General gaming

General gaming

Weekend Deals: Frozen Synapse and Section 8: Prejudice

Posted: 12 Aug 2011 06:06 PM PDT

Frozen Synapse

You can now pick up a 3DS for $169.99, $80 off the old regular price. To go with it, GameStop is offering $10 off a number of 3DS games including Ghost Recon: Shadow Wars, which is one of the best games on the system to date.

Indie title Frozen Synapse is on sale in more than one place, namely Steam ($12.49) and GamersGate ($9.98). A demo was finally released this week if you're uncertain that it's something you want to invest in, but by many accounts, it's an excellent game.

Section 8: Prejudice is half price ($7.49) on Impulse, and Steam is holding a big sale on Kalypso games. That means you can get 66% off many of its games like Tropico 3 ($6.79 for the Gold Edition) and Patrician IV ($10.19), although you may want to hold off on the former with Tropico 4 not too far off.

Nintendo Patent Covers Massively Single-Player Online Games

Posted: 12 Aug 2011 05:01 PM PDT

Animal Crossing City Folk

Nintendo is hardly known for its exploration of the online space. We don't know exactly how things will work on Wii U, but the Wii's online experience is largely inferior to what's been offered by Xbox Live for almost a decade. So any time there's word on Nintendo doing something new with online games, it raises an eyebrow.

A new, online game-related patent Nintendo applied for on February 2, 2010 was finally published last week, giving us some idea of the sort of ideas it's come up with. The patent is titled "Massively Single-Playing Online Game" and is described as, "A method and apparatus that allows a player to play a massively single-player online game without directly interacting with other players, while affecting and being affected by other players playing the online game."

When playing most MMOs, you inevitably encounter other players. You don't necessarily have to play with them, but the game encourages you to and actually running into them is usually unavoidable. The patent is for a "method for playing a massively multiplayer online game without requiring interaction with other player characters." Essentially, it opens the door for actions in your single-player game affecting another player's world without the two ever directly playing together.

This Week in the 1UP Community 8/08/11

Posted: 12 Aug 2011 04:54 PM PDT

The new $169.99 price tag on the Nintendo 3DS just went live nationwide today, August 12, 2011! A 1Up Member and proud owner of the 3DS since its launch blogs about what new purchasers should check out in terms of colors and games. Another blog details useful lessons taken away from games made by The Learning Company and Sid Meier. The gaming boards were alive with creativity as the 1UP Community took to MS Paint to create favorite gaming scenes. Also, be sure to check out a 1UP Member's awesome cosplay photos of the less appreciated Katherine from Atlus' Catherine game!

Metal Gear Solid HD Collection Includes the First Two Metal Gears

Posted: 12 Aug 2011 03:39 PM PDT

Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake

The Japanese and overseas editions of the upcoming Metal Gear Solid HD Collection differ on one important detail: gamers living in Japan won't get the HD version of Peace Walker that others will, but they do get a code to download the original Metal Gear Solid. As Peace Walker is the more recent game, that makes the overseas version the better deal for most gamers.

In either case, the remastered version of Metal Gear Solid 2 is based on its enhanced version, Substance. Likewise, Metal Gear Solid 3 is based on Subsistence, meaning players have free control over the game's camera. Possibly even better than that, it also means that the two bonus games included in Subsistence -- the original Metal Gear and its (true) sequel, Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake (pictured in this story) -- are included in the HD Collection.

3DS Ambassador GBA Games Lack Support for Restore Points, Sleep Mode

Posted: 12 Aug 2011 02:50 PM PDT

Metroid Fusion

The 3DS price cut is now in effect worldwide, meaning that it's too late to enroll in the 3DS Ambassador program. Or that's what we thought, as Nintendo of Europe's website notes that users -- at least in Europe -- can still get in on the Ambassador program, provided they meet certain criteria.

Initially, the Ambassador program required 3DS owners to connect to the eShop prior to the end of August 11. If you didn't manage to do that, you can still get in through two methods: you need to have created a friend code and connected your 3DS to the Internet before August 12 or still a receipt (or other proof of purchase) for your 3DS. Nintendo will allow European gamers to register their system "very soon" at a website currently being set up that will also confirm that you're in.

A Nintendo of America rep told 1UP he hadn't heard anything different about registering beyond the original eShop requirement. So, as of this time, North American 3DS owners who didn't connect to the eShop before today are out of luck.

The IBM Personal Computer is Now 30 Years Old

Posted: 12 Aug 2011 01:14 PM PDT

IBM 5150 personal computer

30 years ago today, on August 12, 1981, IBM debuted the 5150 personal computer to the world.

It proved to be far more successful than other microcomputers, which had been around for years prior to the 5150's debut. The term personal computer, too, had already existed, but the IBM PC became the standard, leading to countless IBM clones -- also known as IBM PC compatible computers -- being created in the ensuing years.

Even Retail Copies of Battlefield 3 Require Origin

Posted: 12 Aug 2011 11:54 AM PDT

Battlefield 3

Battlefield 3 players will, as they found out during the recent alpha test, find servers and join games from the Battlelog website, meaning you'll need to use your browser in order to play Battlefield 3. On top of that, it's been confirmed that no matter where you buy it, BF3 requires you to have Origin in order to play.

The requirement only exists for PC gamers -- those playing on Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 will only need an EA account, which isn't much of a hurdle to jump through (and odds are, if you've played an EA game online before, you already have one anyway).

Those PC gamers won't be able to avoid the requirement, either. No matter where you plan on buying the PC game from -- Direct2Drive, GameStop, Best Buy -- you'll need an Origin account to play BF3 whether or not you opted for a physical copy of the game. That's according to DICE's global Battlefield community manager, Daniel Matros, who confirmed the news on Twitter earlier this week.

Seven PC Classics on iOS

Posted: 12 Aug 2011 11:22 AM PDT

Feature

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Seven PC Classics on iOS

Relive the '90s on your iPhone or iPad.

By: Ryan Winterhalter August 12, 2011

iPhone and iPad games have more to offer than cute game development simulators and temperamental fowl. They allow classic games to live again. Not every game is suited for re-release on the PSN or XBLA -- classic PC games in particular don't always play well with a modern d-pad. Strangely, however, a touch screen works just fine. With the upcoming release of PC classics like the Neverhood whetting our appetites, we took a look at seven classics already on iOS.

Sid Meier's Pirates!

This game isn't a port of the '80s classic, but rather its 2004 PC remake, and it's still a blast to play. The game is well suited to the iPad and mobile gaming. Each section of the game is playable within a few minutes, meaning you're always near a convenient stopping point. You start the game out as a young pirate captain and it's up to you to befriend or alienate the local powers (Dutch, English, French and Spanish), court the daughters of island governors, dig up booty, and fight pitched sea battles. It's a winning formula that's held up well these twenty-odd years.

Counter-Strike: Global Offensive Coming to PC and Consoles

Posted: 12 Aug 2011 10:14 AM PDT

Counter-Strike Global Offensive

Fans recently picketed Valve's offices in the hopes that it would convince the developer to release Half-Life 3. Two days later, they got something else instead.

Word got out last night that either a new Counter-Strike or an update to the existing game would soon be revealed. E-sports website ESEA claimed it would be called Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, which it had been invited to Valve's offices to see. Sure enough, Valve has formally announced CS: GO, which is coming to Steam, Xbox Live Arcade, and PlayStation Network in early 2012.

Counter-Strike fans are some of the most hardcore around, and word that GO is coming to consoles will only fuel angry commenters to claim it is therefore going to be watered down. The public won't have to wait long before it's able to go hands-on with it, though, as the announcement notes that it'll be playable at PAX Prime and the Eurogamer Expo 2011.

Final Fantasy Type-0 is Dark, Violent, Intriguing

Posted: 12 Aug 2011 09:52 AM PDT

Originally announced as Final Fantasy Agito XIII in 2006, Final Fantasy Type-0 has since transformed from a cell phone game to a full-fledged Sony PSP title spread across two UMDs. This week, Square Enix released a free demo of the Japanese version of the game via PlayStation Network and its official Final Fantasy Type-0 website. We braved the hazards of Japan's PSN and downloaded the demo for a test drive, even though Square hasn't announced a U.S. release for the game.

Type-0 takes place within the Fabula Nova Crystallis universe of the Final Fantasy series, which it shares with Versus XIII. The unifying element of the Fabula franchise is the importance of crystals, which play an integral part in shaping each game's world. Type-0's is set in a time of multiple warring empires powered by crystals inspired by gods of the Chinese zodiac, such as Suzaku and Byakko. The game hints at a rich history that isn't fully explored in the demo, but the tension between opposing empires is obvious. Type-0's main cast is comprised of a number of students who belong to a group called Class Zero. Class Zero attends a magic school named Rubrum Peristylium Suzaku; naturally, their homeland houses and protects the Suzaku Crystal.

Posted by Shri Krishna

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