What Is New in Video Games?

Thinking of video games often brings about many memories, memories of college friends sitting in front of the television for hours, of heated arguments over remote controls, of friends playing World of Warcraft during commercial breaks. The truth is that video games have become an essential part of our life and culture. Ask any preteen or teen how they love to spend their spare time, and most likely you will get an earful about video games. The next few months are going to see some of the most impressive game releases in years. Meanwhile, the all time classics are proving age is no barrier to sustained gaming popularity. To get you acquainted with the newest trends, here is a brief overview of the latest news in video gaming.

The highlight of this month is easily the anticipation of the highly awaited game Portal 2 because with the release of its trailer very recently, the game is looking more and more awesome.Valve has just released a new trailer for Portal 2 that wants you to appreciate how important panels are to your survival. Portal 2 is to be released on Mac, PC, PS3 and 360 on April 19.

As for the latest in Nintendo Games, if you're thinking about picking up the Pilotwings Resort game along with a new Nintendo 3DS when they debut in stores, there is only one advice I can think about, be ready with an air sickness bag! That said, Pilotwings Resort is a delightful, high-flying flight simulation game, as long as the soaring 3-D effects that are its selling point don't make you woozy.

Also, Kalypso Media have released a new trailer for the upcoming adventure game The First Templar, where you fight your way through the 13th century Crusades in search of the Holy Grail. Heading back in time to the lovely and scenic 13th century, home of the Crusades, and taking the role of a member of the Templar Knights in the newest adventure game offering from Kalypso Media, I bet you cannot wait for it! Although the details on the game's story are still fairly vague, it is highly anticipated all over the world.

It is always good to step back and get a good look at the various cross-currents in the games landscape, and with this article on the latest in video games, and a combination of passion, innovative thinking, and wonderful execution, I do hope you make the best out of this gaming season!

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Sony Teases New Mobile Gaming Console

Hot on the heels of Nintendo's illustrious unveiling of their new 3DS console, Sony has decided to take the lid off of ONE of their upcoming mobile platforms. It's been whispered about behind Sony corporate booths at tradeshows, and murmurs of it can be heard bouncing through the aisles of your local mall from the lips of the nerd soothsayers that roll around in the Sony Style Store chanting 'PlayStation Phone' in tongues.

Well, this IS the PlayStation phone, at least the closest we're going to get to one for a while, and it's Sony Ericsson's new XPERIA R800i. It's a more or less typical looking handset upon first glance. It's got a volume toggle on the side, charging and headphone ports, logos where you'd expect them, and a 854x480 pixel multitouch display. But, slide the screen up and you're looking at essentially a flattened dual shock controller, sans one set of shoulder buttons. The iconic 4-button pad is still there, as is the d-pad, and the dual control sticks have been replaced with two round touch pads.

According to initial tests, it seems to have enough power under the hood to handle 3D rendering with as much grace as any other competitor and more so, particularly because of its ample 512 megabytes of system memory. It's an Android handset, a fact that's clear enough once you notice the four Android hotkeys at the bottom of the screen. It's running a modified version of the Android platform for now, changed to feature some healthy sprinklings of PlayStation flavors. It will be able to run any game you can imagine from the Android App store, and there are sure to be plenty of third party games developed for a mobile device with 'PlayStation' in its name. What's more, the open Android platform makes finding decent emulators a snap, so you can play Super Mario World on the virtual Super Nintendo running on your Sony PlayStation Phone and stand there boggled by the staggering marvels you're experiencing.

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Written by Theodore Price

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Upcoming Nintendo 3DS Game List

The Nintendo 3DS, and the 3DS game list of the games available at launch, is highly anticipated by gamers worldwide. With the amount of blockbuster games that are being presented, and the technology that makes it possible to play games in 3D, Nintendo once again has a chance to revolutionize the industry in much the same way that they did with the Wii. By purchasing a 3DS, you will become the proud owner of a piece of future video game history.

One of the most anticipated games for Nintendo 3DS is the remake of the original N64 title, Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time. Renamed to The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D (very original), it will be interesting to see how the title will utilize the glasses-free hardware to help expand the adventure. Although it will not be out in the release, keep an eye out. It is sure to be at least as good, if not better, than it was originally on the N64.

Resident Evil: The Mercenaries 3D, release by Capcom, will give players a taste of killing Umbrella zombies with various firearms and other weapons. With the shooter being presented in three dimensions, it will be interesting to see how it will affect aim. It may become more realistic as far as aiming is concerned, as there may be more depth. It has great potential to become more terrifying than past titles, with zombies jumping out of the screen.

Super Street Fighter IV 3D Edition will give multiplayer functionality a run for its money, as players will connect to each other from all over the world to test their fighting prowess on this reboot. Street Fighter favorites will be available on this release as well. It will be interesting to see if there will be new characters, or how the extra dimension will affect game play.

The Nintendo 3DS will offer a unique opportunity for players to step into the titles that they are player. When developers begin to realize the power of the hardware, it will be very interesting to see what sort of titles are created. Resident Evil, Super Street Fighter, and The Legend of Zelda all have the ability to drive the system forward, and make great improvements in the industry. Hopefully, these games will be as unique and fun to play as Nintendo seems to think it will be, and the 3DS will become more than just another three dimensional gimmick.

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For more great information about finding games for Nintendo 3DS check out the writer's website which has an extensive Nintendo 3DS game list.

Cartridge-Based Gaming Limits Innovation in Nintendo DS Learning Games

I've been writing often, lately, about educational games, especially Nintendo DS learning games. Most of my research has had a common thread of truth: it's a difficult medium to work in. According to industry sources, most learning games marketed towards kids never see the light of day, and the ones that do make it out of the planning phases can be a bit of a gamble for their studios. Especially, as is the case for many recent games, the teams who lack the backing of a major label. Major label = assured distribution.

Problem is, the major labels don't necessarily want to innovate. They don't often want to chance the market's willingness to accept a new ideas, foreign or unfamiliar gameplay, or, really: anything that isn't guaranteed to make a certain percentage of profit. It's understandable; they're publicly-traded companies, for crying out loud. Of course they're built to play it safe. DS learning games are a tough sell to begin with, these companies seem to say. Why swing for the fences when we've got a guaranteed base hit?

Well, that's true. But there are game makers out there, right this very second, who're toiling in obscurity, putting the finishing touches on the next Katamari Damacy. Ah, says the company, the Katamari example. For every Katamari, they say, there're three or four games you never hear about that fail miserably on the market. And Katamari wasn't even a DS learning game!

Also true. So, then - the problem isn't squarely on the shoulders of these monolithic gaming corporations. It seems the handheld gaming device industry deserves much of the blame.

Unfortunately, most of the gaming innovation I'm seeing is limited to the Internet. It's as if Indie game makers are sticking to personal computers, Flash games, and internet distribution, with the hope that they can attract a grassroots groundswell, maybe get noticed by one of the aforementioned big-name companies, and try to work for change within the system.

Without major changes withing the handheld gaming device industry, the Nintendo DS and its fleet of DS learning games will be in danger of running aground against the improved software distribution system of multiple-use devices like the iPhone. Here, at least, game makers can self-produce and release games to the market without the current logistical and production restraints of the cartridge-based gaming world. I fear for the Nintendo DS's survivability. For as many things as the Sony PSP got wrong, their recent switch to digital distribution is right. They just came to it too late - no one wants to re-buy games they already own.

The handheld gaming world is changing, and I hope that Nintendo helps lead that transition. I'd like to see a similar amount of fun DS learning games on the 3DS, but, by sticking with cartridge-based production, they're hurting their customers, smaller game producers, and ultimately, themselves.

Of course, in the meantime, we have some amazing games coming out. And the pre-existing DS learning game library is formidable, fairly deep, and has plenty of hidden gems. Nintendo needs to reevaluate its cartridge-based gaming platform for its upcoming Nintendo 3DS, lest they lose yet more ground to other handheld devices.

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William is a parent and a New York straphanger. His kid is already on the way to becoming a gamer who sometimes needs a little "gentle encouragement" to play his Nintendo DS learning game, even the ones the little guy picked out, himself. William misses the days of Sonic and Mario when they'd only go from left-to-right, rather than 360 degrees.

Planning Your Bridal Wedding Shower Games

There are plenty of details to consider when planning a bridal shower. Some of these considerations include, who will throw the bridal shower, when will the bridal shower be held, who will be invited to the wedding shower, how do you choose a theme for the shower and what type of menu will be served. The bridal shower is a chance for the women in the bride's life to honor her upcoming nuptials and give her a few useful gifts for starting her new household. While there are no clear cut answers to any of these questions this article will outline the more traditional answers to these questions and will also include some variations on traditional ideas.

Deciding who will throw the bridal shower for the bride is the first thing to consider. Traditionally the maid of honor hosts the bridal shower with the assistance of the bridesmaids. However, in recent years it has become increasingly popular for others to be involved in planning the bridal and it is not unheard of for a bride to have multiple bridal showers. For example the mother of the bride may throw a bridal shower for the wedding party and the women in the family while the maid of honor may throw a shower that includes friends of the bride and the bride's co-worker may also throw her a shower in the office.

Timing is also an important factor to consider when planning a bridal shower. The rule of thumb is that the bridal shower should be held relatively close to the wedding date but not too close that it begins to infringe on the bride's wedding preparations. For this reason it is not appropriate to hold the bridal shower less than two weeks before the wedding date. However, it is also not appropriate to hold the wedding shower very early in the engagement before the couple has had the opportunity to create their registry. In general the bridal shower should be held as early as two months before the wedding date but not later than 2 weeks before the wedding date.

A crucial element to planning a bridal shower is drafting up the guest list. While it is not obligatory to invite every woman on the guest list, it is appropriate to invite all of the bride's female relatives as well as her close female friends. If the maid of honor and the mother are hosting separate bridal showers they may want to coordinate to ensure that they do not have overlapping guests. Care should be taken to avoid inviting anyone to the shower that has not been invited to the wedding. Also, there has been an increasing trend where the bride and groom participate and the showers are co-ed. While these showers don't follow tradition they can be a way for the groom to share in the fun with his friends as well.

The theme of a bridal shower is another planning aspect that should receive careful consideration. It is important to choose a theme that reflects the personality of the bride. For example throwing a lingerie party for a shy bride may not be appropriate but throwing a beach themed bridal shower for a surfer may be a good idea. The theme of the party is important because it can affect items such as decorations, favors and games. When choosing a theme for a bridal shower, it is important to choose a theme based on the taste of the bride and not the taste of the hostess.

The traditional menu for a bridal shower calls for light hors devours that can be eaten in a cocktail hour type setting. However, when planning a bridal shower the hostess is free to choose whatever menu she wishes. It could be either an elaborate sit down dinner for a shower that includes the elderly relatives of the bride, a barbeque for a shower that includes the groom and his friends or even a night at a fancy restaurant for shower that is thrown by the bridesmaids and includes friends of the bride.

Planning a bridal shower can see daunting because there are so many options but it is important to remember that you are not bound by traditions and are free to choose any theme, menu and location that the bride will enjoy. The key to planning a great bridal shower is to keep the bride's taste in mind during the planning effort.

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The Must Have Nintendo 3DS Accessories

Get ready for the upcoming collection of Nintendo 3DS accessories together with the new technology revolution of 3D games for Nintendo 3DS. In this article I want to provide you more information regarding which 3DS accessories you can expect to be released for the new Nintendo 3D handheld.

If you have not heard yet it is time you get on your feet and get ready for the new handheld which will be all about 3D graphics and gaming. Forget the previous series of DSi, Nintendo Color, Nintendo Advance, the new handheld titled Nintendo 3DS will bring you much more than any other version and with it some really awesome accessories will come.

One of the first accessory you will definitely need is the Nintendo 3DS case protector. As you will spend around 200$ to 250$ for the new handheld expect to spend an extra of 20$ for this very useful accessory. I'm sure you do not wish to get your 3D screen scratched or broken, you paid quite a lot of dollars for it! There will be a wide range of Nintendo 3DS cases for you to pick, any color you wish, very soon!

Another still not 100% announced accessory will be the 3D glasses. Nintendo said that we will no need any type of glasses to enjoy the 3D graphics but still with the 3D glasses on I'm sure the gameplay of 3D will improve. So expect some kind of gaming 3D glasses to be released very soon.

3DS stylus will be another type of accessory you will be able to buy if you will not like the original one that will come with the Nintendo 3DS. Do you want a smaller one, taller or maybe thinner? Pick any color you like for very cheap price.

Lets not forget the different Nintendo 3DS bundles that will be available for you, most favourite ones the starter pack and of course the 3DS screen protectors also very cheap.

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Are you searching for all the accessories? Take a look at this full list of Nintendo 3DS Accessories.

3DS Accessories is the best shop online for all the Nintendo 3DS stuff.

New Kinect Games March 2011

Here are some of the new Kinect games released in March 2011.

Yoostar 2 is a game where you can act in your favorite movie in the luxury of your own living room. If you have made a good performance you can save and share this with your friends on Facebook, Xbox Live and other social portals.

Yoostar 2 has 50 movies and 10 Hollywood sets, with 20 video backgrounds, which is a pretty good assortment of sets. Here are just some of the more popular movies which you can act are The Hangover, Tropic Thunder, Meet The Fockers, 300 and Kick Ass; Modern classics like "Forrest Gump","The Godfather" " The Gladiator","Top Gun" and "Rocky"; All-time classics like "Casablanca," and "The Wizard of Oz"; " The Italian Job" Popular TV shows such as " Star Trek", " Mad Men", and "CSI". You can act like some of the famous actors and actresses like Ben Stiller, Eddie Murphy, Gerard Butler, Cameron Diaz, Arnold Schwarzenegger and lots more. So if you like acting or enjoy movies this is a game for you to consider.

Fantastic Pets was the next Kinect game released in March 2011. A Kinect game for the kids, that lets you collect and interact with pets, let your kids' imagination go wild. You start with four animals a horse, lizard, dog and cat then let your imagination go wild and let these animals lose and they become dragons or unicorn. You can talk to your pet and give them commands; this is where the virtual and real worlds connect.

Get Fit with Mel B was suppose to be released in March but now has been delayed until December. This is going to be a little more than fitness and exercise game. There is over 200 exercises to choose from and a personal nutrition program including 6 different meal plans and 140 recipes. There are also easy to follow videos and shopping lists. When you are dieting and exercising it is also very important to write down what you eat and how you have exercised that day and you can easily load this into your Xbox Kinect controller. With the Xbox Kinect technology you can interact with other people that have this game and you can inspire and support each other, by joining the online community. This Kinect games seems complete and a lot of thought has gone into the details. So if you are looking at a really good exercise and nutrition program this is worth a look at.

Please check out the videos and previews of these three new Kinect games for March 2011 at Newest Kinect Games List

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For all your latest Kinect games information please get my Kinect Newsletter and I will keep you up to date with all the Xbox 360 Kinect news.

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