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Tony Hawk: RIDE's skateboard gets FCC'd, USB dongle required for PS3 and Wii
We still gotta wait until November 17th to do our own virtual shredding, but for now you can gaze upon the FCC's well-intentioned (but generally pretty bad) gadget photography of the new Tony Hawk: RIDE skateboard, the filing of which just went live in the commission's database. It shouldn't come as a surprise to owners of Activision's other plastic peripherals from the Guitar Hero series, but PlayStation 3 owners will have to use the bundled USB dongle to connect wirelessly to the console -- Wii, too, according to its user manual, as the usual trick of planting a Wii remote inside the controller isn't available here. Sad and ridiculous, but we can't imagine one dangling receiver will be a deal-breaker for many people out there -- unless, of course, you're able to buy the Xbox 360 version instead. Read - Wii skateboard Read - Wii dongle Read - PS3 dongle
Tony Hawk: RIDE makes official US debut on November 17th
Turns out GameStop's October 13th listing for Tony Hawk: RIDE was just a hair off, to the tune of 36 days or so. Activison Blizzard's sent word today that the skating simulator's official North American launch is set for November 17th -- plenty of time to practice your faux ollies before showing your family some virtual board skills over Thanksgiving meals. Additionally, Europe's now official for November 20th, but we already heard that last week. No word on pricing, but across the pond, GAME.co.uk is pushing that £99 / $168 figure pretty hard, and while we're willing to bet that's the official Europe price, we're not convinced that's any indication of what we'll be paying stateside.
Tony Hawk: RIDE's skateboard peripheral turning white before launch
We certainly didn't mind that the Tony Hawk: RIDE board we played at E3 had a charcoal coloring, and that goes double for our feet. Apparently that sentiment isn't shared by the game's director Josh Tsui, who told GamesIndustry.biz that it'll be launched in a "more consumer friendly... [and] iPod-like" white color, which in our minds all but guarantees someone out there's gonna mistake this for a new version of the Wii balance board. Tsui's not shy with praise either, calling the board "the most advanced peripheral on the market." Ultimately, the color isn't gonna matter to us, and with a board-compatible sequel rumored to already be in the works, there's plenty of time to re-release the peripheral in all sorts of attractive palettes -- that'd of course be very iPod-like. [Via Joystiq]
Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit gets its own specifications breakdown
Generally speaking, we don't much care about the nuts and bolts behind a thrill ride. If it thrills, it's a winner; if not, it's a failure. But the Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit is a horse of a different color, and being that it's described as the planet's most technologically advanced coaster, we figured it prudent to pass along the details that only true nerds could appreciate. For starters, each rider will have access to a touchpad in order to select their own ride soundtrack from a 30 song library. There's also a half dozen cameras in the ride vehicle alongside eight others along the track, all of which combine to assemble a take-home video of the experience if you'd like. Speaking of, check out the demo vid just past the break, and look for this to open to the public later this summer.
Tony Hawk's Ride coming to GameStop October 13th for $120
How much would you spend to pull a faux ollie? How about $120? That'll be the damage due according to GameStop where Tony Hawk's Ride game with skateboard peripheral lists for $119.99 with a simultaneous Wii, Xbox 360, and PS3 launch on October 13th. Until then, grab some some griptape and mom's salad bowl and get to practicing.
Tony Hawk's new 'Ride' game includes motion-sensing skateboard controller for shredding your mom's new carpet
We'd heard rumblings that Tony Hawk was working on something with motion controls -- which seems only natural after EA's Skate hit the scene with its intuitive Flickit control scheme, and Shaun White's game put the Wii's Balance Board to good use, both making the Tony Hawk method of arcade-style button mashing feel a little dated. Well, Tony's new Ride is looking to change all that, with a skateboard peripheral that looks like... a skateboard. It's hard to tell from just looking at it how precisely interactive the controller will be -- it seems basic balancing and leaning would be in, while Christ Air-ing your little sister in the face wouldn't go over so well. According to the man himself, Hawk is quite good at the game, and skateboarders should find the transition easy. A promo video is after the break, and apparently on June 2nd we'll be seeing this thing in action.Update: We added another video after the break, including video of the actual board in action. Turns out the motion controls are quite detailed, and in advanced modes even allow for in-place 180s, but nothing seems to involve lifting the board actually off the ground. Grabs can be performed by actually grabbing the edge of the board, with infrared sensors picking up your hand position, and pushing is performed by running your foot along the side of the board. Ollies and flip tricks are obviously going to be a bit different than the real deal, while manuals and steering are pretty much spot on, and apparently there's a lot of choice as to how much "realism" you'd like in controlling the thing. Tony Hawk also sees the controller as a "standard," which could work with snowboarding games, surfing games, exercise games and other assorted cash cows for Activision.[Via Joystiq]
Engadget's delightful cruise on the Ultra Motor A2B electric bike (with video!)
After the death-defying moments astride the Zero S, and the claustrophobia experienced within GM and Segway's P.U.M.A., we were ready for something a little more relaxing in the electric vehicle space: and Ultra Motor's A2B electric bike provided. Not to say it doesn't have any pep -- we took it for a test ride around SoHo, and found plenty of juice to power past those other suckers doing their own pedaling -- but there's something a tad more gentle to this bike than some of the other rough-around-the-edges EVs we've bumped into lately. The best news is that the A2B is available now at various dealerships, with an almost-palatable price tag of $2,600, 20 mile range and 20 mph max electric-assisted speed (limited due to regulations on bikes). Testing it out we found ourselves pedaling just a bit out of habit, and on the short city blocks we rarely got it past third gear, but there's plenty of power for urban transport. The front and rear shocks provide a well-cushioned ride (and are bouncy enough for some easy wheelies), the small wheels keep the center of gravity low and maneuverability high, and the brakes are excellent. Catch the magic on video after the break.
Evento's BuzzBall: your own personal roller coaster
Those positively fed up with lengthy lines for coasters at amusement parks will likely dig the concept here. Evento's BuzzBall is essentially a personal roller coaster, which reportedly features a "single seat inside a large outer ball that's able to spin and roll independently of the ball itself" alongside a pair of electric motors used to power it. Better still, you don't even need a hill to ride, just a wide open field (or a road, if you're the daredevil type) to frolic in. As it stands, the BuzzBall is simply a prototype waiting to flourish, but it sure looks like this company is serious about selling at least a few to those with enough resources (you know, cash and spare time) to enjoy it.[Via OhGizmo]
Rockit coaster tapes your ride, produces best YouTube vid ever
While many thrill rides we yearn to strap ourselves into aren't even in the US, a new ride headed to Universal Studios Orlando is apt to thrill the YouTube generation -- on purpose. Reportedly, designers are crafting the so-called Hollywood Rip, Ride, Rockit to cater to those obsessed with technology (that's us) by enabling patrons to personalize their ride by choosing their own tunes and creating a music video that can be uploaded for all your envious friends to see as soon as you can whip out that 3G card and mash "upload." 'Course, there's a few loops, drops and a 167-foot-tall peak, but it's the "digital audio and video effects" during the ride that you're really anxious to experience, yeah? Clear the calendar now -- this one is set to open next Spring.[Thanks, Jonathan]
South Korea doubles up, now getting two robot theme parks
Thrill seekers and robot admirers alike can mark South Korea down as a must-see destination in the coming years, as it will soon be home to not one, but two robot theme parks. Yeah, we already knew that one of these fantasmical places were on the planning block, but just today the Commerce Ministry "announced a proposal to build two parks by 2013 for $1.6 billion." Reportedly, each park will mesh culture and entertainment with robot technology, and while one will be built in Incheon, the other will be erected some 242 miles south of Seoul in the port city of Masan. A feasibility study slated for next year is apparently the only piece of red tape still holding this project back, but if the bigwigs in South Korea shut the whole thing down, we'll gladly take 'em here on this side of the lake.[Image courtesy of SciFi]
GUNDAM CRISIS attraction opens up, fanboys unite
Right on schedule, the GUNDAM CRISIS attraction at the Fuji-Q Highland Amusement Park in Japan has opened its door for fanatics paying guests, and just as we expected, a whole slew of live photographs have made their way out. Fanboys (and girls) hoping that a great deal of care would be taken in its construction are likely to be pleased, as the 1:1 creation certainly bears a resemblance to the real deal. Without further ado, head on past the break for a few more shots, and tag the read link if you're looking for the whole roll.[Via Slashgear]
NASA's Shuttle Launch Experience thrill ride simulates shuttle blast off
While just being in the presence of a full scale Gundam makes it worth the price of admission, we'd speculate that talking a stroll in the Land Walker would fall more into the thrill ride category. Of course, rocketing from ground zero into outer space takes things (almost) to another level galaxy, and that's precisely what NASA's Shuttle Launch Experience gives you a taste of. The $60 million attraction opened up yesterday to a team of nearly 40 astronauts, some of which reportedly said that the ride managed to best actual training simulators in terms of sheer realism. Apparently, the ride takes passengers through a simulated shuttle launch, and utilizes 13-channels of surround sound, rumbling seats, and an 84-inch HD screen to terrorize (in a good way) riders. Granted, we'd have no idea what cruising around at 17,500 miles-per-hour feels like, but for folks visiting the Kennedy Space Center, feel free to chime in if you can put it into words.[Via Wired]
Full-size Gundam created for GUNDAM CRISIS attraction
While those of you who have the luxury of frequenting the Fuji-Q Highland Amusement Park in Fujiyoshida, Yamanashi, Japan, we're sure a tear was shed when Gundam the Ride: A Baoa Qu was closed down just months ago. Thankfully, the successor is bigger, better, and almost ready to rock, as the GUNDAM CRISIS thrill ride prepares to envelope you in a Gundam hanger and elicit quite a few smiles. The actual Gundam will indeed be a 1:1 full scale rendition, meaning that it'll stretch to about 18-meters in height, and while we certainly wish you could strap it onto a rail and call it a roller coaster, this attraction looks to be one of those tamer "walk through types." Of course, that also means that there is no height or age requirement to see the ominous beast, and considering that it should shuffle its first guests through in July, you won't have to wait much longer to get your Gundam fix at Fuji-Q.[Via Impress]
Castlevanias on sale at Amazon
If you live in the US, you have a DS and you don't have both Castlevania games, today is the day you will fix that problem. Amazon.com has Portrait of Ruin on sale for $20.99, and its predecessor Dawn of Sorrow for $19.99. Buy them together, and you get free shipping.That's two of the best games released in the last few years, for less than a copy of Pimp My Ride for the Xbox 360. It's a pretty excellent deal.[Via NeoGAF]
Robotic arm rides, 5 cents
We've heard of robot arm-driven rides before, but this guy is seriously taking it to the next level. Watch as some brave soul in an anonymous factory floor tames a giant yellow robot arm and rides it to glory as family and friends look on admiringly, giggling uncontrollably in a giddy orgy of industrial robot exploitation. Video after the break. [Via hight3ch]
