Cisco Eyeing Tivo/Nintendo for Buyout?

Given the recent acquisition of Scientific Atlanta by Cisco a move to buyout TiVo only makes sense. Buying out Nintendo however just sounds ludicrous. Microsoft is not emerging as a key competitor to Cisco in the home entertainment market. That is a market that MS is currently dominating. If anything, Cisco is the emerging competitor and buying TiVo would only strengthen that position. The union of Cisco and Nintendo is still strange and I don't see that happening anytime soon. Nintendo is a company with very deep roots in Japan and being owned by Cisco wouldn't go over well.

That being said I would love Cisco to buy TiVo and roll that software into all existing SA DVR boxes. SA's DVR interface sucks compared to the TiVo interface.


Source: Slashdot

Halo 3 awaiting the green light?

I don't know how that is even possible given the long development cycle for Halo 2 so treat this as a rumor for now.

We've received news today from an industry insider who claims that Halo 3 is finished and sitting at the mastering plant, awaiting the word to go.

According to the source, the final artwork has been finished for disk, booklets and box art.

Our source has stated that one of Europe's largest CD replicators is on standby, they've signed NDA's and are awaiting the green light from Bungie. According to our source the CD replicators have been given an approximate date to ensure that their pressing schedule is clear for the amount of units they'll need to produce.

Source: Hexus.net

http://www.snackbar-games.com/n1552.html

Sony Live?

Not too long ago I believe that Sony was planning to still let 3rd party developers manage their own online components of games. Joystiq is reporting that Sony is preparing a service to meet or exceed Xbox Live. Given the amount of time that Microsoft spent preparing the Live service and Sony's reputation for overhyping everything I won't hold my breath.

The post on Slashdot said things could look bad for Microsoft. *yawn* Whatever. When Sony starts delivering on their hype then I will be worried for Microsoft. Until then...

Sources: Slashdot, Joystiq

http://www.snackbar-games.com/n1551.html

Minor Difficulites

Pretzel wrote:

Mike and I had a small botch with the lifestyles podcast this past week. Rest assured it will be online Wednesday. Also wanted to remind everyone to email us if you have any questions or comments about the gaming industry or your gaming lifestyle. You can also send us audio files of your questions or comments. Please remember to keep them short and clean, no longer than ten seconds. You can email us at podcast@snackbar-games.com.

http://www.snackbar-games.com/n1550.html

Review: kill.switch - Xbox

Title: kill.switch
Platform: Xbox
Author: Wayne

I would certainly give this game a Rental of the Year award if we had one, but beyond that, I'm sorry to say I can't do much.

http://www.snackbar-games.com/r276.html

Review: Golden Sun: The Lost Age - GBA

Title: Golden Sun: The Lost Age
Platform: GBA
Author: Wayne

I really can't say anything bad about this game. It is a perfect game styled after the RPGs of old, and just like the first one, it was a very solid gaming experience.

http://www.snackbar-games.com/r275.html

Review: Golden Sun - GBA

Title: Golden Sun
Platform: GBA
Author: Wayne

Even so, this is one of the greatest games I have ever played, and I am really looking forward to buying [i]The Lost Age[/i].

http://www.snackbar-games.com/r274.html

Review: Custom Robo - Gamecube

Title: Custom Robo
Platform: Gamecube
Author: Vyolynce

For me, the greatest failing of Custom Robo is that the battles are usually too frantic for any serious strategy, which takes some of the shine off the deep customization possibilities.

http://www.snackbar-games.com/r273.html

Review: Bloody Roar 4 - PS2

Title: Bloody Roar 4
Platform: PS2
Author: Chris A.J.

The idea of people transforming into killer animals with razor sharp claws, long horns, and swords for arms sounds like a good concept, but the makers of the Bloody Roar series just can't seem to blend it into a quality title.

http://www.snackbar-games.com/r272.html

Review: Beyond Good and Evil - Gamecube

Title: Beyond Good and Evil
Platform: Gamecube
Author: Vyolynce

Camera troubles, overall length, and other minor imperfections keep this game from getting a full score, but the heart put into the production of this game prevent any reasonable review from giving it less than a B+.

http://www.snackbar-games.com/r271.html

Time to buy Take-Two stock

Wayne wrote:

With all the trouble of GTA: San Andreas and a new lawsuit related to that, Take-Two's stock has dropped quite a bit. Any of you investors out there may find that the time to buy Take-Two stock will be in the next few weeks/months. I don't see Take-Two going out of business or anything like that. They are a huge company after all. I think they just need to get these GTA problems behind them, refocus, and of course the stocks will go back up.

Now if only I had some money to invest in their stock. I wouldn't mind getting a few bucks out of it down the road. One man's failure is another man's success.

Source: Joystiq again? Does anyone else have any news today?

http://www.snackbar-games.com/n1549.html

Revolution not a weak little monkey

Wayne wrote:

Some people seem to have the impression that the Revolution won't be very powerful. Sure, it's not going to be as powerful as the 360 or PS3, but it will be capable of running the Unreal Engine 3. Of course, it's scalable so games will likely look nicer on the 360 or PS3, but I'm sure they will still look plenty good on the Revolution too.

Source: Joystiq

http://www.snackbar-games.com/n1548.html

Sorry Aussies...

Wayne wrote:

Looks like you're going to be seeing an Xbox 360 launch three weeks later than anticipated due to all the shortages.

I still fail to understand how Microsoft projected the sale of so many units when they didn't have that many units manufactured. This is becoming an interesting launch trend. I'm just glad I don't have any desire for a 360 yet.

Source: Joystiq

http://www.snackbar-games.com/n1547.html

New Nintendo DS

Almost immediatly after the release of the DS everyone was discussing a revamped version that was more sleek. Today it was announced and boy does this new DS "lite" look slick.

You can check out the only promotional shots of it available at Joystiq.

Edit: Here is a comparison shot between the original and new DS units in terms of size and style.

Source: InfectedZero

http://www.snackbar-games.com/n1546.html

Review: SOCOM: Fireteam Bravo - PSP

Title: SOCOM: Fireteam Bravo
Platform: PSP
Author: Piniata

Even if you don’t have online capabilities, you should buy this game because it’s one of the best PSP games out there at the moment, and it will keep you hooked for a while.

http://www.snackbar-games.com/r270.html

Review: Gun - PS2

Title: Gun
Platform: PS2
Author: Piniata

To be honest, I really didn’t expect much from Gun, and to my surprise, I had a really a really good time playing it.

http://www.snackbar-games.com/r269.html

Gym class isn't about climbing the rope anymore

Wayne wrote:

Nope! Now it's about getting your groove on! If you're in West Virginia, there's a good chance that in the future you will be able to play Dance Dance Revolution in your physical education class.

The estimated cost of this endeavor is $550,000 to put one console, game, and dancepad in each school in the state. If you ask me, that's a small price to pay to help get kids excited about exercising.

I am very excited to see this hopefully spread to other states.

Source: Joystiq

http://www.snackbar-games.com/n1545.html

A 50% tax on violent games?

Wayne wrote:

Well, that's what Star Locke of Texas thinks should be done, and if he's elected for governor, he will do what he can to make that happen.

Locke said he favors instituting... a 50-percent tax on violent video games.

Personally, I think that is a bit ridiculous. That would make any $50 game $75 if it was considered violent (many T rated games could be considered as such), and since many games will be retailing at $60 now, you're looking at $90 per game. I could maybe understand an extra $5 per game or something as a way to bring in more money, but 50% is just absurd.

I know many of the readers of Snackbar are from Texas, so with that being said, how do you guys feel about the small possibility of this kind of tax?

Source - Amarillo News

Username: snackbar
Password: snackbar

http://www.snackbar-games.com/n1544.html

Winter-een-mas

Wayne wrote:

It's the first day of Winter-een-mas, and all through the house
You can't hear the ninjas, they are silent like a mouse
The games have been piling up, since the holiday season
And you're not sure why. There's no good reason.
There's never enough time in any given day
to really play all the games that we want to play.
Life is so busy, and we don't know why
But it makes us gamers want to sit down and cry.
But fear not! Winter-een-mas is here at last!
So rush to the TV and start it up fast!
Now is the time for each of us to have fun.
And forget about work. For the next week, you're done.

Happy Winter-een-mas everyone!

If that made no sense to you then be sure to check out the official Winter-een-mas homepage for details on this unique "holiday".

http://www.snackbar-games.com/n1543.html

Tone down the boobs please

Wayne wrote:

So, it looks like E3 will actually be enforcing its own rules. For some time there were decency rules which were pretty much related to how the booth babes dressed. Now, I love half naked (and fully naked) women as much as the next guy, but E3 is supposed to be about games. If I wanted to go to a convention with a bunch of women... well, I'd find one to go to.

The interesting part is that the decency rules at E3 have always been in effect, but never really enforced like they should be. Well, now if a woman (or anyone for that matter) is dressed in an indecent manner, they will get a warning to cover up or be fined $5,000.

They make mention of less provocative clothing and no bathing suit bottoms, which I guess means thongs and whatnot. I'm guessing bathing suit tops are ok.

I'd like to thank Gamespot for this piece of news. Like I said, I love half naked women. I really really do. Even so, I don't want them there. The event is about gaming. If there are half naked women in the games, then so be it, but otherwise, they don't belong.

http://www.snackbar-games.com/n1542.html

EA Price Cuts?

EA may be on the bandwagon of price gouging for X360 games, but they are still trying to push some current gen (or is this last gen now?) games by discounting them.

Madden NFL 06, NBA Live 06, FIFA 06, and Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire all seem to have benefited from the price drop, as their Xbox, PlayStation 2, GameCube, and PC versions are all now available for $29.99.Other games affected by the price slashing include Need for Speed Most Wanted (now $39.99) and Medal of Honor: European Assault (now $19.99).

Price cuts are good.

Source: Slashdot

http://www.snackbar-games.com/n1541.html

Review: Kirby and The Amazing Mirror - GBA

Title: Kirby and The Amazing Mirror
Platform: GBA
Author: Wayne

If you are a Kirby fan, you won’t be disappointed.

http://www.snackbar-games.com/r268.html

Review: Jak and Daxter: The Precursor Legacy - PS2

Title: Jak and Daxter: The Precursor Legacy
Platform: PS2
Author: Wayne

What makes this even better is that the game can now be purchased for less than ten bucks, so there is really no good reason not to pick it up.

http://www.snackbar-games.com/r267.html

Xfire exceeds three million subscribers

Wayne wrote:

Are you a subscriber? I am. Granted, I don't play as many PC games compared to my console games, but I still play around on my computer from time to time.

Well, Xfire has exceeded 3,000,000 registered users, and I'm sure it would be fun to get more people into the network. With that being said, my username is waynephinney, so feel free to add me to your list. If you haven't joined yet, why not? It certainly makes getting together to play games with friends much more convenient.

Seriously... give it a shot. What's the worst that could happen?

http://www.snackbar-games.com/n1540.html

Podcast Emails

Pretzel wrote:

Pretz here, to let everyone know that for our next podcast we will be talking about Mobile Gaming and its evolution. We will also be talking about Online Gaming Persona "AKA The Endless Fight". We would like to hear your opinions on these topics. Or if you would like to sound off on any topic that is related to gaming, please send us your emails and we will get them read over the podcast. Thanks to all out there that have been listening, we encourage all to spread the word.

Please send us your emails at podcast@snackbar-games.com

http://www.snackbar-games.com/n1539.html

Review: Star Wars: Battlefront 2 - PSP

Title: Star Wars: Battlefront 2
Platform: PSP
Author: Piniata

The bad controls and the fact that you’ll get bored of it quite quickly (due to the little replay value and four-player online) might put some people off.

http://www.snackbar-games.com/r266.html

Review: Trauma Center: Under the Knife - DS

Title: Trauma Center: Under the Knife
Platform: DS
Author: Vyolynce

Trauma Center is a worthy addition to any DS owner's library that (like most Atlus games) didn't receive a lot of the attention it was deserved upon release.

http://www.snackbar-games.com/r265.html

Japanese vs US boxart

Boxart is always a hot topic for new games since the boxart is often one of the first teasers released for an upcoming game. More often than not, we in the US never see the Japanese boxart. Some will say they prefer the alternate covers from overseas, but I rarely have a preference.

A friend shot me this link today. After looking some of those over, I have to say that I am much happier with the Ratched and Clank boxart that we got versus the strange Japanese covers and their strange game names.

http://www.snackbar-games.com/n1538.html

The 360 and external drives

I think this article on Ars clears the air regarding the recent rumors of external HD-DVD and Blu-Ray drives for the 360 being in the works.

http://www.snackbar-games.com/n1537.html

Japanese vs US boxart

Boxart is always a hot topic for new games since the boxart is often one of the first teasers released for an upcoming game. More often than not, we in the US never see the Japanese boxart. Some will say they prefer the alternate covers from overseas, but I rarely have a preference.

A friend shot me this link today. After looking some of those over, I have to say that I am much happier with the Ratched and Clank boxart that we got versus the strange Japanese covers and their strange game names.

http://www.snackbar-games.com/n1538.html

The 360 and external drives

I think this article on Ars clears the air regarding the recent rumors of external HD-DVD and Blu-Ray drives for the 360 being in the works.

http://www.snackbar-games.com/n1537.html

Podcast Segment: Sound Off

Pickle wrote:

Here is the deal, on our podcast we want to get your take on topics, so here is our first one fresh out of the idea oven.

The Impossible Fight: Online Persona

Young people get a bad rap, so I want to hear perspective from people who are bothered by online personas, and people who justify just about most things that happen on forums/online games/websites. Is it an age thing at all? Feel free to bring up points and counter points to be read over the podcast.

Its time to sound off with your take with this ongoing war that effects everyone, and alot of times the overall vibe of the online world.

Now I will read everything uncut, however its a family show so please no foul language. Pinata I would really love to hear your take as well as you inspired the topic (and no thats not a cut on you).

http://www.snackbar-games.com/n1536.html

HUGE Cover Project Update

I've been a little busy and haven't had time to put any of the recent uploaded covers online. I rectified that situation this morning and put probably 35 or 40 covers up. Most of them are for DS, N64, and SNES. Enjoy!

http://www.snackbar-games.com/n1535.html

Review: Dark Cloud - PS2

Title: Dark Cloud
Platform: PS2
Author: Milkdud

I invested over 50 hours into this game, and not one of them was wasted.

http://www.snackbar-games.com/r264.html

Game or simulation? Doesn't matter to me.

Wayne wrote:

I don't know about anyone else out there, but I find that there are occasions where I can have just as much fun tooling around with a simulation of some kind as I can with a full fledged video game. Of course, I suppose that depends on what the simulation is, but being a space nut, I think I may have found the perfect one.

Gravitation 3D is a nice 3D orbital physics program that is very versatile and gives you the ability to create an entire solar system. It takes a little getting used to plugging in coordinates manually instead of point and click stuff, but once you get used to it, you can do a lot.

Of course, like most shareware, this one has an annoying purchase message on it the entire time you use it, but with a registration code being only $10 and purchasable through paypal, it's actually rather worth it.

I can't imagine I'm the only space nut out there, so if anyone else thinks they would enjoy this, give it a whirl. It's fully functional without paying a dime, so have at it. Best solar system builder I've ever used, 3D or not.

http://www.snackbar-games.com/n1534.html

Great... another game to movie adaptation

Wayne wrote:

The good news is, Uwe Boll is currently NOT slated to do this one, and Jerry Bruckheimer is showing interest. What game am I talking about? Prince of Persia! I honestly don't know how they'd do it and make it even half decent, but if somebody could make a Prince of Persia film that actually looked right and had the prince's movements looking natural and not wire-assisted... well, I'd just be in heaven. That's all I can say.

Source- Joystiq

http://www.snackbar-games.com/n1533.html

Baten Kaitos 2?

Wayne wrote:

Rumor has it that Baten Kaitos 2 will be released later this year. This time though, it will be developed by Nintendo of America instead of Namco. Whether or not this will make a difference in the quality of the game is beyond me.

http://www.snackbar-games.com/n1532.html

Revolution patent information

Wayne wrote:

According to Revolution Report, it seems like Nintendo has filed for a new patent in relation to the upcoming Revolution. Here's just a few pieces of info from the article.

It first says that the "home video game system" which we'll assume is the Revolution will be capable of playing software from legacy home systems and handheld systems. GBA and DS anyone?

Then of course there's mention of replacing some graphics from the older games with new ones, which falls right in line with what was said about having upgraded graphics for classic games.

The other thing is that it says it will be able to play older and newer games from consoles made by other manufacturers. Sega perhaps? Sure, I already have Sonic Mega Collection, but it would be quite nice being able to play classic Genesis, Saturn, and Dreamcast games on a Nintendo system.

The more news that comes out, the more I get excited. I just can't wait for an official announcement from Nintendo so I can set aside the proper funding needed for the system.

http://www.snackbar-games.com/n1531.html

17 years in federal prison. Ouch!

Wayne wrote:

It looks like the trial is on. I'm not sure how many of you heard, but sometime last year, a couple of game store owners modified Xboxes and added emulators and roms for old school games. The problem? It's already illegal as it is to put those games onto an Xbox since much of it isn't freeware. On top of that, they installed the software on there with the intent to sell the units, which pretty much makes the whole copyright infringement thing a whole lot worse.

Do I think these guys deserve 17 years in a federal prison? I really don't. I know what they did was incredibly stupid and certainly not right, but 17 years seems a bit harsh, especially when rapists and murderers have gotten out in less time than that on a few occasions.

I guess we'll just have to wait and see if they are convicted of the crime. I honestly think a few years of house arrest without an internet connection in the home would be sufficient enough punishment.

But hey... I'm not in charge.

Source: Joystiq

http://www.snackbar-games.com/n1530.html

SCEA outlines Q1 PSP lineup

The PSP was slated to be a powerhouse in the handheld arena. While that hasn't fully panned out like Sony would have liked it does have some solid titles. The PSP just lacks frequent titles needed to keep the system a hot item. With that said, SCEA has unveiled their first quarter lineup for the system and it has some pretty solid titles on the horizon.

Ape Escape Academy should be out next week with Neopets Petpet Adventures: The Wand of Wishing coming in late February. This will transition into a heavy schedule in March with the following titles dropping then: Pursuit Force, Syphon Filter: Dark Mirror, MLB 06 The Show, and Daxter.

I knew it was only a matter of time before Sony took one of my favorite franchises to the PSP in an effort to tempt me. I am referring to Daxter in case you aren't aware of my love affair with Jak & Daxter and Ratchet & Clank.

Source: Gamespot

http://www.snackbar-games.com/n1529.html

Of all things...

Apparently an enterprising "adult" company has produced a Windows Media HD based DVD called Deep Throat. It appears they are explicitly marketing this to Xbox 360 owners. That is some negative publicity I'm sure Microsoft wasn't planning on. The flipside is that maybe this will help sell consoles.

Source: The Inq

http://www.snackbar-games.com/n1528.html

Redesigned LoTR RTS for the X360

It looks like EA is going to redesign LoTR: The Battle for Middle Earth II is also going to be released for the Xbox 360. This is not going to be a direct port as they are taking some freedom to make the game slightly unique to the console versus the PC by designing some new control system. The details of this system haven't fully be released but it will be interesting to see how this turns out.

Source: Gamasutra

http://www.snackbar-games.com/n1527.html

Yeah... the bare essentials.

Wayne wrote:

It's not the Hilton. Ok, let's face it. You'd be better off staying at the Hilton.

Whoops... got sidetracked there. Back to what I wanted to tell everyone. Splinter Cell Essentials has been announced for release on the PSP. According to Gamespot, Splinter Cell Essentials is going to take place where SC: Double Agent leaves off. SCE however will be somewhat of a prequel in the sense that Sam will be looking back on the past and you will be playing missions that way. It's said that you may visit settings from the prior games, but the big thing is that you will get to go all the way back to when Sam was a Navy Seal.

As somewhat of a Splinter Cell fan, this kinda excites me. It's not enough to warrant me dropping $250 on a new handheld, but if enough games of this caliber come out within the next year or so, I may finally cave and get a PSP.

I sure hope that Piniata will be picking this one up since he's our main PSP review guy.

http://www.snackbar-games.com/n1526.html

Uwe Boll's newest disaster?

Wayne wrote:

No, we're not talking about Bloodrayne. As Movie Thunder reported last week, it is expected that Uwe Boll will be making a Metal Gear Solid film. Worse yet, Hideo Kojima, the man behind the masterpiece (according to many) isn't involved in the film at all.

The good news is that Joystiq thinks that he may have too much on his plate and might have to turn down his chance to talk on the Metal Gear series and turn it into a film. After seeing the disastrous numbers for Bloodrayne, we can only hope somebody else makes the MGS film.

I wish I could be more excited about the film, but the two problems are this. I still have yet to play any of the MGS games (too many games, too little time), and Uwe Boll will likely destroy it, thus making me not want to play the games.

I'll just sit back and see what happens.

http://www.snackbar-games.com/n1525.html

The new DS is coming

Wayne wrote:

Rumors are flying all over the internet about this one. It's being strongly assumed that Nintendo will be unveiling the redesigned Nintendo DS next week. It's expected for a few reasons, but one of which being that there is lower stock of the DS thanks to the holidays, and as such, now would be the best time to bring it out (much like they did with the SP).

My only question is this. What could they possibly do to improve the DS, and for that matter, how could they possibly make it any smaller with everything that goes into it while keeping it as durable as it is?

I am eager to see the new design, but if it's nothing groundbreaking, then I'll be perfectly content with the standard DS that I bought myself a few months back.

http://www.snackbar-games.com/n1524.html

Review: Nanostray - DS

Title: Nanostray
Platform: DS
Author: Gilligan

The game is good clean fun and has rekindled my once-thought lost relationship with my Nintendo DS.

http://www.snackbar-games.com/r263.html

Nine discs? Try...um... one?!?

Wayne wrote:

Elder Scrolls 4 was originally expected to be on nine discs. Of course, how much fun is that having to switch discs all the time while playing. That would really take you out of the game.

Well, it seems that the Xbox 360 uses what's called DVD-9, which can hold nine gigabytes of data. With this being said, Elder Scrolls 4 on the Xbox 360 will only use one disc.

With that being said, will the game at LEAST be put on DVDs for the PC? Sure, they can compress many files and then extract them as part of the installation, but it really bugs me that games require more than one install disc typically. It may still need more than one DVD if it's as huge as expected, but I certainly can't imagine sitting through the install of that game if one were to buy it on CDs.

Seriously... PC games shouldn't come on CDs anymore. I'd pay an extra $5 per game just for the convenience of them coming on one DVD instead of multiple CDs.

I just hope Bethesda takes a note from themselves on the PC version and tries to do the same basic thing. Sure, swapping discs during install isn't as bad as having to during gameplay, but it's still an annoyance and should be stopped.

http://www.snackbar-games.com/n1523.html

PGR3 looks like the real thing

Wayne wrote:

Well, I'm sure some of you have already had your fun, but many of us either can't get ahold of a 360, or it's just too early to pay that much. Still, this is interesting. There are some comparison images over at the Games are Fun forums showing a screenshot from the game and showing a picture of the real image from the real city. Some of them look so similar that I nearly can't tell the difference. That's just freaking amazing! That kind of detail is phenomenal.

http://www.snackbar-games.com/n1522.html

Tetris DS!

Wayne wrote:

Well, this seems great, but on the other hand, it's not. I have a few different thoughts on Tetris DS.

For starters, it had better not have the slowdown issues of Tetris Worlds on the GBA. There's NO excuse for a game to have slowdown when the original version in inferior hardware ran perfectly smooth, spinach green graphics or not.

Secondly, why must this use the touch screen? I see no reason for that. Sure, it's nice that the touch screen is there, but some games just don't need it. There had better be an option to not even use the touch screen.

But, the upside is that you will be able to play it on the Nintendo Wi-Fi Network. Playing Tetris against real people is much better than just playing with yourself (that's right, I said it).

And finally, will it be worth $35 for a new Tetris game? Maybe it'll only be $20. Couldn't we be so lucky. I have no problem with paying full price for a newer version of an old game, but come on now. This is Tetris. Not much has changed with Tetris over the years, and that's the way it should be. Sure, give it to us on a new platform, but don't charge full price for it.

I'm eager to download The New Tetris on the Revolution. I never could get all the wonders on my N64.

Source - Gamespot

http://www.snackbar-games.com/n1521.html

Review: Resident Evil 4 - PS2

Title: Resident Evil 4
Platform: PS2
Author: Piniata

Resident Evil 4, without a doubt, is one of the best games on the PS2.

http://www.snackbar-games.com/r262.html

Socom 3 Giveaway

It has been a long time since we gave anything away here at SBG and I hate that. I love giving stuff to our readers and listeners. To remedy this situation I have pulled some strings with a friend over at Zipper Interactive and got a copy of Socom 3 with a strategy guide. This particular friend did us one better and got that copy signed by the entire Development Team. That's right.

I want to make this a big one, but I am out of ideas so I will brainstrom with our crew and see if we can't come up with a fantastic way to get this in one lucky winner's hands.

http://www.snackbar-games.com/n1520.html

Review: Spider-Man 2 - PSP

Title: Spider-Man 2
Platform: PSP
Author: Piniata

Stay away from this crappy port.

http://www.snackbar-games.com/r261.html

Review: Halo: Combat Evolved - Xbox

Title: Halo: Combat Evolved
Platform: Xbox
Author: Wayne

Halo is one of those games that I should have purchased the second I got an Xbox.

http://www.snackbar-games.com/r260.html

Review: Star Wars: Apprentice of the Force - GBA

Title: Star Wars: Apprentice of the Force
Platform: GBA
Author: Piniata

Don’t bother with this game since you can play much better [i]Star Wars[/i]-oriented games that deal with the same area of time.

http://www.snackbar-games.com/r259.html

Review: Baten Kaitos: Eternal Wings and the Lost Ocean - Gamecube

Title: Baten Kaitos: Eternal Wings and the Lost Ocean
Platform: Gamecube
Author: Mythological

BK is a good example of the fact that you don’t need to revolutionize a genre in order to make a good game.

http://www.snackbar-games.com/r258.html

Review: Black & White 2 - PC

Title: Black & White 2
Platform: PC
Author: KindDragon

If you played Black and White, you’ll find Black and White 2 much more to your liking and even more enjoyable.

http://www.snackbar-games.com/r257.html

Review: The Warriors - PS2

Title: The Warriors
Platform: PS2
Author: Piniata

The Warriors is one of the best games of this holiday season and definitely one of the best movie adaptations ever.

http://www.snackbar-games.com/r256.html

Review: The Suffering - Xbox

Title: The Suffering
Platform: Xbox
Author: Hybridial

The Suffering is a game with a superior story tacked onto enjoyable but somewhat familiar gameplay.

http://www.snackbar-games.com/r255.html

Review: Prince of Persia: The Two Thrones - PS2

Title: Prince of Persia: The Two Thrones
Platform: PS2
Author: Piniata

Since you can finish it quite quickly and the extras aren’t that interesting, you should rent it and go buy another game that is out this holiday season.

http://www.snackbar-games.com/r254.html

HD-DVD for Xbox 360

Apparently in my brief absence I missed quite a bit of rumblings on the HD-DVD and BluRay fronts. The latest word is that MS will in fact be bringing out an external HD-DVD drive for the 360 instead of redoing the design of the consoles. I am not sure how well that will work or what pricing will entail, but one thing is for sure and that is that MS and Sony are definitely going to be battling this format war out in the gaming industry as well.

http://www.snackbar-games.com/n1511.html