As I sit in the Minneapolis/St. Paul airport at 5:50 in the morning I ponder back to my childhood. The days when we would pack up the family suburban and travel like a real American family, on the road. These trips were before portable movie players, in car refrigerators and captain’s chairs. Yup, it was rough going, well it was without a Gameboy at least. One of my most profound gaming experiences came on a road trip to the genesis of my childhood, Space Camp. After a considerable bit of saving and forgone Christmas presents, my best friend and I set off for Space Camp. Our only savior was my best friend’s Gameboy, which, I won’t hesitate to say, I played quite a bit more then him, stealing it when he fell asleep and somehow talking my way into more playtime.

No game since then has had the profound sense of escapism that I found when I flicked the switch on, adjusted to the appropriate viewing angle, and held my breathe that the batteries would hold out, then the little blue cartridge that could…Pokemon Blue. Now up until that point in my life early Nintendo games, and even the quite immersive Super Metroid had stimulated my mind, but nothing could have prepared me for the arduous, addictive, and engrossing game play that Pokemon presented.

I was no longer in a beige and crème 1986 GMC Suburban; instead I was transported to a world where my expectations of reality were shattered. Yes this may sound a bit deep for what it actually was, a grind fest hardcore JRPG, but at the time the simplistic yet satisfying game play was in a league of its own. As I grew older my taste in games changed but Pokemon remained a constant.

Being a Pokemon fan has become increasingly difficult, as the years have passed. What started and became one of the best selling game franchises in history has become so cluttered spin off games I could have sworn Square-Enix owned the series rights. At first I played along, Pokemon Snap, as confirmed by my recent VC download, is still awesome and even though it is a re-skinned Planet Puzzle League/Panel de Pon, Pokemon Puzzle League is still an amazing game, but the buck stops there.

My hatred of the Pokemon Games began with Coliseum and any game since that has brought Pokemon battles from 2d into the third dimension. What once was fast and interesting became slow and mundane. I soon became a jaded fan, disliking anything not related to the main game.

But the real question is, why write about his issue now? I have one simple answer…My Pokemon Ranch. Now I won’t say that I spent money on this, as my younger brother did, although I guess I am an enabler as he used my credit card to purchase it, but any use of ten dollars would be better spent then buying this piece of garbage. Almost any VC release would be an improvement over this incredibly shallow cash in of the once great Pokemon franchise.

Gone is any sense of order or direction, replaced in favor of a Mii like interface allowing your mii-ified Pokemon to roam free within an enclosed area where they bump into each other like some sad game of Marco-Polo played entirely by the deaf and blind. If ever a video game captured the awkwardness and erratic movements of a middle school dance, “My Pokemon Ranch” would be that game.

Nintendo it is time to take a break. Go back and rethink what made Pokemon amazing. Make a new game, and give me at least one more amazing life changing experience, and I will savor it to the last drop knowing full well that it will soon be buried under the marketing machine.

-Eric Wall

When I think back to the history of Apple I look to none other then Oregon Trail. What stood out about Oregon Trail was that we were playing a video game in school. Whenever we would finish our keyboarding exercises we were treated to a rousing diskette based experience that rivaled even kickball for the best thing we got to do at school.

Now as we flash forward a decade Apple has become synonymous for it’s chic design philosophy and pension for quality. With the move to Intel processors, Apple has shed its monopolistic style to business even allowing, and supporting programs that allow for multiple operating systems (including Windows) to be installed. For around two years my current PC has actually been a Macbook Pro, and I couldn’t be happier. I get the best of both worlds, a stable Operating System and the ability to use a PC for its intended purpose…..Games.

With the release of the 3G iPhone and the launch of the application store in July, as well as an uncharacteristic release of the iPhone development tool; Apple may be preparing for its own entry into the handheld, and perhaps console war?

Apple is placed in a very precarious position, they have a very successful product in the iPod, yet they still have yet to break through the home PC market to the extent that their commercials make it seem. In order for Apple to enter the games space it has to be an economic winner, which is still to be seen. Sure iPod games have been around for more then a year, but with the application store, Apple has a real chance to see the viability of making the iPhone not just a phone, iPod, GPS, or whatever the hell else one does, but also a gaming platform.

If the iPhone is a successful handheld, I see it being a distinct possibility of Apple entering into the home console fight. With the release of the Apple TV last March, a transfer from the desk chair to the couch was initiated for many Apple diehards. Just a casual look at the specs of the Apple TV show that it has power that is comparable to the most successful home console of the current generation, the Nintendo Wii.

With its relatively low cost, and development already complete, it wouldn’t be that hard for Apple to begin releasing games for the Apple TV with just a simple firmware update. This new gaming platform would offer many of the features that are already available in other home platforms including built in wifi, a standard hard drive, as well as an hdmi port for high definition content.

Having comparable specs to the Wii would allow for publishers to develop for the Apple home console at almost no risk. It would be in Apple’s best interest to partner with Gametap to bring an instant library of games, and then allow the download of new original titles via the iTunes store, which could easily be a built in function of the new console.

With all of this hinging on the probable success of the iPhone application store, as well as the burgeoning casual games market. Apple could pull an “Apple,” and have a home console out for Christmas and become the 4th major console make. For a company that should have died ten years ago, only to make a resurgence with a portable music player, anything is possible.

-Eric Wall

Remember the days of installing a game on your PC only to discover that your system requirements didn’t allow for use of the game? I’m not talking about non-Windows compatible games, I’m talking not enough RAM, a processor that’s too slow, or a graphics card that isn’t powerful enough. I do. I remember buying Triple Play 98 and it being too advanced for the Windows 95 machine I had. I was pissed.

That said, it seems as those days are gone. Yes, there are still folks that don’t have powerful gaming machines but most store bought PCs these day come with enough power to play games at least at their lowest requirements. But, the real issue is the increasing similarities that home consoles are beginning to share with PCs. Let’s be honest, the PS3 is essentially a PC gaming monster. You have to INSTALL games for Christ’s sake. That’s absurd. The mere fact that there is a chance you won’t have enough space on your PS3 hard drive to play a 60 dollar game you just bought is unacceptable.

With PC’s, it was different. You had to know your system inside and out and be sure that whatever you were purchasing would be playable. With a console, it’s expected to be able to just put the damn disk in and play to your hearts content - no lengthy install and no hassle. Yes, we are moving in a powerful new direction with home gaming, but we have to be careful that we are not soon looking for new hardware upgrades to our physical consoles.

-Joey Esposito

So with Mario Kart Wii having been out for weeks now, it’s hard to believe the violent backlash crawling throughout the internets about how much the included steering wheel “sucks”. Granted, there isn’t much to it, and as I stated last week, there probably won’t be much future support for it, but come on - it’s fun.

I’ve spoken to multiple friends that have complained that it’s too difficult to control the karts with the wheel, yet I have had no trouble doing so. Yes, it would be nice if it was anchored to something, but that would defeat the purpose of being the cheap accessory that it is.

My main problem with the complaints is this - you’ve been playing Kario Kart with a normal controller since 1992. Don’t you think it’s time to try something new? Especially considering that half the courses in Mario Kart Wii are rehashes of old courses, and they’ve done away with the two-people-in-a-kart thing from Double Dash, this edition really needed something innovative, and the motion controls with the wheel is it. Why buy a new game if you want it to play exactly the same as the old one? Not everyone was awesome at Mario Kart when it first came out, but those people are pros now. People should be excited to have a new form of control to master, not angry.

But for all you gaming cynics out there, feel free to plug in those bubbly GameCube controllers and wiggle the heart out of that analog stick.

-Joey Esposito

Nintendo told us from the very beginning that the Wii was going to be different. Even the working title was Nintendo Revolution. And different it is; but revolution? Not yet.

Yes, Nintendo has officially been successful in bringing in the casual gamers - from the elderly to the nerd-phobic, it’s undeniable that people that have never before taken an interest in gaming are currently flocking to get a hold of a Wiimote. Even in the newspaper not a week ago, there was a lengthy article about an old folks homes using the Wii has a primary source of entertainment in the community. The article focused in on a 93 year old man that played Wii Sports Bowling like nobody’s business. With the Wii, Nintendo may just break the stigma of video games meaning that you are a nerd, or even an outsider.

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For a game franchise that’s nearly twenty years old, the Final Fantasy fan base continues to grow with the sort of fervor usually reserved for science fiction television shows or Joss Whedon projects. Recently, two projects sprung from the fandom, however, have caught my attention.

The student-run bar at the University of Copenhagen, Denmark recently hosted a Final Fantasy night, which naturally brought out the usual cosplayers you’d find at other such fandom-based. What was different, however, were the Final Fantasy-based drinks, and the site for the event includes the recipes so that you can make a Summoner Yuma or Corrupted Life Stream at home.

Then, for the Craft cross over, there’s fan-created cross-stitch designs. I never really imagined there’d be a cross over between the cross-stitch crowd and gamers, but apparently there is:

-M. Elizabeth Williams

The rise in popularity of Nintendo’s last two video game machines, the DS and Wii, has really gotten me thinking about how this meteoric rise in is similar to another video game machine, the Atari 2600. Now I really can’t say I was around to witness much of Atari’s reign over the industry, but the impact that resulted from the video game crash primarily caused by them is still felt today. At this point the scales could tip either way, a prosperous future for Nintendo and the industry, or a colossal crash that could dethrone Nintendo and profoundly affect the way in which the video game industry operates.

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Ubidays 08 Round-Up: From Beyond Good & Evil 2 to Prince of Persia (kotaku)

Ubidays 08 yielded a lot of interesting info. Check out Kotaku’s round up of their coverage complete with a Prince of Persia video and some Far Cry 2 info!

BioShock PS3 Super Official Now (kotaku)

Formerly a 360 exclusive, Bioshock is now making it’s way to the PS3, and apparently we’re all going to want to buy it again because it’ll have sooooooooo much more to it this time ’round!!

Guitar Hero: On Tour’s disturbing demo video (joystiq)

This video contains 300% more rock than any other video you see today…. or ever.

-MIKE KURZ

I don’t know which captivated my attention first, the trailer, or the tongue-firmly-in-cheek advertisements using negative reviews from comment trolls such as “this game sucks and anyone who likes it sucks. penny arcade sucks and is as funny as something that’s not funny at all,” but I found something absolutely captivating in the marketing for Penny Arcade’s On the Rain Slick Precipice of Darkness: Episode One, and found myself compelled to give it a try.

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With the recent (and expected) official announcement of Guitar Hero 4 and it’s succession of Rock Band’s extra instruments (vocals and drums), it’s clear to see that the music genre is no longer what it used to be. Merely 5 years ago, I would be hard pressed to get any one of my friends to pick up a controller and play a console music game. Then again, five years ago, there wasn’t anything quite like Guitar Hero or Rock Band.

Oh wait, yes there was.

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