAX 07: Pink Godzilla vs. our money originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 27 Aug 2007 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>devkitpax07pinkgodzillaMon, 27 Aug 2007 18:30:00 EST<![CDATA[PAX 07 hands-on: Dementium: The Ward]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/08/27/pax-07-hands-on-dementium-the-ward/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/08/27/pax-07-hands-on-dementium-the-ward/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/08/27/pax-07-hands-on-dementium-the-ward/#commentsFiled under:


Tiny DS demo stations around Gamecock's Fury booth had demos of Dementium: The Ward available, and I made it a point to try Renegade Kid's horror FPS. The graphics may be simple in terms of polygons, but the game does its best to set a mood, which can be difficult on a handheld!

I was immediately impressed with the framerate. I'm not a frame-counting expert, but the game ran perfectly steadily at what looked like 60 FPS. The simple geometry of the game's environments and enemies is masked by the lighting effects (you can really only see about five feet in front of you without a flashlight) and a dirtying effect around the periphery of the screen, which is normally black but turns red when you take a hit. These work similarly to the noise and fog effects in Silent Hill to create a mood while hiding technical limitations. Taking inspiration from Silent Hill is generally smart, and this isn't the only example of such influence.

Continue reading PAX 07 hands-on: Dementium: The Ward

JoystiqPAX 07 hands-on: Dementium: The Ward originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 27 Aug 2007 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>dementiumfpsgamecockpax07renegadekidMon, 27 Aug 2007 16:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Down down: No Contra 4 at PAX]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/08/27/down-down-no-contra-4-at-pax/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/08/27/down-down-no-contra-4-at-pax/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/08/27/down-down-no-contra-4-at-pax/#commentsFiled under: ,

My PAX expo hall map showed a small Konami booth toward the back of the hall. Just small enough, I thought, for a couple of DS demo stations showing off a certain side-scrolling sequel. I was sure I'd come back a hero, having gotten my hands on Contra 4 for real, and bringing back hyperbolic froth based on real playtime rather than screenshots and video.

You can imagine our disappointment when we saw the actual Konami booth, then. That's it above, occupied by Derrick and Garrett from Mega64. ProTip: it's not Contra 4.

Okay, I'm exaggerating. That's not the whole Konami booth. There was another DDR machine behind it.

JoystiqDown down: No Contra 4 at PAX originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 27 Aug 2007 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ActionContraContra-4ddrkonamipax07Run-and-GunWayForward-TechnologiesMon, 27 Aug 2007 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[PAX 07 Omegathon concludes with Halo 3]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/08/27/pax-07-omegathon-concludes-with-halo-3/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/08/27/pax-07-omegathon-concludes-with-halo-3/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/08/27/pax-07-omegathon-concludes-with-halo-3/#commentsFiled under: ,


The Omegathon has become an annual tradition at PAX, and this year was no different. A gaming challenge that runs the gamut from the old school to tabletop gaming, the Omegathon truly tests the mettle of its participants. Another aspect that has become a tradition is the top secret final round of the Omegathon. Gamers have come to expect challenges of the old school variety, as previous Omegathons concluded with PONG and Combat (ask your parents). This year, however, was different. This year, the final round of the Omegathon was Halo 3. Yeah, you read that right. The top two Omeganauts, Accelon and MNC Dover, competed in new Halo 3 maps (Narrows and Guardian) and were able to test out new weapons and items like the firebomb, flamethrower, and flashbang. Head over to Joystiq for the full rundown.

JoystiqPAX 07 Omegathon concludes with Halo 3 originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 27 Aug 2007 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>343-IndustriesbungieBungie-StudiosbungiestudiosFPShaloHalo-3halo3mgsMicrosoft-Game-Studiosmicrosoftgamestudiospaxpax07Mon, 27 Aug 2007 10:30:00 EST<![CDATA[PAX 07: Namco Museum DS has more options than games]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/08/27/pax-07-namco-museum-ds-has-more-options-than-games/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/08/27/pax-07-namco-museum-ds-has-more-options-than-games/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/08/27/pax-07-namco-museum-ds-has-more-options-than-games/#commentsFiled under:


Poor Namco Museum DS was sitting there in the Bandai Namco booth all alone, while people ignored it in favor of new games. It needed just the right person to come along and play some Dig Dug II.

Dig Dug II is, of course, unchanged, as are all of the games in the collection-- that's kind of the point of Namco Museum (with the exception of the oddball Wii version). However, players have the option to change the method of presentation significantly. You can view the game in the normal DS orientation or turned sideways, with the screen rotated in either direction, depending on how you want to access the controller. You have the option for full-screen or the original aspect ratio in all of these configurations. There's also a softening filter that can be applied to the graphics. With so many options for displaying the games, it's slightly frustrating that there are only eight games in the collection. We want definitive DS versions of Bosconian and Metro Cross and The Legend of Valkyrie!

JoystiqPAX 07: Namco Museum DS has more options than games originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 27 Aug 2007 09:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>arcadenamcomuseumpax07Mon, 27 Aug 2007 09:50:00 EST<![CDATA[Girls deliver awkward PSP experience at PAX]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/08/27/girls-deliver-awkward-psp-experience-at-pax/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/08/27/girls-deliver-awkward-psp-experience-at-pax/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/08/27/girls-deliver-awkward-psp-experience-at-pax/#commentsFiled under:


Having people get hands-on time with the upcoming PSP-2000 makes a lot of sense to us. But, according to Joystiq, the experience at PAX was a little uncomfortable. The Sony booth girls (who look a lot like PSP-tan) had systems tethered to them. However, for better or for worse, the systems were tucked away in a sensitive area (see picture, above).

Joystiq added that "the cables weren't very long" and provided "awkward situations where you all up in their personal space and playing with something right next to the front of their pants." Hot?

JoystiqGirls deliver awkward PSP experience at PAX originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 27 Aug 2007 09:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>pax07psppspliteMon, 27 Aug 2007 09:10:00 EST<![CDATA[PAX 07: Exhibition hall gallery]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/08/27/pax-07-exhibition-hall-gallery/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/08/27/pax-07-exhibition-hall-gallery/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/08/27/pax-07-exhibition-hall-gallery/#commentsFiled under: ,


The Penny Arcade Expo was bigger than ever this year -- more people, more bands, more special guests, and way more companies showing off videogames on the show floor. Major companies like Sony, Microsoft, Nintendo, Atari and Sierra were all on hand showing off their newest titles. So, of course, we took a ton of photos from the show floor showcasing all the cool stuff that was being shown, so check out our huge gallery below!

Gallery: PAX 07: Exhibition hall

JoystiqPAX 07: Exhibition hall gallery originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 27 Aug 2007 03:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>exhibitionhallpax07Mon, 27 Aug 2007 03:15:00 EST<![CDATA[PAX 07 rock-on: Jam Sessions]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/08/27/pax-07-rock-on-jam-sessions/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/08/27/pax-07-rock-on-jam-sessions/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/08/27/pax-07-rock-on-jam-sessions/#commentsFiled under: , ,


When a friend alerted me that Ubisoft was demonstrating Jam Sessions near one of the lounge areas at PAX, I got over there ASAP. Jam Sessions has been one of my most anticipated DS games, and it's not even a game. In fact, it was one of the games I was really hoping to see at the show, because I am crazy about DS weirdness. I found a stage, upon (or near) which an Evil Avatar writer was strumming away, accompanied by an Ubisoft employee on bass and some guy who just showed up with a harmonica. The DS was running through a Fender amp, and sounded great. The greatest consideration for any musical instrument is how it sounds, and Jam Sessions is nearly indistinguishable from a real guitar. The guy playing had skill, as well, meaning that all in the handheld lounge were being treated to some very lovely improvised music. Until I took my turn, that is.

Continue reading PAX 07 rock-on: Jam Sessions

JoystiqPAX 07 rock-on: Jam Sessions originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 27 Aug 2007 02:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>DSguitarjamsessionspax07ubisoftMon, 27 Aug 2007 02:20:00 EST<![CDATA[PAX 07: The Penny Arcade Panel II: Panel Harder]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/08/27/pax-07-the-penny-arcade-panel-ii-panel-harder/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/08/27/pax-07-the-penny-arcade-panel-ii-panel-harder/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/08/27/pax-07-the-penny-arcade-panel-ii-panel-harder/#commentsFiled under:


Because there was so much to do at PAX that some fans may have missed their chance to pose questions, Mike and Jerry held a second panel. By the time they came out (to strobe lights and "Hustlin'"), there was already a massive line of inquisitive attendees. No Bolls this time, so the mood was much more celebratory and less terrifyingly unstable.

The highlight of the show was when a fan presented Mike and Jerry with hand made hats in the shape of the head of the Fruit ... Interactor-with, which both wore proudly (of course the picture didn't come out-- how dare they have an event in a dark room with bright lights directly on them.)

Is it rude to print their responses to the question "What was the worst thing you ever did?" I guess not, since they revealed it in front of a throng. Mike, at age 8 or 9, snared his cat with a rope. He turned to his mother in the audience to ask if she knew about that-- she didn't, to which Mike responded "Great." Jerry couldn't think of any particularly horrible things he'd done, so Mike regaled us with the tale of Jerry finding, and biting into, a beetle in his chai tea, and continuing to drink the tea.

JoystiqPAX 07: The Penny Arcade Panel II: Panel Harder originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 27 Aug 2007 00:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>pax07pennyarcadeMon, 27 Aug 2007 00:30:00 EST<![CDATA[PAX 07: Attendees play the Feud]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/08/26/pax-07-attendees-play-the-feud/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/08/26/pax-07-attendees-play-the-feud/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/08/26/pax-07-attendees-play-the-feud/#commentsFiled under:


The PAX Family Feud game, I can safely say, was the greatest game of Family Feud in the history of the known universe, including unknown Feuds taking place in distant galaxies between gaseous superbeings. No hyperbole. Why? Because it was about video games, of course! Also, host Alon Waisman was infinitely dissimilar from Louie Anderson.

The game took place over five rounds, with the teams getting mixed up between rounds. All of the answers were based on a survey given to PAX attendees, which, yes, did mean that incorrect or patently insane answers could be popular enough to make the list.

The first round was between Team Shyguys, made up of Quicksnap, Lynx, Ken Swanson, and Nobu, and Applez, comprising Gray, Mark, Chris, and Marie TJ, and had teams guessing survey responses to the question "Name a female game character." Team Shyguys took that round, although everyone onstage failed in my eyes for naming Lara Croft and Kairi from Kingdom Hearts before Ms. Pac-Man.

Continue reading PAX 07: Attendees play the Feud

JoystiqPAX 07: Attendees play the Feud originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 26 Aug 2007 23:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>familyfeudpax07Sun, 26 Aug 2007 23:10:00 EST<![CDATA[PAX 07: The final Omegathon challenge was ... Halo 3]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/08/26/pax-07-the-final-omegathon-challenge-was-halo-3/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/08/26/pax-07-the-final-omegathon-challenge-was-halo-3/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/08/26/pax-07-the-final-omegathon-challenge-was-halo-3/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


PAX just wrapped up in the traditional way, with the final Omegathon challenge -- and this year they broke from the tradition of old-school games by going with Halo 3 as the final game. Gabe and Tycho unveiled the title to an ecstatic crowd, who were expecting something much more along the lines of Donkey Kong. And if that wasn't enough to whip the thousands of geeks into a frothy frenzy -- they also had the Minibosses come out and blast out a quick tune before the last two contestants sat down for their final challenge.

The final Omeganauts, Accelon and MNC Dover, sat down on stage to play a brand new, never-before-seen level populated with never-before-seen weapons -- a slick move that guaranteed that neither player had an unfair advantage. Both players' screens were displayed on massive projectors so that the crowd could get into the action as well, and get into it they did. As each player explored the new level, a huge forest ruin high in the trees, the crowd oohed and aahed at each new weapon and new vista that the players discovered.

Continue reading PAX 07: The final Omegathon challenge was ... Halo 3

JoystiqPAX 07: The final Omegathon challenge was ... Halo 3 originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 26 Aug 2007 22:06:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>halo3omeganautsomegathonPAXpax07Xbox-360Sun, 26 Aug 2007 22:06:00 EST<![CDATA[PAX 07: The World in Conflict party]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/08/26/pax-07-the-world-in-conflict-party/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/08/26/pax-07-the-world-in-conflict-party/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/08/26/pax-07-the-world-in-conflict-party/#commentsFiled under:

Sure, we had a lot of blogging to catch up on, but we couldn't help but stop by Sierra's splashy Word in Conflict party last night if only to play our favorite game: "How Much Do You Bet This All Cost?" Alongside what appeared to be real military vehicles (they're scary looking in Real Life) and Communist propaganda were the requisite "booth" (party?) babes and overpriced drinks. How overpriced? How does upwards of $7 or $8 sound? It's a good thing anyways, we'd have just drank too much, riflebutted a guard, then drove one of those tank-things out of the building and through downtown Seattle.

Gallery: World in Conflict PAX party

JoystiqPAX 07: The World in Conflict party originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 26 Aug 2007 20:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Massive-EntertainmentPAXPAX07SierraSierra-EntertainmentWorld-in-ConflictSun, 26 Aug 2007 20:30:00 EST<![CDATA[PAX 07: Audio from the Wil Wheaton keynote]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/08/26/pax-07-audio-from-the-wil-wheaton-keynote/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/08/26/pax-07-audio-from-the-wil-wheaton-keynote/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/08/26/pax-07-audio-from-the-wil-wheaton-keynote/#commentsFiled under:


We admit it. Our writeup of Wil Wheaton's PAX keynote didn't manage to capture the palpable energy of the crowd. And that's why we're happy to present you with this here audio file which should manage to better communicate the cheers of adulation and camaraderie. But don't go thinking audio is an infallible format! For example, can you hear the audience's fists pumping in the air during the speech's high energy moments? You may be able to feel it, but you can't hear it. So there.

Listen - Wil Wheaton's PAX keynote (.mp3 link)

JoystiqPAX 07: Audio from the Wil Wheaton keynote originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 26 Aug 2007 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>PAXPAX07WilWheatonSun, 26 Aug 2007 19:30:00 EST<![CDATA[PAX 07: A 'retroasis' in the midst of newness]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/08/26/pax-07-a-retroasis-in-the-midst-of-newness/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/08/26/pax-07-a-retroasis-in-the-midst-of-newness/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/08/26/pax-07-a-retroasis-in-the-midst-of-newness/#commentsFiled under: , ,


Feeling pretty exhausted from all of the modern gaming happening on the show floor, I was very pleased to discover the Northwest Classic Games Enthusiasts hidden in a corner room on another floor. They had tons of systems set up in the space, with each TV doing double or triple duty. When I went in, there was a game of SNES Street Fighter II Turbo going next to GoldenEye and Vectrex Rip-Off.

Happy to sit for a moment in what I consider my element (old junk) I took a turn at Rip-Off, promptly lost, and got right back up again. I checked out the display table, and tried to buy the display copy of Night Trap off of the NWCGE people. No luck! But, then, isn't not buying Night Trap considered the luckier outcome?

Check out our gallery of the overabundance of classic games that were available for free play.

Gallery: PAX 07: NWCGE

JoystiqPAX 07: A 'retroasis' in the midst of newness originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 26 Aug 2007 06:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>classicgamesnwcgepax07vectrexSun, 26 Aug 2007 06:00:00 EST<![CDATA[PAX 07 hands-on: Fire Emblem: Radiant Dawn]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/08/26/pax-07-hands-on-fire-emblem-radiant-dawn/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/08/26/pax-07-hands-on-fire-emblem-radiant-dawn/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/08/26/pax-07-hands-on-fire-emblem-radiant-dawn/#commentsFiled under: ,

The Wii version of Fire Emblem should be quite familiar to anyone who's played Fire Emblem. The graphics and presentation are basically identical to the Gamecube version. That's not really a complaint-- the semi-cel-shaded style still looks nice. The game doesn't depend on motion controls for anything but cycling through camera views. However, for a turn-based RPG like Fire Emblem, this is a welcome decision.

The demo started me in a town square in the midst of a bandit attack; I took on a group of three or four bandits with swords and magic. Movement is done on a grid, just like before, and attacks zoom into the more cinematic view seen above. After I had taken care of the first bandit, a new character named Leonardo showed up and joined in the fight, allowing me the use of an archer.

People who liked Fire Emblem enough to want another one probably already have their minds made up: this is another one. But people who were afraid that waggle would ruin a strategy RPG have no reason to fear (this time).

JoystiqPAX 07 hands-on: Fire Emblem: Radiant Dawn originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 26 Aug 2007 04:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Fire-EmblemFire-Emblem-Radiant-DawnIntelligent-SystemsNintendopax07RPGStrategyWiiSun, 26 Aug 2007 04:28:00 EST<![CDATA[PAX 07: 1UP Yours podcast still John's]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/08/26/pax-07-1up-yours-podcast-still-johns/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/08/26/pax-07-1up-yours-podcast-still-johns/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/08/26/pax-07-1up-yours-podcast-still-johns/#commentsFiled under:


As the special live PAX edition of the 1UP Yours podcast kicked off in front of a densely-packed crowd (hence the distance and over-some-guy's-shoulderness of the picture), the team (including Special Guest Luke Smith, for the classic 1UP Yours lineup) made an announcement that should be comforting for fans of the show.

John Davison may be leaving the 1UP Network, but he won't be leaving the his most publicly visible task as a member of the team: the podcast. After he makes the big move (he says his new office is "a block away"), he'll continue to appear as normal on the 1UP Yours podcast. Bless his commitment to giving people things to listen to idly during work.

Tonight's podcast isn't online yet, obviously, but look for it within a few days.

JoystiqPAX 07: 1UP Yours podcast still John's originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 26 Aug 2007 03:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>1up1upyoursjohndavisonpax07podcastsSun, 26 Aug 2007 03:01:00 EST<![CDATA[PAX 07: Objection!! Cosplay is awesome]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/08/26/pax-07-objection-cosplay-is-awesome/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/08/26/pax-07-objection-cosplay-is-awesome/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/08/26/pax-07-objection-cosplay-is-awesome/#commentsFiled under: , ,


PAX 07 has already shown to be a place where the costumes come out in full force, but few have been as awesome as this fellow's Phoenix Wright cosplay. Not only do you get an almost pixel perfect blue suit, you get the stylized slicked back hair and even a word balloon-on-a-stick with Wright's famous catchphrase. If they ever turn the DS game into a movie, they desperately need to hire this guy to play the titular lawyer. Objection -- over-ruled.

JoystiqPAX 07: Objection!! Cosplay is awesome originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 26 Aug 2007 01:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>cosplayDSpax07phoenixwrightSun, 26 Aug 2007 01:15:00 EST<![CDATA[PAX 07 hands-on: Indy 500 Legends (Wii, DS), Homie Rollerz, WordJong (DS)]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/08/25/pax-07-hands-on-indy-500-legends-wii-ds-homie-rollerz-word/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/08/25/pax-07-hands-on-indy-500-legends-wii-ds-homie-rollerz-word/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/08/25/pax-07-hands-on-indy-500-legends-wii-ds-homie-rollerz-word/#commentsFiled under: ,


Destineer had a bunch of new stuff on display for the Wii and DS. Indianapolis 500 Legends (Wii) was a racing game with an impressive historical bent. The game starts you in 1961, with each subsequent year to 1971 representing a new difficulty level, and presents (in addition to the full Indy 500) mission objectives based on actual races, organized by driver. Each year has three drivers, and each driver has at least three missions, for about 100 different missions, involving tasks like passing a rival or surviving a crash scenario. The track was modeled on the real Indianapolis Speedway and changes by year to match the authentic appearance at the time; almost every car's engine noise is recorded from that actual model. It's an incredible effort for what turns out to be a not-spectacular-looking Wii racing game with extremely touchy motion-based steering. I kind of got used to it, but we still felt like I was fighting the controls most of the time. The tire-changing pit-stop minigame was fun, though!

The game fared quite a bit better on the DS, though-- graphics that were disappointing on the Wii looked much better on the DS, and the game contains the same drivers, missions, and structure. The stylus-based steering works much better in my opinion than waggle. I don't know how interested in historical racing games on the DS you are (I'm usually not very) but I enjoyed my five minutes with it, at least.

Continue reading PAX 07 hands-on: Indy 500 Legends (Wii, DS), Homie Rollerz, WordJong (DS)

JoystiqPAX 07 hands-on: Indy 500 Legends (Wii, DS), Homie Rollerz, WordJong (DS) originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 25 Aug 2007 23:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>destineerDSfullmetalalchemistharvestintheheartlandhomierollerzindianapolis500legendsPAXPAX07WiiwordjongSat, 25 Aug 2007 23:30:00 EST<![CDATA[PAX 07: Our very own Penny Arcade Adventures trailer]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/08/25/pax-07-my-very-own-penny-arcade-adventures-trailer/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/08/25/pax-07-my-very-own-penny-arcade-adventures-trailer/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/08/25/pax-07-my-very-own-penny-arcade-adventures-trailer/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


It's Interactive Day for Joystiq's PAX coverage! First we got to assist in the creation of a Sam & Max scene, and now we made a dude in the Penny Arcade game trailer bald!

The Hothead booth at PAX had a demo of the character creation system in On the Rain-Slick Precipice of Darkness. After we finished our character editing, the demo presented a video from the game with our character in the lead role. It then offered to email us the video, which means we get to share it with all of you! Enjoy the video, starring a guy who looks not that much like any of us!

JoystiqPAX 07: Our very own Penny Arcade Adventures trailer originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 25 Aug 2007 22:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>charactercreatorhotheadMacPAXpax07PCpennyarcadeadventuresSat, 25 Aug 2007 22:15:00 EST<![CDATA[PAX 07: Penny Arcade Adventures coming to XBLA]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/08/25/pax-07-penny-arcade-adventures-coming-to-xbla/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/08/25/pax-07-penny-arcade-adventures-coming-to-xbla/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/08/25/pax-07-penny-arcade-adventures-coming-to-xbla/#commentsFiled under: , ,


At the Penny Arcade game panel today at PAX, they've just confirmed that Penny Arcade Adventures: On the Rain-Slick Precipice of Darkness - the first installment of their episodic series - will "debut" on Xbox Live Arcade in 2008. That's in addition to the already announced PC, Mac OS X, and Linux platforms. It's unclear if the game is console exclusive to the XBLA platform or if other console ports are in the works.

This is the first digitally distributed episodic title to be announced for a home console download service. Telltale is working on Xbox 360 and Wii ports of Sam & Max, but it's unclear if the title will be distributed as a full season retail product or as individual releases through Xbox Live Arcade and Wii Ware respectively. You can check out the game's recently launched site here.

Gallery: Penny Arcade Adventures

JoystiqPAX 07: Penny Arcade Adventures coming to XBLA originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 25 Aug 2007 21:07:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>BreakingNewsHotheadMacPAXPAX07PCPennyArcadeAdventuresXBLAXbox-360Sat, 25 Aug 2007 21:07:00 EST<![CDATA[PAX 07 hands-on: Dragon Blade: Wrath of Fire]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/08/25/pax-07-hands-on-dragon-blade-wrath-of-fire/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/08/25/pax-07-hands-on-dragon-blade-wrath-of-fire/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/08/25/pax-07-hands-on-dragon-blade-wrath-of-fire/#commentsFiled under: , ,


D3's Dragon Blade makes a very good attempt at representative motion for a sword-based Wii game. It's not 1-to-1, of course, but at least the canned attack animations are mapped to reasonable motions. For example, swinging the Wiimote to the right slashes to the right, instead of executing some spin attack or opening the menu. Having a logical basis for the control scheme makes it very simple to know what's going on when you get into a frantic battle against some, I don't know, evil dogs or whatever they were. The attacks themselves form rhythmic three-attack combos, exactly like those found in Phantasy Star Online.

The Wii graphics were nice, but nothing special, with the exception of the dragon-power effects. The hero gains abilities as he finds pieces of the Dragon Blade, and is able to activate those abilities with the D-pad, controlling them with the Wiimote. These effects fill the screen with huge flaming hands (or whatever the part may be), and they are stylistically very nice. The dragon hands allow you to attack with two giant fire hands, each controlled by one of the Wii controllers. I actually really wished I could have done this the whole time. It's nice-- and surprising-- to see an original action game for the Wii, and, based on my time with it, Dragon Blade could be something of a sleeper when it releases this September.

JoystiqPAX 07 hands-on: Dragon Blade: Wrath of Fire originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 25 Aug 2007 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>actiond3dragonbladePAXpax07WiiSat, 25 Aug 2007 21:00:00 EST<![CDATA[PAX 07: The Sam & Max panel (we made a scene!)]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/08/25/pax-07-the-sam-and-max-panel-we-made-a-scene/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/08/25/pax-07-the-sam-and-max-panel-we-made-a-scene/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/08/25/pax-07-the-sam-and-max-panel-we-made-a-scene/#commentsFiled under: ,


Despite being told we'd be creating an episode, it turns out games (even episodic ones!) take a little longer than an hour (but just barely we imagine). Improv comedy style, they take suggestions from the crowd for events in the game. First, a favorite fruit? Pomegrenates we yell out. A vacation destination? Someone yells "North Pole." A new career for Sybil? "Taxidermist" two blurt out over each other. The writing process has begun.

Sam: Hiya Sybil!
Max: What's your story lady?
Sybil: I'm an orthopedic surgeon, baby!
Sam: Holy heavenly horse radish in a Houston whorehouse!
Max: Who cares, I'm running for re-election!
Sam: More importantly we need a pastrami on rye to save the world!
Sybil: Why do you think I have a pastrami on rye sandwich?
Max: Orthopedic surgeons always have pastrami on rye sandwiches!
Sam: They use them for lubrication!
Max: It's science, Sybil.
Sybil: The problem with science is you can't prove it. Also I need condiments.
Sam: To Bosco's little buddy!

Continue reading PAX 07: The Sam & Max panel (we made a scene!)

JoystiqPAX 07: The Sam & Max panel (we made a scene!) originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 25 Aug 2007 19:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>EpisodicPAXPAX07PCSamandMaxTelltaleSat, 25 Aug 2007 19:45:00 EST<![CDATA[PAX 07 hands-on: Metroid Prime 3]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/08/25/pax-07-hands-on-metroid-prime-3/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/08/25/pax-07-hands-on-metroid-prime-3/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/08/25/pax-07-hands-on-metroid-prime-3/#commentsFiled under: , ,


I spent a few delightful minutes at the Nintendo booth playing Metroid Prime 3: Corruption, and displaying my poor sense of direction to a crowd of onlookers. I got just enough playtime to test out the controls (I didn't need to beat the game or anything!) I can safely say that after about five seconds of fantastically awkward movement, I felt not only comfortable playing the game, but, like with Zelda: Phantom Hourglass, I was enjoying just messing around.

The controls are exactly the same in normal or expert mode, with the exception of Wiimote sensitivity. Expert mode is way more sensitive, and requires much subtler movements. It also enables quicker motion. Looking around and turning with the Wiimote was awkward at first, but it immediately clicked and I was ready to run and jump around. Shooting, of course, is mapped to A, and jumping to B, so there was no problem there. Z on the Nunchuk locks on, and C activates the morph ball. Down on the D-pad shoots missiles. All of these worked well and intuitively. The only exception is scanning: I never quite got it, but it basically involved holding Z, moving the Wiimote to point at an area in the corner of the screen, then holding Z again. It's the only part that I can honestly say takes getting used to.

The best part of the controls is easily the grapple beam, which involves targeting a grapple point and making a lasso motion with the Nunchuk, then pulling back. Once I started doing that unconsciously, I felt pretty cool (I wasn't.) It seems that Nintendo has finally found a "hardcore" equivalent to Wii Sports: if not in popularity, at least in deriving actual enjoyment from the basic control scheme.

Oh, and, in case you were wondering, the game looks hot, especially on those big fancy screens Nintendo was using at their demo stations. We should all get some of those.

JoystiqPAX 07 hands-on: Metroid Prime 3 originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 25 Aug 2007 17:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>metroidmetroidprime3pax07WiiSat, 25 Aug 2007 17:10:00 EST<![CDATA[PAX 07: Penny Arcade Adventures developers panel]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/08/25/pax-07-penny-arcade-adventures-developers-panel/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/08/25/pax-07-penny-arcade-adventures-developers-panel/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/08/25/pax-07-penny-arcade-adventures-developers-panel/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


We went to the Press only Hothead Games Q&A for their upcoming PC (Windows, Mac and Linux) game for Penny Arcade, On the Rain-Slick Precipice of Darkness: Episode One. It opened up with a new trailer that built upon the previous one, that has taken huge steps in capturing the Penny Arcade look, in both the 2D and 3D realm. As they start showing the same demo on the show floor today, the trailer and gameplay footage will more than likely be hitting the intertubes soon so you can form your own opinions in the the progress of the art direction. After the trailer played the fired up their build of the game and started a new campaign. Full details on the demo and information from after the Q&A session can be found after the break.

Continue reading PAX 07: Penny Arcade Adventures developers panel

JoystiqPAX 07: Penny Arcade Adventures developers panel originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 25 Aug 2007 14:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>HotheadhotheadgamesMacontherainslickprecipiceofdarknesspax07PCpennyarcadeadventuresSat, 25 Aug 2007 14:45:00 EST<![CDATA[Wii Warm Up: Table Tennis falls flat]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/08/25/wii-warm-up-table-tennis-falls-flat/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/08/25/wii-warm-up-table-tennis-falls-flat/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/08/25/wii-warm-up-table-tennis-falls-flat/#commentsFiled under:


There were some mixed opinions on the look of the port of Rockstar's Table Tennis for the Wii, but it's likely we all hoped for a good game, regardless of looks. Unfortunately, from our own JC Fletcher's impressions at PAX, it looks like we're not even getting that. Instead of something that builds on the smooth controls of a game like Wii Sports, Table Tennis sounds like a nightmare. Like us, were you hoping for something better, or were you expecting a less-than-optimal port experience? Or, just to make sure all bases are covered -- does the complicated control scheme actually seem appealing to you? After all, different gamers prefer different things.

JoystiqWii Warm Up: Table Tennis falls flat originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 25 Aug 2007 10:38:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>impressionsPAX07RockstarsportsTableTennisSat, 25 Aug 2007 10:38:00 EST<![CDATA[PAX 07: The Mega64 panel]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/08/25/pax-07-the-mega64-panel/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/08/25/pax-07-the-mega64-panel/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/08/25/pax-07-the-mega64-panel/#commentsFiled under:


Mega64, purveyors of awkwardly hilarious videos that blend real life and tiny chunks of our favorite games, warned us all at the outset (after a montage of Internet video clips in the vein of Bubb Rubb, followed by a rousing dancing-through-the-crowd-to-2-Unlimited intro) that their panels were disappointing. And then, as if trying to prove the point, they proceeded to spend the next twenty minutes or so battling technical difficulties with video, only to replay the same introductory video when they regained the capability. Also, there were no lights (prompting Mega64's Rocco to remark that this would be a "sexy panel"). They were still wrong. It was not disappointing at all-- we felt perfectly appointed.

During the unexpected void left by video problems, and again at the end of the panel, the guys took questions from the audience, ranging from the hilariously Mega64-nerdy ("How often does the 'we're shooting this for school' excuse work?" Answer: "100% of the time") to the general (Ages of Mega64 performers: 23, 23, 21, 25-- all younger than me, and I have yet to create a hit video on the Internet, much less hold a gathering to discuss them).

When video-playing returned, we were treated to a selection of Mega64 videos, including a new-- and briliiant-- Kuribo's Shoe trip around town, along with favorites like Sexy64 and "I'm Captain Basch from Dalmasca!" We then saw a bizarre video taken years ago in a Barnes & Noble: about five seconds of some guy glaring at the group as they walk through the store in full Wizarding attire. But while that may have been (one of) the Greatest Videos Ever Made, their rejected Jam Sessions ad was the highlight of the show: it featured a homeless character who, after a failed attempt to earn money with a whistle, begins playing a lovely guitar melody in Jam Sessions (which obviously wasn't created with Jam Sessions), attracting two admirers who not only throw their cash and credit cards into his cup, but become so enraptured with the music that they begin undressing and writhing on the ground.

The ESRB rejected the video because it featured a homeless character.

After the break, I've posted a picture of the "tattoo" Rocco gave me at the Mega64 booth.

Continue reading PAX 07: The Mega64 panel

JoystiqPAX 07: The Mega64 panel originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 25 Aug 2007 08:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>mega64pax07Sat, 25 Aug 2007 08:20:00 EST<![CDATA[PAX 07: Cosplay is why we bring cameras to conventions]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/08/25/pax-07-cosplay-is-why-we-bring-cameras-to-conventions/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/08/25/pax-07-cosplay-is-why-we-bring-cameras-to-conventions/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/08/25/pax-07-cosplay-is-why-we-bring-cameras-to-conventions/#commentsFiled under:


This Peach cosplayer manages to look pretty elegant in the dress despite the backwards cap and dudeness. Seriously, I wanted to laugh at first, but-- at least within the context of PAX-- he's kind of pulling it off! I look a lot more awkward in this (and every) picture, and I'm totally wearing pants. Props to Casey the Peach cosplayer, and we hope he made it through the day without developing an aversion to cameras.

After the break is an impressive Link cosplayer dressed for the icy depths of PAX Under the Sea.

[Update: corrected Casey's name. Sorry-- I ran into too many Mikes, I think.]

Continue reading PAX 07: Cosplay is why we bring cameras to conventions

JoystiqPAX 07: Cosplay is why we bring cameras to conventions originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 25 Aug 2007 06:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>cosplaylinkpax07peachSat, 25 Aug 2007 06:50:00 EST<![CDATA[PAX 07 hands-on: Zelda PH will make you love Zelda, life again]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/08/25/pax-07-hands-on-zelda-ph-will-make-you-love-zelda-life-again/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/08/25/pax-07-hands-on-zelda-ph-will-make-you-love-zelda-life-again/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/08/25/pax-07-hands-on-zelda-ph-will-make-you-love-zelda-life-again/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


As a DS fanboy (even before-- well, you know), as soon as I saw The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass at Nintendo's PAX booth, I was there. And I was not at all disappointed. In fact, despite having already read lots of gushing about the game, I found myself completely sucked in by even the most basic tasks. My impressions agree totally with the E3 impressions-- however, these are PAX impressions, which are a completely different thing.

The demo starts you out in a port town, unarmed, with a directive from your fairy friend to go talk to your grandpa. After a visit to Grandpa, you head out to a monster-infested area, then your general jaunt around town (Go talk to this character! Go try to cross this bridge! Oh, the bridge has collapsed! We should talk to Grandpa! etc.) The demo spent just enough time not giving you the sword that I was starting to get a little antsy; however, one final visit to Grandpa got me my weapon, and he then went about teaching me how to use it.

It's as simple as can be: tap enemies to attack, draw a line to do a sideways slash, draw a circle to do a spin move. With this equipment and knowledge, I was allowed into the northern part of the town to fight some ChuChus as I made my way into a cave and some puzzles. The first puzzle asked me to write on a sign the number of palm trees on the beach (spoiler: 7) before I was allowed access into the next room. The rest of the rooms followed a similar pattern: a few enemies, a few puzzles that involved doing things in the right order, and key-collecting. Very Zelda.

But, as standardly Zelda as it sounds, I must stress this fact-- I can't remember the last time I had so much fun just making a character walk in a game. Directing Link around with the stylus is a lot like movement in Animal Crossing, but faster; it turns out, the speed makes all the difference. Simple activities like pushing and pulling blocks and doing basic attacks are not only novel, but are enjoyable independent of their novelty. And while the controls aren't based on simulating real motions as they tend to be in Twilight Princess (because swinging a sword is rarely like drawing a line), they are much more intuitive and much more natural. If you've become tired of the Zelda formula, or if you just like action-adventure games, or games, consider Zelda: Phantom Hourglass. It manages to be instantly familiar as Zelda while being startlingly fresh.

JoystiqPAX 07 hands-on: Zelda PH will make you love Zelda, life again originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 25 Aug 2007 05:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>DSpax07phantomhourglasszeldaSat, 25 Aug 2007 05:15:00 EST<![CDATA[PAX 07 hands-on: N+ (DS)]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/08/25/pax-07-hands-on-n-ds/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/08/25/pax-07-hands-on-n-ds/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/08/25/pax-07-hands-on-n-ds/#commentsFiled under:


I was lucky enough to meet with producer David Geudelekian and get a quick run-through of a pre-alpha build of Atari's N+ for the DS, and it's-- well, let's say it's "pre-awesome." It will be awesome. Real platformers on any system are basically a Godsend, and this one is pure platforming.

The game is basically N, on the DS, with new levels. That's really all it needs to be -- there are no Touch!! minigames or training exercises. David told me that the physics were all in place with the exception of the ragdoll explosions, but when I died (a bunch of times) I fell into a pile of limbs just fine.

Continue reading PAX 07 hands-on: N+ (DS)

JoystiqPAX 07 hands-on: N+ (DS) originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 25 Aug 2007 04:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>atariDSmetanetnpax07Sat, 25 Aug 2007 04:15:00 EST<![CDATA[PAX 07: Uwe Boll's guest appearance on video]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/08/25/pax-07-uwe-bolls-guest-appearance-on-video/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/08/25/pax-07-uwe-bolls-guest-appearance-on-video/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/08/25/pax-07-uwe-bolls-guest-appearance-on-video/#commentsFiled under:


Don't say the guys at Penny Arcade don't love you. With a large auditorium full of fans, they really wanted to give everyone something special, something we'd all remember for a long time. So they invited a special guest. Apparently good buddy Jack Thompson wasn't available, so they opted for Public Enemy #2: "filmmaker" Uwe Boll.

First, we'd like to personally congratulate Uwe for climbing on stage in front of hundreds of people who ... dislike his films to present his side of the story. Sure, a lot of folks got right up and walked out (not unlike seeing his films in theaters!) and the clips he showed off didn't elicit an overwhelmingly positive fan reaction ... but we're still proud of Uwe for sticking to his clichéd guns without resorting to fisticuffs.

JoystiqPAX 07: Uwe Boll's guest appearance on video originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 25 Aug 2007 00:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>PAXPAX07UweBollSat, 25 Aug 2007 00:30:00 EST<![CDATA[PAX 07: Sony tethers PSP Slims to cute girls, awkwardness ensues]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/08/24/pax-07-sony-tethers-psp-slims-to-cute-girls-awkwardness-ensue/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/08/24/pax-07-sony-tethers-psp-slims-to-cute-girls-awkwardness-ensue/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/08/24/pax-07-sony-tethers-psp-slims-to-cute-girls-awkwardness-ensue/#commentsFiled under: , ,


In a surprise move, Sony decided to display the new PSP Slim at the Penny Arcade Expo this weekend after all, letting excited fans get their grubby little hands on the new hardware right now. They were clearly extremely worried about the security issues though, because each PSP Slim was tethered to the pants of a Sony booth babe -- and the cables weren't very long.

This led to some kind of awkward situations where you all up in their personal space and playing with something right next to the front of their pants. Needless to say, Star Wars: Battlefront turned out to be incredibly difficult to play.

Gallery: PAX07 - PSP Slim girls

JoystiqPAX 07: Sony tethers PSP Slims to cute girls, awkwardness ensues originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 24 Aug 2007 23:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>boothbabesPAX07PSPpspslimFri, 24 Aug 2007 23:30:00 EST<![CDATA[PAX 07: The Penny Arcade panel]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/08/24/pax-07-the-penny-arcade-panel/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/08/24/pax-07-the-penny-arcade-panel/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/08/24/pax-07-the-penny-arcade-panel/#commentsFiled under:


Just like last year, the duo enter the stage to "Hustlin'" which, we much admit, is pretty pimp. (Is that right, is that how you say it?). This is Q&A style, where fans ask wacky questions and the pair respond with witty ripostes. We'll spare you a blow-by-blow here, and just limit our writeup to the good stuff (which is really in the air, it's difficult to capture in a bottle). They discuss the fascinating Halo 3 testing process recently covered in Wired; what's better Guitar Hero 1 or Guitar Hero 2; and whether or not Jerry is a fan of professional wrestling.

Is Jerry interested in writing a book? "No, I am super, super lazy."

Is there hope for the future of downloadable content and who do you think will lead the way? No, he's not talking about the podcast. They're of a mind that as long as we stop buying horse armor, they'll stop making it. Will Rock Band kill off Guitar Hero completely? Do they save or harvest Little Sisters? Mike saves 'em (he says "it's worth it") while Jerry kills 'em. He's up to twelve. "They're not little girls anymore." Are they working on an animated series? Basically, the animated scenes in the game are their animated series.

A fangirl request: Jerry sings an a capella rendition of My Belruel while the crowd waves their various portable handhelds in the nerd equivalent of lighters. Touching, to be sure.

Continue reading PAX 07: The Penny Arcade panel

JoystiqPAX 07: The Penny Arcade panel originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 24 Aug 2007 22:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>PAXPAX07Fri, 24 Aug 2007 22:20:00 EST<![CDATA[PAX 07 hands-on: Wii Table Tennis controls are insane]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/08/24/pax-07-hands-on-wii-table-tennis-controls-are-insane/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/08/24/pax-07-hands-on-wii-table-tennis-controls-are-insane/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/08/24/pax-07-hands-on-wii-table-tennis-controls-are-insane/#commentsFiled under:


The first thing I ran into today in the PAX exhibition hall was Rockstar's just-revealed Table Tennis port for the Wii. The graphics, while obviously better than a photo taken of a TV screen would portray, are high-end PS2. That's a pretty familiar statement for a Wii game.

Here's something that's a little uncommon for a Wii game: the controls are way too complicated. There are three different control schemes (full control scheme explanations straight from the game after the break), and they varied in complexity, from Wii Sports-esque to dubbayou-tee-eff. At no point during my short time with the game did I ever feel like I had control over my character.

The standard control scheme requires players to hit A and then motion to serve, with subsequent swings done via familiar Wiimote motions. Spin, indicated by ball color, is done by holding a direction on the D-pad. The complexity comes from what felt like a significant lag between input and action. That's fine for NES Castlevania, but not for something that feigns 1-to-1 motion.

The other two control schemes assign either player movement or ball positioning to the Nunchuk's joystick, and to make a long story short, I didn't know what was going on, and the game made no indication that it knew what I was doing. Maybe with time, I could pick up the nuanced controls, but at this point I can't tell if they're nuanced or nonresponsive.

Continue reading PAX 07 hands-on: Wii Table Tennis controls are insane

JoystiqPAX 07 hands-on: Wii Table Tennis controls are insane originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 24 Aug 2007 21:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>pax07rockstartabletenniswiiFri, 24 Aug 2007 21:45:00 EST