OLD SCHOOL: Super Mario Brothers speed run

Check THIS out!

Super Mario Brothers speed run - where only 600 points are earned (this seems to be the lowest score you can beat the game with):



Hardcore, eh?!

WTF: Nintendo 3DS to drop to $170 8/12/2011

Overnight Nintendo made some rather large 3DS announcements. First, as of August 12st 2011, the 3DS will retail for $169.99. Second, NES and GBA games are confirmed to be added to the Virtual Console.

Early 3DS adopters who purchase before August 12th, will be entitled to *20* free games from the eShop.

That offer comes in the form of ten NES Virtual Console games (including classics like Zelda and Super Mario Bros.), which will be available after September 1, and ten Game Boy Advance Virtual Console games (like Yoshi's Island and Metroid Fusion), which will be available a little later.

Wow, this sure came out of nowhere. A price cut this soon in the system's life cycle has me rather worried, but maybe it will provide the 3DS with a big shot in the arm (not to mention some distance between itself and the PS Vita price-wise).

While I am overjoyed at the free titles and the NES/GBA addition to the VC library, I fear that Nintendo expected an instant hit with the 3DS and has yet to see the results they desire. I just hope this doesn't lead to the 3DS "failing" and being withdrawn from the market. This system has loads of potential that has yet to be fully tapped, and it would be a shame to see such a nice bit of compact hardware be rushed off the market so soon.

There seems to be a catch 22 in place with the 3DS. Hardware sales have been slow due to the limited software out there, and software has been slow to appear due to sluggish hardware sales. Maybe this price drop is just what the 3DS needs.

VIDEO: NBA Jam On Fire Edition

Well this didn't take long! Seems we've got a new edition of NBA Jam to look forward to this fall on PS3 and Xbox. Let's have a look:



I guess it was a good thing I dragged my feet on getting the last NBA Jam title!

VIDEO: Warhammer 40k (comic con 2011)

I was just directed to this really rad video (thanks Terry!) of the upcoming Warhammer 40k Space Marine game - let's have a look:



Looks kind of like a hybrid of Gears of War and Tribes to me! Space Marine will be released in September.

WHOA: Freddy Kruger is coming to Mortal Kombat!

Whoa! Check this out!



This is way cool, and I think Freddy really fits well into the MK universe!

(Thanks for the tip Terry!)

VIDEO: Sonic Through the Ages

Sega has just posted a slick new video celebrating Sonic's 20th Anniversary giving you a tour through all the major games thus far. It leads up to some new footage from Sonic Generations, which at this point in the Sonic Cycle is looking rad.

Let's have a look:

UPDATE: Star Fox 64 3D released in NA 9/9/11

Previously it was announced that Star Fox 64 3D would be released in North America on 9/11/11 (fitting into the usual Nintendo Sunday release cycle), however - it now seems the date has been bumped up a few days to 9/9/11.

From GamePro:

In the case of Star Fox 64 3D, the game will be arriving on a Friday: September 9, to be exact. This means that the game will be releasing in the US and Europe simultaneously.

Sounds good to me!

VIDEO: New Zelda: Skyward Sword trailer!

Nintendo has released a new trailer for The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword just before the start of this year's Comic-Con. Let's have a look:



The visual style of this game strikes me as almost being half Wind Waker, half OoT. And of course we get a good look at some gnarly looking bosses. All in all, this is looking like a proper Zelda title.

I guess it's time I actually get a Motion Plus WiiMote, eh?

RUMOR: Next-gen Xbox hardware "to deliver computer graphics to match those in James Cameron's movie Avatar"

The Register has a small piece about the rumored power of the next Xbox system:

Chip maker AMD has hinted that the Xbox 360's successor will be able to deliver computer graphics to match those in James Cameron's movie Avatar.

Robison claims the AI and physics capabilities of the net-gen console would pave the way for every pedestrian in games such as Grand Theft Auto to have an individual mentality.

AMD hasn't confirm it is actually working on Microsoft's eagerly anticipated follow-up, but as Robison is director of independent software vendor relationships at AMD, it's probable that has been extensively speaking with games developers.

So... is Avatar the new Toy Story within the gaming world? If you recall, back before the PS2 launched Sony claimed it would produce Toy Story level graphics... and well we know how that turned out, so color me mildly skeptical any time a game system is compared to a high end cgi/3d movie.

In any case, I look forward to learning more!

WOOT: Aliens: Infestation rated by ESRB

So it seems Sega has another Aliens themed title coming, this time for the Nintendo DS.

According to Joystiq:

Aliens: Infestation, the long-gestating xenomorph game for the Nintendo DS, has been rated by the ESRB. The classification board describes the teen-rated title as an action game, in which "players run and jump through side-scrolling levels, they use rifles, pistols, flamethrowers, and explosives to kill enemy soldiers and aliens (i.e., 'xenomorphs')."

My first reaction is - This sounds quite a bit like the SNES/Genesis Alien 3 game. I may be in the minority here, but I recall actually really enjoying the Alien 3 game (far more than the movie) back in the day.

With any luck we'll know more about Aliens: Infestation soon!

AWESOME: Netflix app comes to the Nintendo 3DS *TODAY*

Wooo! Kotaku just let this news slip - the 3DS Netflix application hits the US eShop today!

Starting today, Nintendo 3DS owners across the United States and Canada can download a free application that allows Netflix members to watch TV episodes and movies streaming from Netflix with an Internet connection.

The 3DS will also also soon have access to "an additional library of select movies" that can be viewed in 3D movies, Nintendo says.

The new Netflix application, available for free on Nintendo's eShop, displays movies and TV episodes in 2D on the system's upper screen. "Users will soon have access to an additional library of select movies that can be viewed in 3D without the need for special glasses," according to the press release.

This is REALLY cool news - As far as I knew, Netflix had yet to give us anything more specific than "this summer", but here we are.

I cannot wait to try this out!

EA has purchased PopCap

Well, it's official - EA has purchased casual gaming giant PopCap for approx. $750 million USD. Here are some details via GamePro:

EA confirmed the acquisition in a press release, which has been rumored for a few weeks now. The price is $650 million plus $100 million in stock and a multi-year earn-out.

With this acquisition, EA adds popular casual gaming titles Bejeweled, Plants vs. Zombies and Peggle to their lineup, which should make them even more formidable on the mobile and social media front.

So when can we expect Bejeweled: Modern Warfare? ;)

Herp. *facepalm*

VIDEO: New PS Vita trailer

Sony has just released a new and updated trailer(?) for the upcoming PS Vita handheld:



With the wi-fi model retailing for $249, this will be hard to resist...

VIDEO: Planetside 2 trailer!

Here's the hot new trailer for the SOE Shooter MMO - Planetside 2 - let's have a look:



Uh whoa... this looks kind of rad, right? Looks like some really MASSIVE online battles with some rather sharp graphics. Can't wait to see more!

COOL: Fully working Mini Street Fighter II arcade cabinet!

Ok, this is just TOO cool to not share:



Oh how i want one....

Here is another - this time Space Invaders:



I would happily re-use one of my GBAs to build one of these...

COOL: Star Wars Total Conversion mod for COD4

So since it seems like we won't be seeing a new Star Wars: Battlefront title any time soon, a group of German game modders have spent the past 2 years working on a total conversion of COD4: Modern Warfare.

They have finally completed this mod, slapped a nice 1.0 version number on it, and now it's available for all to enjoy. Let's have a look!



This mod is only for the PC build of COD4, but seems like a great reason to dig out the disks and reinstall!