Joystiq http://www.joystiq.com Joystiq http://www.joystiq.com/media/feedlogo.gif Joystiq http://www.joystiq.com en-us Copyright 2008 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/Myst + iPhone = iMyst, cue iGag over iNaming iSchemehttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/22/myst-iphone-imyst-cue-igag-over-inaming-ischeme/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/22/myst-iphone-imyst-cue-igag-over-inaming-ischeme/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/22/myst-iphone-imyst-cue-igag-over-inaming-ischeme/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,


Oh Myst, whatever happened to you? We loved you when you were original, and we loved you even more when Riven came out. Then we were rudely slapped in the face when the game left Cyan and Ubisoft released Myst III: Exile and later Myst IV: Ages of Revelation. We tried to be chipper when you went back to Cyan and Myst V: End of Ages came out, but honestly too much water had passed under the bridge. Maybe because of the Uru: Ages Beyond Myst / Myst Online: Uru Live debacle.

But... what's this? You're coming to the iPhone? And you're being developed by Cyan? Well, glory be. However, you promised as a PSP version, and we're still waiting on that. It came out in Europe in 2006, so what gives? We know your DS version came out recently, but it is not being universally loved.

We know you might be too busy and Hollywood now, with your movie deal and iPhone announcement. But, we're still smarting from our past experiences. We'll give you another chance, but you'll need to hurry along while we're still smitten with the iPhone. And please, don't call it iMyst. Myst will do just fine. You wouldn't want us to get Pyst all over again.

[Update: We just heard from one of the gents working on the game (Yeah, that's the kind of pull we have) and they tell us "I'm pretty darn sure we're only calling it iMyst internally as a goofy moniker. I really doubt you've got anything to worry about with regards to rebranding of the game. Who knows, maybe if it does well, other Cyan games will follow." Good news all around!]

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]]>AppleCyaniMystiPhoneMystRand-MillerRetroKevin Kelly2008-08-22T20:00:00+00:00Mega Man 9 getting intentional bugs, flickerhttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/05/mega-man-9-getting-intentional-bugs-flicker/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/05/mega-man-9-getting-intentional-bugs-flicker/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/05/mega-man-9-getting-intentional-bugs-flicker/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,


Capcom's going out of its way to make sure its deliciously stale Mega Man 9 offers a true 8-bit experience, bugs and all. The company's Hironobu Takeshita recently told Gamasutra that the download will have the look and feel of a NES-era release, and that things such as sprite flicker have even been included as a -- thankfully optional -- feature.

"Yeah, there were some things, like you couldn't have more than three enemies on the screen at once, so we had to make sure that that's how it stayed in our game. In the part with the dragon with the flame, [there should be] flickering, and whatnot," noted the game's producer. "In the options of this game, you can adjust that, unlike the old games. We purposely put some of those old-school bugs into this game, so it does recreate that feel." Now, if only Capcom could emulate blowing into the cartridge we'd be in retro heaven.

Gallery: Mega Man 9 (WiiWare, PSN, XBLA)

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]]>bugscapcomflickermega-man-9megamanplatformingretroJason Dobson2008-08-05T00:30:00+00:00Joystiq Exclusive: a sneak peek at the upcoming i am 8 bit showhttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/31/joystiq-exclusive-a-sneak-peek-at-the-upcoming-i-am-8-bit-show/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/31/joystiq-exclusive-a-sneak-peek-at-the-upcoming-i-am-8-bit-show/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/31/joystiq-exclusive-a-sneak-peek-at-the-upcoming-i-am-8-bit-show/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


We've been able to pry some exclusive images out of the i am 8 bit showrunners -- here they are in gallery-tastic form, just for you. As a wallpaper-friendly reminder, be sure to click the "Hi Res" button in the upper right corner to get some enormo versions of the art. It's the best way to have a technicolor Samus gracing your desktop.

The new gallery show will open on August 14th in Los Angeles, and will run through September 7th. If you can't make it West, don't worry ... Joystiq will have you covered. Check back on the evening of the 14th for a plethora of photos from the show. That is, if we haven't hocked our laptops to buy this Dig Dug meets Animal Crossing piece.

Gallery: i am 8-bit: 2008

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]]>8-bitartworkdig-dugdonkey-konggallerygamingi-am-8-bitlos-angelesretrosamusKevin Kelly2008-07-31T15:20:00+00:00Doctor Who wants to time warp, play retro gameshttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/30/doctor-who-wants-to-time-warp-play-retro-games/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/30/doctor-who-wants-to-time-warp-play-retro-games/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/30/doctor-who-wants-to-time-warp-play-retro-games/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


Most of us have probably dabbled around with a Multiple Arcade Machine Emulator before, but have you ever crammed one into a TARDIS? Those things are supposed to be bigger on the inside than the outside. Anyhow, one man decided that having a dedicated stand-up gaming cabinet wasn't enough, so he built this pillar of geek awesomeness.

Check out the two different sections, one on the building of the iconic blue Police Box, and the other on the console. He even had the 7th doctor, Sylvester McCoy, autograph the thing. Is it still a sin to covet thy neighbor's sci-fi gaming cabinet? If so, mark us down in the "sinner" category.

[Thanks, Douglas!]

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]]>arcadecabinetDoctor-WhoemulatorMAMEold-schoolretroscience-fictionTardistime-travelKevin Kelly2008-07-30T20:15:00+00:00Mega-new Mega Man 9 details, screens, hands-onhttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/03/mega-new-mega-man-9-details-screens-hands-on/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/03/mega-new-mega-man-9-details-screens-hands-on/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/03/mega-new-mega-man-9-details-screens-hands-on/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Beyond some crappy scans and lots of speculation, real info on the WiiWare return of Mega Man has been scant. Well, GamesRadar just opened the flood gates with its exclusive, proper reveal of Mega Man 9, featuring a hands-on by Nintendo editor Brett Elston and an interview with series creator (and MM9 producer) Keiji Inafune.

Elston reports that Mega Man 9 is ... well, it's essentially an NES game - just as difficult as the original 8-bit installments of the famed series. "Mega Man 9 is easily on par or above the hardest games in the series," Elston says, adding: "Hell, we played for two hours and only made it to three bosses, and even then only beat two." Read on after the break for more new info.
GamesRadar's piece mentions new mechanics (such as a shop where players can purchase upgrades) and bosses (including Galaxy Man, Plug Man, Hornet Man, Jewel Man, Magma Man, Concrete Man, Tornado Man, and Splash Woman - yep, woman, the first female boss in the series' history) designed by Inafune himself.

Speaking of the Mega Man master, he's absolutely glowing about the project, telling Elston that it has "awoken [his] spirit as a game designer." In addition to handling boss design, Inafune states that, unlike in years past, he has "stepped closer to the designing team" to "get more hands-on with the graphics and game design."

Inafune still doesn't give GamesRadar the goods on potential XBLA/PSN versions of the game, instead asking a question of his own: "Do the fans want them?" Yes, Inafune-san. Yes we do.

[Thanks, Fernando!]

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]]>8-bitinafunekeiji-inafunemega-manmega-man-9retroside-scrollerwiiwareRandy Nelson2008-07-03T17:30:00+00:00Retro for the road: Portable Atari 7800http://www.joystiq.com/2008/06/20/retro-for-the-road-portable-atari-7800/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/06/20/retro-for-the-road-portable-atari-7800/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/06/20/retro-for-the-road-portable-atari-7800/#commentsFiled under:

Ben Heckendorn, a total techno whiz and contributor to Engadget, has completed his latest custom handheld ... this time cramming an Atari 7800 into something you can carry around with you. (It's no PSP slim, but hey.)

Heck's 7800 portable combines a 7-inch LCD screen with some notable goodies, including video out, rechargeable batteries, and a paddle controller (in addition to the basic D-Pad). As usual, Heck made the thing just to prove he could. His past creations cover a wide variety of gaming "dream tech," including a portable SNES, "PS360" controller, and a Wii "laptop." He's also the brains behind the Access Controller, a commercially available one-handed pad for PS2, PS3, and PC. The fella is crazy creative - give a look-see to his body of work!

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]]>atari7800retroRandy Nelson2008-06-20T07:00:00+00:00Shacknews: Key staff leave Metroid Prime dev Retro Studioshttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/04/23/shacknews-key-staff-leave-metroid-prime-dev-retro-studios/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/04/23/shacknews-key-staff-leave-metroid-prime-dev-retro-studios/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/04/23/shacknews-key-staff-leave-metroid-prime-dev-retro-studios/#commentsFiled under: ,


Shacknews reports that several "key" employees of Austin, Texas-based developer, Retro Studios, have left the company. The studio is best known for its work on the critically acclaimed Metroid Prime trilogy, which concluded in August last year on Nintendo's Wii.

Staff members said to have been escorted off the premises last Friday include design director Mark Pacini, art director Todd Keller and principal technology engineer Jack Matthews. There's no word yet on what their futures entail, but Shacknews notes that Retro Studios is in no danger of closing. Which is just as well, really, since we're in no danger of not wanting more games from them. We'll let you know when we hear more on this subject.

Update: There's some unconfirmed gossip from mysterious dealer in rumors, Surfer Girl, who mentioned that "something definitely went down at Retro" in a post dated Sunday, April 20th. An unnamed individual is quoted in the post as saying, "Pretty much no one at retro would agree to relocate at nintendo's behest, as asinine shenanigans are typically met with little fanfare."

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]]>BreakingNewsMetroidMetroid-PrimeMetroidPrimeRetroRetro-StudiosLudwig Kietzmann2008-04-23T18:52:00+00:00Joystiq hands-on: Space Invaders Extreme (DS/PSP)http://www.joystiq.com/2008/04/15/joystiq-hands-on-space-invaders-extreme-ds-psp/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/04/15/joystiq-hands-on-space-invaders-extreme-ds-psp/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/04/15/joystiq-hands-on-space-invaders-extreme-ds-psp/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , ,


My surprise of the week: Space Invaders Extreme. I played a few rounds at the Nintendo Media Summit since there was no line for the lonely kiosk. (Its PR handlers had even abandoned it, working double-duty at the Crystal Chronicles station across the room.) But as soon as I began tapping the buttons, I was hooked; this update borrows the basic idea of Space Invaders and remixes it into a wild, fast-paced shooter.

Like the classic, enemy ships make formations above you, raining shots down the screen. Otherwise, nearly everything else has been squeezed, twisted, and stretched into a modern game. The transition deserves comparison to our lauded Pac-Man Championship Edition, but I haven't yet decided if its as elegant an update. Regardless, an update is an update, and Space Invaders Extreme betters nearly every other current shooter.

Gallery: Space Invaders Extreme (DS)


The Space Invaders graphics heavily repurposed the retro style, like Mario plumping up into a rampaging, jaggy sprite in The New Super Mario Bros. Certain alien ships closely follow the original shapes, while others take giant, blocky forms, and others have smoother lines. Occasionally, the alien attackers twist into thin lines, as if turning 90° to avoid your shots. The hodgepodge worked to uproot my expectations.

Advancing ships follow several new patterns, but the biggest change rewards players for hitting them in certain orders. Knock-off all of the like-color baddies without missing, and a power-up adds new abilities. My favorite blasted a white beam, about as wide as a standard alien ship, eviscerating an entire column at once.

After clearing certain levels, I launched into one of several "extreme" modes. Once, alien ships replaced the top-screen scoreboard, stretching the game across both LCDs. Other times, they raced and attacked with more fury, from more angles, with more weapons.

I wasn't able to sample it, but the game includes two-cartridge, two-player competitive matches locally or over WiFi. And a WiFi leaderboard lets gamers etch their initials into the online record-book.

Space Invaders Extreme will release on June 17 in North America for DS and PSP. (It launched last year in Japan.) At the bargain price of $20, it should easily be on the short list of arcade-shooter fans.

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]]>nintendo-media-summit-08remakeremixretrospace-invadersspace-invaders-extremespaceinvadersZack Stern2008-04-15T11:00:00+00:00Extremely rare Adventure Vision system up on eBayhttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/01/23/extremely-rare-adventure-vision-system-up-on-ebay/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/01/23/extremely-rare-adventure-vision-system-up-on-ebay/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/01/23/extremely-rare-adventure-vision-system-up-on-ebay/#commentsFiled under: ,


So, you think your classic gaming collection is pretty complete, huh? You think your unopened Vectrex and mint-condition Fairchild Channel F make you a true collector, do ya? Trust us, your collection means nothing unless and until you own your own Entex Adventure Vision.

Released for about two seconds back in 1982 (only about 10,000 were produced), the LED-based tabletop system is currently being sold on eBay complete with all four available games for a "Buy it Now" price of $5500. Amazingly, the auction has been up for nearly three days with no buyers, seemingly showing that people would rather put a down payment on a car than play a monochrome, 150x40 resolution version of Defender. There's no accounting for taste, we suppose ...

[Thanks, Steven R.]

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]]>adventure-visionauctionchannel-FclassiceBayentexmonochromeretrovectrexKyle Orland2008-01-23T14:15:00+00:00Today's Monday-is-over video: Garfield, Final Fantasy mash-uphttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/01/15/todays-monday-is-over-video-garfield-final-fantasy-mash-up/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/01/15/todays-monday-is-over-video-garfield-final-fantasy-mash-up/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/01/15/todays-monday-is-over-video-garfield-final-fantasy-mash-up/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

The videomakers of Fatal Farm spoof another Garfield cartoon in the final segment of the Lasagna Cat series. What begins as a faithful retelling of an old -- dare we say, "classic" -- Garfield strip turns into a Final Fantasy riff. Sure, we've seen longer Final Fantasy homages, but this quick clip nails the brevity part of wit. Plus, it has Garfield.

See the video after the break.

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]]>fatal-farmfatal_farmfinal-fantasyfinal_fantasygarfieldhottest-videohottestvideojim-davislasagna-catmash-upremixretrovideoZack Stern2008-01-15T01:03:00+00:00Nielsen: PS2 is still the top-played systemhttp://www.joystiq.com/2007/12/13/nielsen-ps2-is-still-the-top-played-system/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/12/13/nielsen-ps2-is-still-the-top-played-system/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/12/13/nielsen-ps2-is-still-the-top-played-system/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

While the game press and developers have largely moved on to the latest and greatest, the game players are apparently still stuck in the past to a large extent. Nielsen Media Research's recently released lists of 2007 consumer trends (PDF link) shows that 42.2 percent of console gaming minutes nationwide are spent on the PlayStation 2. In fact, more than twice as many minutes are spent playing the PS2 as are spent on all the current-generation systems combined. It's not just Sony's super-ubiquitous system that's still has legs, either -- the lowly Xbox and GameCube still combine for 21 percent of the country's gameplay minutes.

Perhaps this isn't that surprising, given the relatively large installed bases and libraries the older systems enjoy over their current-gen brethren. What's more surprising, though, is the 17.1 percent of console time spent on "other" consoles that pre-date the PS2. What's causing this relative popularity of retro gaming ? Are frat house's still having nightly Goldeneye tournaments? Are speed-running Super Mario Bros. players more prevalent than we thought? Do today's kids enjoy marathon sessions of Parappa the Rapper? Without more detailed data, it's impossible to know, but it sure is fun to guess, isn't it?

[Via Gamasutra]

PDF - Nielsen's 2007 Top Ten Lists

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]]>current-genlegslongevitynext-genoldpopularityretroKyle Orland2007-12-13T15:00:00+00:00Slot machines to become more like video gameshttp://www.joystiq.com/2007/12/11/slot-machines-to-become-more-like-video-games/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/12/11/slot-machines-to-become-more-like-video-games/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/12/11/slot-machines-to-become-more-like-video-games/#commentsFiled under: , ,

There's usually not that much overlap between the gaming industry (the gambling one) and the gaming industry (the one you actually are about). That seems poised to change, though, as the New York Times reports slot machine manufacturers are adding skill-based gaming elements to the one-armed bandits in an effort to attract new players. "We can't just make a slot thinking about the 55-year-old lady who comes to the casino a few times a month," said Rob Bone, marketing director for WMS Gaming. "We need to appeal to new buckets of players, or we'll die."

To that end, Bally Technologies has signed a deal with Atari to make machines based on Pong and Breakout, which let you play simplified versions of the games during a bonus round. Don't get too excited, though -- your gaming skills won't let you break the bank at Vegas. As the Times points out, "skill will take a player only so far as these machines are still calibrated to pay out less money than they take in." That's OK though ... back in the '80s we put money into these games without expecting to get any money back.

[Thanks Vlad]

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]]>atariBallybreakoutcasinoclassicgamblinggamingpongretroslot machinesSlotMachinesvegasKyle Orland2007-12-11T14:15:00+00:00Today's most retro montage: Zelda adshttp://www.joystiq.com/2007/11/06/todays-most-retro-montage-zelda-ads/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/11/06/todays-most-retro-montage-zelda-ads/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/11/06/todays-most-retro-montage-zelda-ads/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Currently popular on GameTrailers, we missed Skullkid700's montage of Zelda commercials from earlier in the year. Since this sort of thing only gets better with age, we're highlighting it here. We've come a long way.

See the montage after the break. Yes, it includes the Zelda rap. You have been warned.

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]]>adcommercialhottest-videohottestvideolegend-of-zeldalegendofzeldalinknintendoretrovideozeldaZack Stern2007-11-06T01:19:00+00:00Today's ads-used-to-be-this-good video: Iron Swordhttp://www.joystiq.com/2007/10/10/todays-ads-used-to-be-this-good-video-iron-sword/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/10/10/todays-ads-used-to-be-this-good-video-iron-sword/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/10/10/todays-ads-used-to-be-this-good-video-iron-sword/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Gametrailers user, BlackSad03, has posted an old ad from NES game, Iron Sword, and we wish today's ads were as exciting. We enjoy the clip on so many levels, like watching the gameplay and being sucked into the sale itself. Must... buy... Iron Sword. Our favorite take is to imagine the production of the commercial and which PA had to swing the tentacle into the room.

The video is watermarked with "Gaming-Age.com," but we could only find an article there that references an equally great print ad for the game. So we send Gaming Age a nod, too.

See the ad after the break.
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]]>acclaimadcommercialhottest-videohottestvideoiron-swordnesretrotvvideoZack Stern2007-10-10T01:10:00+00:00SNK keeps 2D alive, classic fighters coming to PS2 this fallhttp://www.joystiq.com/2007/09/28/snk-keeps-2d-alive-classic-fighters-coming-to-ps2-this-fall/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/09/28/snk-keeps-2d-alive-classic-fighters-coming-to-ps2-this-fall/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/09/28/snk-keeps-2d-alive-classic-fighters-coming-to-ps2-this-fall/#commentsFiled under: , ,


We can't help but love SNK. Like that girl in the back of the class who refuses to accept that big hair and jelly bracelets have long since gone out of style, SNK continues to hold onto the the idea that 2D is where it's at. While the company has already committed to supporting both the Virtual Console and XBLA with its back catalog of sprite-based games, SNK today announced plans to bring two of its more recent PS2 fighters to the U.S. as well, namely The King of Fighters XI and NeoGeo Battle Coliseum.

While the eleventh installment of anything boggles the mind, SNK promises that King of Fighters XI will see a return to the series' classic gameplay, with added refinement and a few new bells and whistles like the 'match-deciding' Judgment Indicator and Dream Cancel (aka 'the wake-up call'). In addition, the PS2 version will also include new features not found in the arcade original, including new characters, music, and bonus stages.

That's all well and good, but SNK's promise to bring 'fan-service megamix' NeoGeo Battle Coliseum to the U.S. is what seals the deal. The tag team fighter features a roster packed full of 40 characters from across SNK's catalog of favorites, including Metal Slug's Marco, Samurai Shodown's Hoahmaru, and even King of the Monsters' Cyber Woo. Maybe that girl in the back of the class is onto something.

[Via press release]

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]]>battlecoliseumkingoffightersmetalslugneogeoretrosnkJason Dobson2007-09-28T20:00:00+00:00Limited MAME ported to iPhonehttp://www.joystiq.com/2007/08/22/limited-mame-ported-to-iphone/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/08/22/limited-mame-ported-to-iphone/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/08/22/limited-mame-ported-to-iphone/#commentsFiled under: , ,

If you told us twenty years ago that, by 2007, there would be a pocket-sized device that could make wireless phone calls, take pictures, play music and show movies, we'd probably get a little dewy eyed at the techno-futuristic possibilities. If you told us that device would also be able to replicate the games of hundreds of upright arcade cabinets, we might very well have exploded with anticipation.

So far, the efforts to port the ubiquitous Multiple Arcade Machine Emulator to the iPhone have had pretty limited results -- anything more complex than Pac-Man or Q*Bert reportedly runs into some hefty performance problems. Still, we can't help but imagine the possibilities that will come with some more development time. After all, just look at how far we've come in the past twenty years.

[Via Engadget]

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]]>arcadeiPhoneMAMEpacmanretroKyle Orland2007-08-22T17:58:00+00:00Young Paul Rudd really loved his SNEShttp://www.joystiq.com/2007/08/03/young-paul-rudd-really-loved-his-snes/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/08/03/young-paul-rudd-really-loved-his-snes/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/08/03/young-paul-rudd-really-loved-his-snes/#commentsFiled under: , ,

You can learn a lot from commercials. From this ad, for example, we learn that before he was Brian Fantana or the brother-in-law from Clueless, actor Paul Rudd wielded his Super Nintendo Entertainment System like some sort of holy relic, jamming games into its cartridge slot like he was thrusting jewel-encrusted daggers into the lone eye of a cyclops, attracting the attention and adoration of the neighborhood boys all the while.

We know what you're asking yourself and the answer is "yes." He has a nickname for his SNES. Its called the Octagon, but he also nicknamed his controllers -- his left one is James Westfall and his right one is Doctor Kenneth Noisewater. You ladies play your cards right you just might get to meet the whole gang.

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]]>retrosnesJustin McElroy2007-08-03T09:29:00+00:00"Handheld" arcade games hit eBayhttp://www.joystiq.com/2007/07/24/classic-handheld-arcade-games-hit-ebay/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/07/24/classic-handheld-arcade-games-hit-ebay/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/07/24/classic-handheld-arcade-games-hit-ebay/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


Retro Treasures points us to a set of "handheld" arcade games (more like tabletop) up for auction on eBay. Pac-Man, Ms. Pac-Man, Galaxian, and Dracula have been preserved from the dark era of 1981 and are fully operational, supporting two players simultaneously and running off those not-necessarily-rechargeable things called C batteries. The auctioneer has several other tabletop arcade games on the block, including Donkey Kong and Q-Bert. The prices seem a little steep for some, but sometimes nostalgia knows no limits.

[Via Retro Treasures]

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]]>arcadecolecoretroJohn Bardinelli2007-07-24T10:46:00+00:00Today's don't-try-this-at-home video: Homemade Wii Fithttp://www.joystiq.com/2007/07/21/todays-dont-try-this-at-home-video-homemade-wii-fit/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/07/21/todays-dont-try-this-at-home-video-homemade-wii-fit/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/07/21/todays-dont-try-this-at-home-video-homemade-wii-fit/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

Don't want to wait until later this year try the latest spastic exergaming craze, Wii Fit? Are the Wii graphics just too high-res for you? Wish Wii Fit looked a touch more dangerous?

Gametrailers user, "neadha," answers the call to all three challenges, showing a homebrew balance game grafted to an old version of Pong. Standing on a skateboard deck on a cylinder, the Pong paddle slides up or down with every tilt. Or at least that's the idea. The game is so hardcore that the ball wings across the screen too quickly to react.

With a little tuning, the game might be cool. But clearly, a helmet is advised, lest this turn into Jackass. See the video after the break.

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]]>balanceexerciseexergamingfithackhomebrewhottestvidhottestvideomodpongretrowiifitZack Stern2007-07-21T00:00:00+00:00Unreleased Game Boy Color RPG resurfaceshttp://www.joystiq.com/2007/07/10/unreleased-game-boy-color-rpg-resurfaces/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/07/10/unreleased-game-boy-color-rpg-resurfaces/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/07/10/unreleased-game-boy-color-rpg-resurfaces/#commentsFiled under: , ,


Planned for release in 2001, Affinix Software was ready to put the final touches on Infinity, a role playing title for the Game Boy Color. Unfortunately publishers were already looking ahead to the Game Boy Advance and all the pretty pictures it could display. Infinity was never released, Affinix was eventually dissolved, and the game was left to sit on its creators' hard drives for years. But a Lost Levels forum member unearthed a video of the game in action (watch it after the jump) and suddenly Infinity finds itself the recipient of some well-deserved attention.

In early February a news post on the Affinix website mentioned the possible release of an Infinity ROM. We contacted project leader Justin Karneges to get an updated status on the game. According to him, Infinity is very close to being complete and just needs a few story points linked together, spells filled in, and a final boss programmed. In addition to himself, one more team member is needed to tie up the loose ends, everything else is ready to roll. You can even download the full soundtrack from composer Eric Hache's website. As for the ROM: "There's no need to talk us into releasing a ROM. If we had a finished game, it would be released.".

Infinity could be a breathtaking game, or it could turn out to be a dud. We won't know until we get to play it, and we're itching to take her for a spin. If you need us, we'll be consulting our astrologers to make sure the stars are in perfect alignment to get this game into the wild.

[Via Insert Credit]

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]]>affinixaffinixsoftwaregameboygameboycolorgbcindependentindieretrorpgunreleasedJohn Bardinelli2007-07-10T22:15:00+00:00