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2011 game industry holiday card blowout
We made it through another year, folks! Take that, death! And with another year's end comes a new volley of holiday cards created by game industry developers, publishers, and publications. In honor of our features editor and most prolific writer, JC Fletcher, we've adorned the header image above with Tiny Cartridge's adorably handheld-themed card (he's half of the team that makes up Tiny Cartridge, you see). We'd also like to thank you, dear reader, for joining us for another year of video game news, previews, reviews, and features heavily laced with puns and semi-obscure pop culture references. We'll have much, much more in the coming year, as you can imagine. Another treat we'd suggest you check out (and one that can't be jammed into a gallery) is Destructoid's second annual Christmas album. That's some serious dedication to the holiday spirit right there! While you listen to that, might we suggest heading into the gallery below and flipping through this year's holiday cards? Or get some coffee first, perhaps -- it's okay, we'll wait. All set? Go for it!%Gallery-142433%
MMO Family: Why games are good for family
A couple of years ago, Massively readers engaged in a great discussion that doesn't get covered nearly as much as it should. Thanks to former Massively columnist Lisa Poisso, the column MMO Family was born, and she and the readers looked at how MMOs affect the family, both the positives and the potential dangers. I'm excited to have the opportunity to start the column up again because I think a lot has changed in the short time since the column went on hiatus. We'll revisit a few issues that Lisa brought up and some of the more recently released MMO titles to see which ones are the best for family-centered gaming. To kick things off, I'd like to explore why MMOs are good for kids and for the family unit as a whole. When it comes to talk about kids and gaming, the discussion tends to revolve around the negatives, like violence, antisocial behavior, or lack of physical activity. No one will argue that MMOs, as with most anything, can have detrimental effects when played to excess. But to focus on the negatives is to ignore the vast amount of benefits that gaming can provide. Read on for a few examples.
The Guild Counsel: PAX East panel explores online communities
There were two things that really stood out for me at PAX East: the ridiculously long lines and the throngs of fans who happily sat down together to play games face to face. On the surface, PAX East might seem to be about who has the best card deck or who has the quickest twitch reflexes, but it's actually much more than that. We've looked at the growing importance of online communities and the relationships that have been created by them, so it's little surprise that PAX was full of players who were there to meet and play with friends they met through gaming. And among the many panels this weekend, there was one that explored this very issue. The speakers were all experienced managers of online communities, and they shared their stories of how they got started and why these communities are so important. Read on to hear their stories.
Mars for Xbox 360 still dependent on publisher support
An Xbox 360 version of developer Spiders' upcoming game, Mars, may be planned, but apparently there's currently no work being done on it. Destructoid spoke with Spiders CEO Jehanne Rousseau, who said that the company sorta needs a publisher to fund the project first.Rousseau explained that the developer is currently shopping for a publisher and will give a "final answer" on an Xbox 360 version when it has a contract in hand -- or lack thereof. Bucking the trend, Spiders is developing Mars for PS3 because it's a "very complicated platform." Hopefully, the extra work will put it in the company of Naughty Dog and Sucker Punch -- and not that of the ill-fated Factor 5 and Free Radical.%Gallery-47404%[Thanks, Estee]
Original Quest for Glory devs unaware of any planned remakes
Don't hold out hope for any upgraded remakes of Quest for Glory, at least none made with the knowledge of original designers Lori and Corey Cole. The husband and wife team told Destructoid that only once since the game was released in 1989 were they ever approached about a remake. Originally created by Sierra, the rights for all the Quest titles are under the control of Activision Blizzard, which stated late last year that it was "reviewing" its options about the Sierra adventure titles from the days of yore.The Coles are interested in making more Quest for Glory games, but admit to not fully playing an adventure title since Monkey Island or the Indiana Jones series (they're into World of Warcraft). Although they'll be able to get an upgrade of Monkey Island soonish, it's worth mentioning that Telltale has been doing a good job of iterating the genre for a new generation.
Hands-on: Battle Tanks
Battle Tanks, coming to the PlayStation Network from mobile developer Gameloft this July, feels very familiar. At its heart, the game's a two-stick shooter with a few interesting mechanics to help differentiate it from the crowd (bullets ricochet off of walls and power-ups break up the monotony). Which isn't to say what we played of the the game was bad -- it felt like digital distribution's equivalent of a rental-worthy game -- which is quite the dilemma, considering the PSN-based distribution of the title.Commanding a World War 2-era tank, we piloted ourselves around a handful of different square maps, where a variety of enemy tanks and power-ups laid in our path. The layout of each level's semi-destructible environments helped to dictate our tactics while we dominated Destructoid's Ben Perlee -- er, rather, while he blew himself up, given that ricocheting bullets (even your own) can mean game over. While we weren't exactly jonesin' for more once the demo had ended, Battle Tanks' detailed environments and combination shooter/puzzle gameplay could very easily help us while away an empty Saturday. Too bad we can't rent it.%Gallery-65353%
Rumor: Lord of the Rings Online heading to Xbox 360
We've come across a rumor about Lord of the Rings Online over at Destructoid, from Brad Nicholson. If his information is correct, Lord of the Rings Online may have an Xbox 360 release in its future. Nicholson writes, "According to a reliable source, Turbine is currently eyeing their MMO, Lord of the Rings: Online, for an Xbox 360 release. The source added that Turbine has hit a snag, unrelated to the development process. Microsoft, allegedly, won't commit to allow Turbine to utilize a free-to-play model, which is what the developer desires for the console version of LotRO." Nicholson writes that he contacted Turbine about the matter, but they neither confirmed nor denied that LotRO on 360 is in the works. Joystiq also got in touch with Turbine's PR director Adam Mersky, who stated, "We saw that rumor, too... We're not talking about what we're working on specifically, only that we're making a console MMO and actively working with Microsoft and Sony." Mersky added that their unnamed console project is progressing and that they'll have something to show by this summer.
A cure for the lack of Gurumin
Are you having trouble finding Mastiff's latest? Destructoid is reporting that the Guruminly challenged finally have a new way of finding the game. Simply e-mail the game's publisher, Mastiff Games, at: findgurumin@mastiff-games.com. Like a financially invested Sherlock Holmes, they'll track down a copy of the game for you to buy. It comes as no surprise that Gurumin is difficult to find: with such a cute style, the game can only target a specific niche. If you're interested in picking up the game, don't forget to read our review first. If you're still willing to pick up this "by-the-numbers" RPG, check amazon.com: they seem to have plenty of units in stock.
Delicious new Final Fantasy II images
While reading Destructoid, I came across a reference to new screens for Final Fantasy II Anniversary Edition at Famitsu. While we've seen plenty of screens for Final Fantasy I, there haven't been many of II. That's some nice looking 2D up there. I especially like the look of the monster. He looks scarier than a male Sailor Moon cosplayer. Is one of these Final Fantasy titles your favorite or is your fav Final Fantasy still not announced for PSP yet?
G4 "debates" the PSP and DS debacle
We showed you the offending EB Games ad. Then, DS Fanboy rather maturely copied the story from us, refusing to partake in a fanboy mudslinging battle. (And thankfully, no one tried to impersonate me in the comments! Thanks, guys.) It will certainly be interesting to see what kind of sensationalistic spin DS Fanboy will put on this rather silly "debate" from G4's Attack of the Show. While we wait, check out what the editors of our rivals, Kotaku and Destructoid, had to say about the future of the handheld battle. While they complain about the lack of good games for our system, let me point out that I am exhausted from having reviewed seven games in the last week, many of them being quite good. I guess silly things like "facts" don't bother the most opinionated of fanboys.
Mario is the downfall of our society
That plumber may have ushered in the revival and rebirth of the modern video game industry, but everything isn't all sugarfairies and butterscotch. A retrospective study on this phenom reveals some startling truths about our favorite crimson-adorned pipe-jockey: a history of drug addiction, racism, and dealings with the seediest portions of the underworld. Destructoid has put together an eye-opening list of the egregious offenses this plumber has leveled against you, the gaming populace, and it's your responsibility to educate yourselves forthright.
A lesson in preventing Wii shoulder pain
When you're jammin' on Super Monkey Ball or plain kickin' ass in Excite Truck, don't be surprised when your muscles get angry. There are a few definite do's and don'ts when playing the Wii and Destructoid has broken them down for you: Don't:
