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'Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time' and 'Ms. Pac-Man' join the Video Game Hall of Fame
This year's other inductees are 'Dance Dance Revolution' and 'Sid Meier's Civilization.'
When esports blew up, DDR moved to the suburbs
Even in a packed arcade, David Maiman stands out from the crowd. He's wearing a black T-shirt with multicolor DDR arrows darting across the front, his long, dark hair curling down to his shoulders. As he walks into his local arcade in suburban Long Island, he's almost like a celebrity, shaking hands with the manager, snapping selfies with fellow players and cheering on his friends as they set high scores. "Rhythm games are social," says Maiman, traces of a New York accent in his voice. "That's what makes DDR, and our community, so special."
Games of a Lifetime: Thomas' picks
After more than ten years devoted to video games and the people who make them, Joystiq is closing its doors. We won't be reporting on the best games of 2015, so join us for one last hurrah as the Joystiq family reveals their Games of a Lifetime. Super Mario World I'm not a marathon video game player – for me, binging on or tirelessly replaying masterpieces downplays the great moments within, tainting them with an undeserved state of blandness. And yet, there is something about Super Mario World's construct that is immune to my fickle play style. Though I've been hurling Luigi down pits since I was old enough to earn player 2 privileges, Super Mario World is a ceaseless joy to return to, even if an encore ensues moments after besting Bowser with a few well-aimed Mechakoopas. I'm inclined to most romps through the Mushroom Kingdom, but Super Mario World's memorable level design, subtle secrecy and introduction of the greatest power-up of all time elevate it above every other Mario Bros outing. Above all else, it's the king of fun within my gaming career – there is not a moment coded into that rackety cartridge that isn't bliss to play, even when a pack of Rip Van Fish inspire a spike of stress with their chase. Super Mario World was, is and probably always will be my hometown in the world of video games, and I look forward to reveling in nostalgia as I shove a pack of kids into their lava-filled demise during future homecomings.
JEDEC announces final DDR4 RAM specification
A couple of companies have been jumping the gun on DDR4 production, but the JEDEC Solid State Technology Association is finally bringing order to the industry by releasing its official standard for the next-gen DRAM. It calls for "higher performance, with improved reliability and reduced power" -- which we roughly take to mean: less gigs for better rigs. The DDR4 per-pin data rate standard is 1.6 gigatransfers per second (GT/s) at the minimum and 3.2 GT/s at the top-end, although this cap is expected to increase in future updates (given that DDR3 also surpassed its initial target). Speeds will begin at 2133MHz, a significant jump from your average DDR3 stick, and will also operate at lower power thanks to the Pseudo Open Drain Interface. Check out the PR below if you want to delve deeper into the specs, and if even that's not enough to sate you, head to the source link below to tackle the full documentation. Godspeed!
DDR Classroom Edition gets kids moving on sweet wireless mats
Though we imagined the DDR Classroom Edition setup as a bunch of kids fighting their way out of a tangled mess of cable in some smelly gymnasium, the end product looks a lot more interesting -- and a lot more wireless. These kids are dancing on some sweet mats!
Tetris played on 6-foot LED matrix, controlled by DDR mat
Watching two people play Tetris against each other is only slightly more entertaining than watching your stoner friends duke it in marathon Tekken sessions (read: not entertaining at all). But, we guarantee the video after the break is more interesting than it sounds. A trio of MIT students recreated the classic falling block game with six-foot tall arrays of LEDs (no cutesy Russia-inspired graphics here) and passed control duties off to a pair of Dance Dance Revolution mats. Look, just check out the video below and, if you're the ambitious type, you can get the code to create your own Tetris installation at the more source link. [Thanks, Russell]
DDR-playing robot can't be a good sign
If zombies don't devour our lumpy noggins, then surely the robot uprising will take care of "the human threat." . Based on this video from an undergrad at Purdue University, we know that robots are in the lead. First they learn how to play DDR, then they learn how to peel the skin from our bones.
DARwin-OP does the up, down, left, right DDR shuffle (video)
Some robots like to help around the house, others fulfill your Pixar fantasies, but this one's just training to boogie. Part of a summer long research project, DARwin-OP is taking a master class in Dance Dance Revolution from its amateur roboticist Geppetto. Perched atop a homestyle-DDR pad, the batman-like doppleganger bot does more of a slow shuffle step than full-on Running Man thanks to a slight bout of vertigo -- hence the balance bar. Once that minor kink gets straightened out, expect to see this dancefloor maniac add visual input to its repertoire -- letting televised arrows be its coordinated dance-off guide. Jump past the break for a video demo of the open platform automaton in action.
Konami to host Childhood Obesity Summit and DDR tournament in West Virginia
Konami, along with the West Virginia University Extension Service and West Virginia Public Employees Insurance Agency, is hosting a Childhood Obesity Summit at the Embassy Suites in Charleston, West Virginia on July 27. Speakers will include The Biggest Loser's Dr. Michael Dansinger, as well as some very important-sounding people from U.S. Department of Health & Human Services and the President's Council on Fitness, Sports & Nutrition. But why should you care? Because the summit will also play host to the state's second annual Dance Dance Revolution tournament for students, of course, where scholarships and other prizes will be awarded to the victors. DDR has been a part of West Virginia's physical education program since 2006, and Governor Earl Ray Tomblin believes the game is "is reshaping our youths' mindset regarding what constitutes physical activity." Konami agrees, telling Gamasutra that they intend to "help encourage today's youth to lead more active and healthier lifestyles in a way that works best for them." As always, we suggest a strict diet of Cooler Ranch Doritos and Throwback Mountain Dew for peak health performance.
MeeGo Conference 2011 sights and sounds (video)
So the MeeGo Conference is winding down here in San Francisco and we have prowled the exhibitor area over the past couple of days to bring you a taste of what's stimulated our eyes and ears at the event so far. We got to play with the Indamixx 2 music tablet -- basically an iiView M1Touch Pine Trail tablet running an audio-optimized build of MeeGoo 1.2 Tablet UX, which features a customized kernel for more real-time control and better audio scheduling. It's expected to ship for $700 in "June or July" complete with DAW and DJ apps. Next we came across a MeeGo-based in-vehicle entertainment system that's currently available in cars from Chinese manufacturer Hawtai Motor. The device is Atom-powered, includes 3G connectivity, and provides navigation, communication, audio / video playback (for both stored and streamed content), along with Internet access. We saw a MeeGo app that gathers contact information on a form, sends it to an NFC-equipped Nokia C7, and writes it to a blank RFID tag. The tag can then be read by any NFC-capable phone, such as Google's Nexus S. A fun conference isn't complete without some games, and we were treated to a homebrew, QML-based Dance Dance Revolution clone running on MeeGo, written using just a few hundred lines of code. Speaking of QML, we got a demo of another in-vehicle entertainment system with built-in instrumentation. This MeeGo app was designed to interface with a MegaSquirt open source ECU and display engine and other car data on a set of virtual gauges -- this in addition to performing the usual audio and navigation tasks. Check out our gallery below, then grab a snack and hit the break for our 15-minute hands-on video. %Gallery-124363%
Utter madman beats Ninja Gaiden NES using DDR pad
Known deft-footed retro game enthusiast Nick Hagman is an expert at conquering classic titles using an unorthodox peripheral: A Dance Dance Revolution pad. However, his latest conquest is by far his life's greatest achievement: the ever-difficult NES gem Ninja Gaiden; as seen in this video.
Super Talent debuts CoreStore MV, super small, super fast mini PCIe SSD
Super Talent is living up to its name today with the release of the world's "smallest and fastest" mini PCIe SSD. When we last took a look at the company's mini PCIe offerings, they were rocking 40MBps reads and 15MBps writes, but with the release of the new CoreStore SSD line, these exceptional storage makers have destroyed those 2009 specs with speeds topping out at 350MBps and 80MBps. The speedy CoreStore MV measures a mere 30mm x 50.95mm, combines Marvell's latest controller with DDR ONFi 2 flash, and is compatible with netbooks, notebooks, and other devices sporting a second gen mini-PCIe slot. Those devices working a standard PCIe slot can expect 350MBps reads and 220MBps writes with MV's big brother, the CoreStore MP. Both drives come in 16GB, 32GB, or 64GB and should be available starting next month at an undisclosed price -- though we figure true speed freaks will pay just about anything to get their fix. Jonesing for specs? Check out the source link below.
Samsung develops DDR4 memory with up to 40 percent better energy efficiency than DDR3
Samsung's famed lead in component manufacturing is being extended today with the announcement of a DDR4 DRAM stick that can perform read and write operations using up to 40 percent less power than the old/current DDR3 stuff. Bandwidth maxes out at 2.13Gbps at 1.2V, while Pseudo Open Drain technology assists in minimizing the battery impact. Over time, Samsung projects the new DRAM modules will hit 4Gbps speeds. It's working away with server makers right now in order to achieve JEDEC certification, but the target market will clearly be laptops and other mobile devices, where energy-frugal memory like this would best be appreciated. Check out Samsung's PR after the break.
Dance Dance Revolution stepping to PS3
Konami recently elected to make an announcement about one of its oldest franchises in a fairly unconventional way -- by adding the teaser image seen above to its Facebook fan page. As you've probably sussed out, the publisher announced alongside the image, "we're bringing DDR to the PS3." We're wondering how long they've been holding onto this announcement, considering the relative age of the box art and straight chubby PS3 seen in the teaser. Almost no details surfaced about which iteration of the series would hit the console, or when we can expect it -- however, the announcement does mention the title will have a "launch party" on August 12. We're not sure if it means "launch party" in the traditional sense, or if they're only planning on "launching" the game's heretofore absent details. We've contacted Konami to figure out which kind of party we're dealing with, and whether or not we should bring snacks.
Samsung and Toshiba double-down on 400Mbps DDR 2.0 NAND flash memory standard
Our Peter Cetera album collection isn't exactly getting any larger, yet despite the progress of technology every time we get a new smartphone pulling over all those soothing hits never seems to get any faster. Even a fool can see laggy NAND flash memory is the culprit, and Samsung and Toshiba have a fix with a new DDR NAND flash standard. It offers 400Mbps transfer rates thanks to what they're calling "toggle DDR 2.0," similar to the tech in Samsung's latest SSD, effectively boiling down to a 30nm asynchronous design that's three times quicker than current DDR 1.0 NAND chips. Both companies are opening this standard for others, and hoping that their work will be the inspiration for faster devices and SSDs worldwide.
DanceMasters, a new dance game from the Dance Dance Revolution team, has dancing
DanceMasters is a new dancing game from the team responsible for the DanceDanceRevolution series. Unsurprisingly, it features dancing. The game places your face on dancers, and is able to follow your body. Although the Konami repeated that phrase multiple times, there's no mention of Kinect, or any other platform. Stay tuned for more.
Dexterous feat: Super Mario Bros. beaten using DDR pad
Nick Hagman knows how to use his feet for a most unconventional purpose: completing games using a Dance Dance Revolution pad. He's done it before with Castlevania, and now he's used his talent to finish another classic, the original Super Mario Bros. It took Hagman 14 attempts and plenty of practice to complete the classic. The 11-minute video documenting the feat can be found after the break, with certain sections sped up for sanity's sake. Now Hagman wants to know which game he should finish with his feet next: DuckTales or Mega Man 2? [Via GiantBomb]
DDR Universe 3 is latest addition to Games on Demand
Looking to cram your Xbox 360's side saddle (that's what the cool kids call the hard drive) with more precious e-games? Major Nelson reports US gamers can now check out DDR Universe 3 for $30. Of course, we don't have to tell you that you should own a dance mat before downloading, unless you're one of those freaks who plays DDR games with a controller. If you're outside of these states united, then you can check availability of a new Game on Demand: Medal of Honor: Airborne. If that's not enough to satiate your carnal lust for new gameplay experiences, a new demo for Superstars V8 Next Challenge may also be available to you. Shortcut: Add DDR Universe 3 to your queue [Xbox.com]
DDR purse is actually kind of neat
Printing a description on something doesn't necessarily make it so, as the hundreds of XXL T-shirts emblazoned with the words "Way 2 Sexy" all over our nation's Wal-Mart's will attest. But there's truth in advertising for this purse made out of a Dance Dance Revolution dance pad, which is, in fact, pretty cool. As a bonus with this handy how-to, you get to see several lurid close-ups of a dance pad's guts. Sure, it's not the internet's biggest fetish group, but it's nice to see them being thrown a bone. [Thanks, Liz]
Guitar Hero, Rock Band sales slide reminiscent of DDR
Before Guitar Hero and Rock Band was another phenomenon of the music gaming genre: Dance Dance Revolution. Konami's "dancing" game bundled a peripheral and captured the media's attention with its kinetic "exergaming" play. Over the years, the franchise has dwindled in relevance, as gamers got tired of stomping their feet to moving arrows. Each iteration of the series brought new songs, but the gameplay turned stale, and gamers eventually put their peripherals in the closet.The same might be happening to the current slate of music games. NPD reports (via Gamasutra) that revenue for the Guitar Hero franchise have dropped 34% year over year. Even worse, the Rock Band franchise has dropped 67%. (Although, it should be noted that the Rock Band series has not had a major console release this year.)Jesse Divnich of EEDAR argues that "the music and rhythm genre is being monetized more closely in terms of a pop-culture fad," which explains the increasing number of releases we see from the Guitar Hero franchise. He argues that the window of opportunity for making money is limited and that both Activision and MTV Games are "[striking] when the iron is hot." The upcoming The Beatles: Rock Band and Guitar Hero 5 may make a big splash this holiday season, but it might not be long until gamers put away the plastic instruments and look for the next big thing.Source - Analysis: Guitar Hero / Rock Band retail sales down by halfSource - The Divnich Debrief: Roadblocks in the Music Genre
