IceSkating
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DARwIn-OP learns to skate, contemplates NHL career (video)
On the list of dangerous humanoid bots DARwIn is easily topped by the bow-happy iCub. Still -- we don't trust this thing one iota. While we haven't seen it pick up any weaponry just yet, our friends to the north are teaching it one of man's most notoriously violent sports: hockey. Researchers at the University of Manitoba have managed to train the former RoboCup star to stay upright while shuffling about on skates. Smacking a puck into a goal, on the other hand, has proven somewhat trickier. Eventually Jennifer, as the autonomous hockey-bot has been dubbed, managed to get the hang of it, but we don't think the Flyers or Rangers will be offering her the big bucks just yet. And, honestly, before this little guy gets too good and turns into a bully on the ice, we'd get it to switch games -- curling suddenly seems like a perfectly acceptable past time. Check out the video after the break.
Today's iciest videos: Spinning Princess (DS)
We went through several stages with today's video picks. First, we thought, "Spinning Princess? An ice skating game for DS? That's going to suck." The next stage, after starting the video, left us saying, "This isn't so bad." Later in the video, we were closer to our original opinion but glad to have made the journey with these Japanese trailers.An ice skating game based on touch-screen controls? Maybe it could actually work. Is this that game? See for yourself after the break.
Probably not coming to the US: Figure Skating DS
Yep, this one's probably not for us, but it's so cute that we couldn't resist. If a DS skating game did see an English language release, it's the sort of thing we might play in the closet, so that no one knows our secret dark obsession with landing that perfect double axel. Also, if it wasn't quite so tee-hee pretty ... it's a little too glittery for our taste, but the concept is solid. Winter sports tend to make for fun gaming forays.[Via GoNintendo]
