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Portal: Still Alive, Lips, Uno Rush, Galaga Legions to be announced at Microsoft Press Conference
Gamerscore Blog has leaked Microsoft's announcements in their video RSS feed -- below is a list of games we'll see at the press conference today: Fable 2 Gears of War 2 Guitar Hero World Tour Rockband 2 Lips Uno Rush Galaga Legions Portal: Still Alive So looks like a sequel/sidequel to Portal is in the works for Xbox 360, as is another Uno game, and a Galaga sequel. More news to come, including what we can get out of the video that accompanies the leaked post.Thanks, William D.!
X3F LIVE: Online now! [Update]
Update: The event has now ended. Thanks to everyone who participated and stay tuned for another X3F LIVE event in the near future!Drop your keyboard. Throw your monitor out the window. Pop in your dusty old copy of Gears of War. X3F LIVE is online now. Join us online in Uno from 9:30PM EST until 10:30PM for some hot card-on-card action and then stick around for a chainsaw fest in Gears of War from 10:30PM EST until 11:30PM.Most of the gang is here and we're eager to play with the community. Add X3FLIVE to your friends list and track down Richard (SenseiRam), Dusin (SuperDunners), Alexander (Sli Xander) and Xav (Snypz)-- join the social gaming night as the night progresses and have a blast!Game on people!
X3F LIVE hits Uno and Gears tonight!
The votes are in and a recount isn't necessary. Gears of War swept up the competition claiming the top spot for tonight's gaming session; with Uno leading the charge for Xbox Live Arcade. Originally we were going to have a dedicated Gears of War marathon tonight but the rest of the team has fond memories of Uno and decided to throw it in hour numero one (you thought I was going to day Uno didn't you?).Tonight look out for the following gamertags and join the gaming sessions in progress, the games will be open and we hope you can jump in to play around!Add X3FLIVE to your friend list and use the Friends of Friends feature to spot the rest of the crew online! If you'd like to join us online spot the rest of the crew (Gamertags below) and join our gaming sessions!Uno -- 9:30-10:30 PM ESTSenseiRam (Richard)*Sli Xander (Alexander)*Snypz (Xav)SuperDunners (Dustin)(each gamertag will host their own game)*Richard and Alexander are going to try to make it for the Uno portion of the eventGears of War -- 10:30-11:30 PM ESTSnypz -- In one hosted roomScheduled to play: Richard, Dustin, XavCheck back here at X3F at 9 PM EST for a reminder of the event and any last minute detail changes! We look forward to chainsawing you later tonight!
Spend Mother's Day playing games with mom
Don't panic: It's Mother's Day today in North America. We know it crept up on you, overshadowed by more significant holidays like Gears of War 2 Gameplay Footage Day and GTAIV Day Month. Luckily, Susan Arendt over at Game|Life has your back, with a list of excellent gaming gifts for moms of all types (or at least, all gaming types).Does your mom miss those classic card game nights around the kitchen table? Fire up UNO on Xbox Live Arcade. Is she a tad overprotective of her offspring? She might relate to BioShock's Big Daddies (yes, we get the irony). Does she dig cooking and adorably mispronounced English? Then it's Cooking Mama all the way.Of course, for moms who are less than avid gamers, there are also a plethora of excellent casual games out there. Titles like Peggle, Diner Dash, and Puzzle Pirates could prove to be perfect distractions for the mom with a lot on her plate. Happy Mother's Day to all the Joystiq-reading maternal units.
Uno electric unicycle gets spiffy new body, still terrifying
Last we saw the Uno electric unicycle it was looking very much like the prototype it was, but as you can see above, it seems that the teenage engineers behind it have been doing anything but slacking in the ensuing months. As Motorcycle Mojo reports, the third incarnation of the vehicle recently made its debut at the 2008 National Motorcycle Show in Toronto, with it sporting some custom-made wheels, a stylin' new body, and a few changes under the hood as well. That latter bit apparently even included a trip to a robotics and gyro expert in California, who helped to fine tune the two gyros the Uno uses for turning and forward and backward motion (something you probably want to get right). There's still no word as to when or if the vehicle might actually enter production, however, but you can at least now get a great look at it courtesy of the generous batch of pics Motorcycle Mojo has provided at the link below.[Via Digg, thanks Daniel]
Pinball FX goes Halloween, UNO gets big button
There's new XBLA updates and content for both Pinball FX and UNO that just came out (or are about to release) and we figured we'd pass on the news. Since, you know, we're in the business of informing.XBLA game UNO just received a title update today allowing for Scene It?'s big button pad support, Vision camera game search and easier access to privacy settings. The other piece of DLC goodness is for Pinball FX and is a new "Buccaneer Table" releasing next Wednesday, October 31st. And if you can't see the link, the release is on Halloween. The new table will cost 200 Microsoft points (though, some are reporting it's free) with more tables releasing in the next few months. You've now been XBLA DLC informed. Lucky you.Read - Pinball FX gets new contentRead - UNO update
Mac OS X tools for real life
This article made me chuckle-- Stuart Frisby of Thirty Six Degrees wrote a short piece about five Mac OS X tools not that he'd like to see on the iPhone, but that he'd like to see in Analog Life (or Analogue Life, in his case).The Finder function is an old favorite-- it really would be great to find your keys via a Spotlight-like interface. But Disk Utility in real life would be a nice bonus as well; a quick Restore right after I'd said something inappropriate to a lady friend would be a lifesaver. But the best would be Uno-- every car could be a Porsche, everyone could be beautiful all the time, and even fast food could taste like steak.Five tools doesn't seem like enough-- if you could put a Mac OS X app to work in your real life, what would you choose?Thanks, James!
Teen engineers create eco-minded electric unicycle
Two clever Canadian teen-scientists have built a bizarre, eco-friendly electric bike which runs on principals similar to those of the Segway -- but looks way cooler. The motorized prototype (called either the "Uno" or "Tango," depending on who you speak with), sports two wheels side-by-side, sort of like a double unicycle which the rider sits directly above. The bike, based off of the frame design of a Yamaha R6 sport bike, can reach speeds of up to 40 MPH, and uses accelerometer technology to keep its balance. Inventors Ben Gulak and Jason Morrow say that the bike beats out the Segway in terms of speed, and delivers better maneuverability than Bombardier's Embrio unicycle concept. The whole package is surprisingly powered by amped-up wheelchair motors and 36-volt batteries. Next up, the young men plan to assemble a rag-tag band of colorful characters, get on their bikes, and ride into Neo-Tokyo during a riot.[Via Ubergizmo]
UNO 1.5
I'm not one to fiddle with the appearance of my Mac's UI. I think Apple did a pretty good job, and I see no reason to change it. That being said, certain parts of OS X's default appearance can be a little inconsistent, and the custom UI theme called UNO was designed to make OS X consistent across the board. UNO 1.5 has just been released, and it is a complete rewrite of everyone's favorite OS X theme. If you want to banish Brushed Metal from your Mac, or just like the look of the so called 'Unified Toolbar,' then UNO is worth checking out.
Games for Windows Live and Halo 2 hit Vista May 8th
var digg_url = 'http://digg.com/gaming_news/Games_for_Windows_Live_and_Halo_2_hit_Vista_May_8th'; While the editors of Games for Windows' official magazine may not be ready to drink the Vista-flavored Kool-Aid just yet, Microsoft is ready to give Vista early adopters a handful of reasons to pick up the latest OS upgrade ... err, at least they're ready to announce a date when you may want to plan on doing the picking up: May 8th. Yup, in eight weeks, Microsoft's Games for Windows Live service (doesn't roll of the tongue as easily as Xbox Live, eh?) and its inaugural title, Halo 2, will be available for Vista users.Don't care much for Halo 2? In "June" Shadowrun -- the first Live Anywhere title enabling cross-platform multiplayer -- hits the Xbox 360 and Vista with full Live integration. The final title they're eager to talk about is UNO, which will be released on Vista "later in 2007." We're not sure why a seemingly simple title like UNO isn't making the launch of the service (or even getting a date) but Microsoft assures us there will be more news around this decision later and that it will be apparent why we're not getting a release date now. They also said cross-platform licensing decisions for titles like UNO have not been worked out yet; we're betting this is gonna get tricky.%Gallery-2105%
Rumor: Uno on the DS (again)
It's being reported that Sega is working on a new Uno game for the DS that features touchscreen functionality. According to German site Gamefront, details on the Sega game are vague, and it's only rumored to be related to the popular card game. It would be no surprise to see a well-done Uno game (particularly if it included WiFi play), considering the success of the game on Xbox Live, but knowing the Japanese, it could be anything! One thing is certain -- this mysterious title is slated for a June release. We'll keep an eye out for further news clarifying this title.
Xbox Live 12 month Vision pack for $66
Are you in need of a Xbox Live gold subscription renewal pretty soon? You know, that will set you back roughly $50 for 12 months. But for only $16 more you can get the Xbox 360 Live Camera Bundle instead. TeamXbox stumbled upon this great Amazon.com deal over the weekend and we must say, it's a good option for those who need to renew their subscription. The bundle includes 12 months of Xbox Live gold access, Vision camera, headset, 200 Microsoft Points, UNO, Robotron and free shipping for $65.95. You just can't beat a $15 savings![Via TeamXbox]
CES: UNO is Live Anywhere!
There's no need to skim through Microsoft's CES press release any longer, we have the only piece of information you need to know right here:"And for casual gamers, the company demonstrated a cross-platform game of "UNO!," with some players joining from their Windows Vista-based PCs and others joining from their Xbox 360 consoles."That's right, folks, UNO! (note the exclamation point for added awesomeness) is Live Anywhere. Why bother with a gun-toting space marine when you can inflict massive damage with the ego-shattering Wild Draw 4 ... anywhere. Sure, IPTV is cool if you're into that thing. We'll take UNO Anywhere.
Most played games of 2006 [update 1]
Major Nelson painstakingly compiled all the data from 2006 and came up with one gigantic list of the top games of 2006. Be sure to note that his list takes into account only unique users that played the game on Live. Gears of War is awarded the top spot for most played Xbox 360 game, Halo 2 takes original Xbox game honors, and the dark horse for XBLA games is UNO. Interesting note that Hexic HD came in second under Xbox 360 games, when were under the impression that it was an arcade game. Hmm. If you're jonesing for some Xbox Live data in chart form, jump on over to Major's site ... he's the stat master.Update 1: We overlooked the note that the top list contains all 360 content including Arcade games. So, Hexic HD you're not so shady after all and we simply can't label you as an XBLA game either.
It's Wednesday, time for ... an UNO deck? [update]
Microsoft sent out a press release yesterday trumpeting the latest UNO deck for Xbox Live Arcade. We didn't get around to posting it. So, we start typing up this post when we notice something:"This week's Xbox Live Arcade Wednesday release brings the award-winning Kameo franchise to everyone's favorite card game, UNO." [Emphasis ours.]Now, we like UNO. It's one of our favorite games to use for editorial "meetings." But an UNO deck is not, we repeat not, an Arcade Wednesday release. It's new content for a game that we already have. Yeah, yeah, a new deck introduces new rules, so you could argue that it's like a new game, but why would you? Ah, we're just pissed it wasn't Small Arms. If you're interested, the Kameo deck contains a card that lets you swap hands with another player. Seems kind of mean really. Should you desire this deck, it will only set you back 100 MS points. Now, if you'll excuse us, we're going back to the Rainbow Six demo.Update: This deck has been pulled from Marketplace. Apparently there's a bug in it. Sorry to get your UNO hopes up.
Vision library expands beyond Uno
As expected, Microsoft has updated following Arcade titles for use with the Vision Camera: Bankshot Billiards 2 Hardwood Hearts Hardwood Spades Hardwood Backgammon The press release also reminds parents to check their family settings. Good idea.Speaking of adult-oriented action, Activision's World Series of Poker: Tournament of Champions, the first game to take advantage of the Digimask facial mapping stuff, hits store shelves today. So Microsoft has camera support covered as far as pool sharking and problem gambling are concerned. Now where are the gesture-based games, starting with Totem Ball? I have read that the Vision is supposed to come with a download code for that flailing effort, but the $40 SKU I picked up at Toys R Us included only Uno and one month of XBL Gold (There are no titles mentioned on the packaging). I'll try out the facial mapping feature in WSoP tonight and let you know if it does my handsome mug justice.
Vision Camera: Uno uncensored
I picked up a Vision Camera a few days early thanks to the stock first, ask questions later policy at the local Toys R Us. After a weekend spent playing Uno under the watchful gaze of complete strangers (at the expense of this blog I'm afraid), I can report that the camera is a worthy purchase based on that cool watery dashboard effect alone. Webcams have been around forever, but it still feels strange to have to check your boxers for complete scrotal coverage while playing a console. Just pray the guy on the other side does the same. I talked to a couple girl gamers who had already witnessed Uno hands that devolved into a sordid game-within-a-game of "show me yours, I'll show you mine" to the shrieking glee of the zit-faced participants (and presumably, the horror of the ESRB). Wild Cards never had so much economic clout. Expect this type of seedy peep show bartering to take off as the Vision makes its way into more sweaty palms this week. It will probably take a couple months before the novelty of pimping out your girlfriend for color changes wears off, or at least settles to a tolerable level. In the mean time, YouTube should prepare for a flood of poorly lit softcore with the same soundtrack.
Scramble delayed, have some UNO instead
Scramble, Konami's arcade shooter that was slated to hit Xbox Live Arcade today, has been delayed. According to the press release that arrived in our inbox, the game hit some bumps during the certification process. As such, the boys in Redmond are giving it an extra week to iron out the kinks. So, whatever will we do with our empty Wednesday? Grab the new PGR3 theme deck for UNO, of course! Depending on who you ask, it might actually be more exciting than Scramble.Anybody grab the deck yet? Any spiffy cards?
25-year-old XBLA game delayed by a week
In a moment that's sure to elicit a grin or an unstoppable urge to fling your retinas into the back of your head, a game that was released in 1981 has somehow managed to be delayed for a week in the year 2006. Konami's side-scrolling shooter, Scramble, was all set for release this Wednesday when Microsoft's elite and possibly overworked team of testers concluded that the game simply wasn't ready to hit Xbox Live Arcade. The official word reveals that "during the final testing and certification of the title, we discovered some minor issues that should be addressed. Therefore, we are going to take an extra week and fix these items to ensure a high quality game experience for all when the title does launch on its new date of Wednesday, September 13." This isn't the first time the weekly XBLA release schedule has had to make due without a new game -- this week's replacement is a Project Gotham Racing 3 UNO deck priced at 100 points ($1.25 in non-funny money). As exciting as theme decks and picture packs may be, the consistency of game releases has been somewhat shaky so far. Let's hope future XBLA Wednesdays don't have more games taking XBLA sick days. Har.[Thanks Matt!]
There's no FU in UNO
UNO for XBLA may be a relaxed take on a classic family game, but more than one innocent tyke has discovered that kids on Live say the darndest things, especially if your gradeschool opponents are losing, or worse, winning. Mike from K1lla's Xbox Domain reports being called a "momma licker," "goat sh-t," "dog humper" and several other salty pejoratives that rhyme with woodchuck. Has Uno become as bad as Halo 2 when it comes to juvenile playground obscenities? What's the darndest thing you've ever yelled at an 11-year-old? Seen any obscene sign language on the Vision cam?[Warning: Link not safe for tender ears or corporate filters][Thanks Joey]
