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Tetris is now a daily game show with cash prizes
N3TWORK's mobile 'Tetris' app gets a game show mode and more.
PBS' Game/Show probes the endless popularity of Smash Bros.
Multiplayer mascot fighter Super Smash Bros. is one of Nintendo's biggest franchises and only seems to be growing in popularity with each new entry, but why? The latest episode of PBS' thoughtful YouTube series Game/Show aims to answer that question. The footage above offers numerous possible reasons for the series' swelling fanbase, from the unintentional foresight of introducing one of the first major crossover games to an industry that would soon fall in love with the notion, to Nintendo's efforts to create a fighter that's less reliant on memorization and tight execution than Street Fighter or Tekken. In just over nine minutes, Game/Show offers a wide range of solid, objective reasons why the Super Smash Bros. series remains a massive hit, but the truth is that the popularity of these games has a different origin for everyone. Some enjoy Smash Bros. because it allows them to recall fond memories of late night battles against their siblings, while some just like to see Mario get punched in the face. If you're a Smash Bros. fan, what's your reason for remaining loyal to the series? Leave your responses in the comments below. [Video: YouTube]
Boy races against his dead father's ghost, unleashes feels
A YouTube commenter's story of racing the ghost car of his deceased father has been making laps around game and car blogs. Yahoo! Autos has the full tale, in which a boy's father dies when he's six and ten years later the boy boots up his dad's Xbox to find his father's ghost car to race against in RalliSport Challenge. "And so i played and played, and played, until i was almost able to beat the ghost," he wrote. "Until one day i got ahead of it, i surpassed it, and... I stopped right in front of the finish line, just to ensure I wouldn't delete it. Bliss." The comment was in response to a video by PBS's Game/Show asking: Can video games be a spiritual experience? We've placed the video after the break.
PBS' Game/Show asks, 'What is a Gamer?'
The latest episode of PBS' series Game/Show aims to define what a gamer is. Is it anyone who plays a game or is it simply anyone who plays a certain type of game? Despite gaming's strong community, the term isn't as inclusionary as we might think. Game/Show argues that the "gamer club" has become more about exclusion than a celebration of the hobby we all are so fond of. Of course, that's not to say all communities are this way – we tend to think we're pretty inclusive – but it's certainly a discussion worth having. So what do you think is a "gamer?" Game/Show says we don't feel the need to define "moviers" or "musicers," so why do we feel the need to define gamers? If your grandma plays a bunch of Threes, is she a gamer? Or is it only those folks who can stampede through Halo on Legendary with no help? Should the term be limited to those folks who know a vast amount of information about games? Oh, and the correct answer to "What is a gamer?" is, of course, "A miserable little pile of secrets." [Image: PBS]
Latest episode of PBS' Game/Show discusses male stereotypes
The latest episode of PBS' weekly webseries Game/Show asks the question: Do video game stereotypes hurt men? Following a recent episode exploring sexism in gaming culture, host Jamin Warren returns to discuss growing body image issues and social expectations men face, as well as the ways video games relate to them. This is the sixth episode in the entertaining Kornhaber Brown-produced webseries, which includes videos about violence in gaming and the "Let's Play" YouTube phenomenon. Each episode offers a fascinating look at the culture surrounding games and the "relationship between videogames and modern life." We recommend you find six minutes and 43 seconds to watch this week's episode; it's a good one.
PBS' Game/Show delves into video game violence
The latest episode of PBS' webseries, Game/Show, dives into the often-controversial topic of violence in video games. The episode briefly explores the history of violence within sports and other types of games, helping to explain why violent acts are depicted as often as they are in video games. Hosted by Kill Screen's Jamin Warren and produced by Kornhaber Brown, the series has just two other episodes. The first is devoted to analyzing the success of characters like Mario, Sonic and Link, while the other looks closer at the rise of "Let's Play" videos on YouTube.
PBS' Game/Show explores the Let's Play phenomenon
The next episode of Game/Show, the PBS video game web series produced by Kornhaber Brown, has made its way online. This episode focuses on the emergence of Let's Play videos and tries to dissect exactly what has made them such a big deal.
PBS introduces 'Game/Show,' new webseries analyzing video games
PBS is furnishing a new weekly webseries called Game/Show, produced by Kornhaber Brown and focusing specifically on video games. The first episode attempts to analyze the popularity and staying power of three gaming icons: Mario of the brothers Mario, Sonic the Hedgehog and Link, wielder of the Triforce. Will we still be playing games starring Mario in 2577? What makes these characters so endearing? Brown suggests it's the shared monomyth themes. Monomyth, a term coined by Joseph Campbell, involves a basic hero's journey where an everyman protagonist is thrust into an extraordinary situation, overcomes all odds and returns home to bestow goods and favor upon their friends and family. Yup, we have plenty of that going on in games.
Draw Something becomes a game show in UK
The plans to adapt Draw Something, the app you probably still have on your phone from last year, into a primetime game show don't seem to have amounted to anything in the US, but a UK version is on the way.Channel 4's "Draw It!" pits two teams of one contestant and one celebrity together to ... wait, it's not even called Draw Something? Victory Television made a deal with Zynga for the rights to the app, which is very popular, and then adapt it into a TV game show, and they don't even use the name of the app?Without the name tie-in, this show is literally just Win, Lose, or Draw.
Kevin Pereira will host game show based on Quantum Conundrum
Square Enix and Los Angeles art/gaming collective iam8bit are teaming up to create a new web-based game show in association with the dimension-bending Quantum Conundrum, out next month. The show will be hosted by Kevin Pereira (formerly of G4's Attack of the Show), and will feature contestants battling it out in "real-life fluffy, heavy, anti-gravity and slow motion dimensions" somehow.The show, which is called "The Super Dimensional Quantum Learning's Problems and Solutions Gametime Spectacular!!" (no, really; here's the trailer) will also feature Ike, a character from the game who will appear in live-action puppet form. It certainly looks and sounds wacky, depending on your various definitions of the word "wacky."The show will be available to watch soon. In the meantime, if you need something Quantum Conundrum related to watch, try our livestream! We'll be playing the game live on the Interwebs at 9:30pm EDT.
Big money, no Whammies! Press Your Luck coming to PSN
Classic game show Press Your Luck will have a video game incarnation available starting tomorrow, August 24, on PSN. The game features online and couch co-op for up to three people, along with solo play and over 2,500 trivia questions. The game will likely be $10, but we'll have to wait for confirmation tomorrow. Sadly, the video game based on the '80s game show does not feature announcer Rod Roddy nor host Peter Tomarken, who died in 2003 and 2006, respectively. However, it does feature the Whammy, whose lifeforce is filled through human suffering and a steady diet of $100 bills. Check out a video of the game after the break.
'Wipeout' (not that Wipeout) coming to Wii and DS
click to wipe in to the galleryFrom now on, thanks to Activision's latest announcement, we're going to have to specify which Wipeout series of games we're talking about. There's Wipeout, the now Sony-exclusive futuristic racing game series, and Wipeout: The Game, the new Wii and DS game based on the game show about people falling off of elaborate obstacle courses. This Wipeout is a four-player game in which opponents can taunt and throw stuff at each other as they attempt the show's trademark (and not at all inspired by Ninja Warrior) obstacle courses. Of course, the show's hosts will provide in-game commentary. Commentary like you'll hear in the video after the break, in which yelling men ride foam rockets while the hosts relentlessly mock their intellligence and weight. Wipeout: The Game will be out this summer, "just in time for the premiere of the TV show's highly anticipated 3rd season."
Spike TV holding casting calls for nightmarish God of War 3 contest
Good news, The Tester -- you're off the hook for being the worst idea for a video game-themed game show. Look sharp, Spike TV's recently announced God of War 3 promotion/contest Last Titan Standing -- you're officially on notice. According to a recent press release announcing the show's casting call, Last Titan Standing (which airs the night before GoW 3's March 16 release) pits players against one another for a chance to play the game "before the rest of the world." Kind of a lackluster prize -- what will they be doing to win it? Well, according to the casting call: "The story, puzzles, and straight-up action in God of War 3 will be recreated and YOU can be standing in the midst of the battles." Thanks, but no thanks, Last Titan Standing -- all things considered, putting up with pre-order panhandling from our friendly neighborhood GameStop clerk is marginally more bearable than getting our arms ripped off by a minotaur.
1 vs. 100 free for Xbox Live Silver members from Dec. 24 - 28
Looking for a cheap way to stave off that post-holiday depression that we all immediately experience as soon as the last present is unwrapped? (You do experience that, right?) Microsoft's got new Xbox 360 owners covered -- from December 24 to December 28, 1 vs. 100 will be free-to-play for Xbox Live Silver subscribers. What's more, the show on December 26 will be deeply saturated with holiday spirit, featuring "Holiday-themed trivia, a decked out set, and laughs with Chris Cashman." If you're still on the fence about subscribing to Live, you should give this free 1 vs. 100 trial a shot. After all, nothing can better distract you from the fact that you won't get to open more intricately ribboned gifts for another 364 days like taking part in an interactive game show.
Swag Sunday: Game show giveaway extravaganza! (Wii)
Update: Comments have been closed and winners will be contacted shortly. If you're not checking those inboxes yet, now would be a good time to start doing so! We know we've been pushing nothing but family entertainment on you with our Swag Saturday posts for a few weeks now, and, well, this week isn't much different. We've got a prize pack full of two "2010 Edition" Nintendo Wii games that are sure to get the family together and, quite possibly, at each others throats (in a wholesome kinda way): Family Feud and The Price is Right! Hey, one of those even has the word "family" in the title! To get your hands on the prize pack, all you have to do is leave a comment telling us what your favorite game show of all time is. We'll pick a winner at random from the entries sometime this week, so be sure to check those inboxes! Leave a comment telling us what your favorite game show of all time is. You must be 18 years or older and a resident of the US or Canada (excluding Quebec -- partially because of Céline Dion, mostly because of Alanis Morissette) Limit 1 entry per person per day This entry period ends at 10:31PM ET on Monday, November 30 At that time, we'll randomly select one winner to receive one copy of The Price is Right for Nintendo Wii ($40 ARV) and one copy of Family Feud for Nintendo Wii ($40 ARV). For a list of complete rules, click here
1 vs. 100 statistics, upcoming events detailed
The first season of the Xbox Live game show sensation that's sweeping the nation is drawing to a close -- if you've yet to check out 1 vs. 100, Microsoft is pulling out all the stops during its last week on the air (August 22 - 29) to try and suck you in. Among the attractions is a free chance for Silver subscribers to try the game out during its last weekend run, and guest appearances by Shadow Complex creative director Donald Mustard, GamerchiX, Major Nelson and internet nerd darling Felicia Day. Microsoft also released a number of statistics regarding the game's success -- more than 2.5 million people across the globe have downloaded 1 vs. 100, and more than one million Microsoft Points have been handed out to the game's participants. None went to us, though. We tend to crack under interrogative pressure.
No Whiimies! Ubisoft bringing Press Your Luck, Family Feud
We'll forever remember the moment we saw John O' Hurley crush Richard Karn's windpipe, the finishing move in the back alley street fight that decided the next rung of the Family Feud host lineage. A moment like that begs for a video game adaptation, but we doubt that's what we'll be getting when Ubisoft brings the beloved game show, along with Press Your Luck and The Price Is Right to Wii, DS and PC this fall. But wait, Joystiq, there's already a Price Is Right on Wii! No friends, this is The Price Is Right 2010. In fact, all the games have a year attached at the end. Because if there's ever been IPs that beg for annualized versions, it's game shows that haven't changed in five decades.
1 vs 100 gameplay footage previews prizes, advertisements
We can no longer keep up this thin, false veneer of hatred towards the upcoming debut of Xbox Live Primetime's inaugural title, 1 vs. 100. Yes, it's tragically Saget-free, but the gameplay footage seen above actually looks pretty fun. Hey, even if it doesn't look like your cup of tea, you could potentially nab another game just by playing this one! How can you argue with that? What's that? You're angry because they haven't brought Press Your Luck to the Primetime service? Well that's a stupid argument.
IBM's Watson to rival humans in round of Jeopardy!
IBM's already proven that a computer from its labs can take on the world's best at chess, but what'll happen when the boundaries of a square-filled board are removed? Researchers at the outfit are obviously excited to find out, today revealing that its Watson system will be pitted against brilliant Earthlings on Jeopardy! in an attempt to further artificial intelligence when it comes to semantics and searching for indexed information. Essentially, the machine will have to be remarkably labile in order to understand "analogies, puns, double entendres and relationships like size and location," something that robotic linguists have long struggled with. There's no mention of a solid date when it comes to the competition itself, but you can bet we'll be setting our DVRs whenever it's announced. Check out a video of the progress after the break.[Via The New York Times]
TV Show King gives you a game show experience on your iPhone
Are you tired to standing in long lines at malls this holiday season? Next time, bring along your iPhone so you can play a game to pass the time. TV Show King [iTunes link] is a trivia game centered around nearly 3,000 questions ranging in topic from music to history to pop culture, and it has a fun side that is sure to keep you entertained while your wife/husband shops. If "TV Show King" sounds familiar, that's probably because the game is based on a WiiWare title by the same name. You can create an avatar that looks like you and compete with up to four other players. These players can either be computers, or real people over the Internet. In addition, you can host or join a game over a WiFi connection -- this game really has multi-player functionality covered. TV Show King definitely gives you the feeling that you are on a game show; it even has a host that occasionally interrupts the game to give stats. There are two things that I wish could be improved, however. I would like to see better graphics, and I would also like to see harder questions with different categories. If you're looking for an application for kids, or any trivia fans, check out TV Show King. It's sure to give you hours worth of fun game play. You can purchase TV Show King from the iTunes App Store for $4.99US. %Gallery-39507%
