Video Games -- Engadget

video games posts

Killzone 2 / Metal Gear Solid 4 PS3 bundle hitting Best Buy now

by Darren Murph, posted Jul 7th 2009 at 6:26AM

As Sony shoves one more PlayStation 3 bundle down our throats while we anxiously await the appearance of a slimmed-down version of the console, we have to admit that the game choices here are really top shelf. After catching wind of the Killzone 2 / Metal Gear Sold 4 PS3 bundle yesterday, we now have all the confirmation we need to believe that such a bundle is indeed filtering out to Best Buy stores. The image above shows an internal memo sent out to alert employees that the new package could start arriving as early as July 6th, with the official announcement coming in the July 12th ad. If you're actually in the market for a non-discounted, thick PS3, we'd say a phone call or two is in order, no?

[Thanks, Anonymous]

Update: The $399.99 bundle is now live on Best Buy's website and available for in-store pickup in select locations.

Continue reading Killzone 2 / Metal Gear Solid 4 PS3 bundle hitting Best Buy now

Guitar Hero 5's drums getting a Rock Band makeover?

by Ross Miller, posted Jul 6th 2009 at 3:47PM

Looks like that bulky Guitar Hero World Tour drumset might be getting itself an extreme makeover in time for the launch of Guitar Hero 5. According to our source, the blurred render above is the newest plastic percussion peripheral, and while functionality remains the same, it's moved the control console to the forefront, given the cymbals a more well-rounded existence, and done away with some of that body, particularly on the top and on the stand -- all in a all, a much more Rock Band look, if we do say so ourselves. The back of the unit contains three mini ports -- two for kick pedals, and one ever mysterious black mini jack. Yeah, Rock Band's drums have that mysterious unused port, too, and who knows what nefarious needs either will serve. What's suspicious is that it's two months before GH5's release and we still haven't seen this officially, whereas the previous set was ceremoniously unveiled almost six months prior to GHWT's launch -- not that we wouldn't put it past Activision to keep it under lock and key for now, but why not let its newfound beauty shine?

SCE: PSPgo's 480MHz clock speed references USB, not CPU

by Ross Miller, posted Jul 6th 2009 at 12:04AM

Looks like all that excitement over PSPgo's faster (but likely to be underused) 480MHz processor is all for naught. Our friends at Engadget Japan have gotten in contact with Sony Computer Entertainment and been informed that the Maximum clock frequency mentioned here is for the USB device, not the CPU. All those dreams of hacked firmware to unlock more power? Better hold that thought for now.

Ben Heck's latest portable Xbox 360 adds sleek white finish, Jasper motherboard

by Ross Miller, posted Jul 5th 2009 at 6:33PM

Even after five iterations, Ben Heck's portable Xbox 360 models are still a spectacle to behold -- he seems to keep outdoing himself every time, both in functionality and style. This latest model has the appearance of an oversized plastic polycarbonate Macbook when closed, and packs a 17-inch Gateway LCD panel. The big improvements here include the Jasper motherboard, a flush-mount DVD door and side panels, digital potentiometer / button volume controls, and an ethernet port in addition to WiFi. Not everything's been kept, as Heck says he ditched the camera, not seeing a point for it -- but hey, there's still two USB ports if any of his (already spoken for) customers want to add it. Impressive work, indeed. See it for yourself in the video after the break.

[Via TechEBlog]

Continue reading Ben Heck's latest portable Xbox 360 adds sleek white finish, Jasper motherboard

GameStop hits the sauce for the 4th, offers up bizarre Wii bundles

by Darren Murph, posted Jul 4th 2009 at 10:01AM

Are you in the market for a "Summer Fun" Wii bundle to get your Independence Day started right? Oh, yeah? Fantastic, 'cause GameStop has just the packages for you. For the low, low price of $249.99, the aforementioned bundle consists of a Nintendo Wii console, a water gun and... wait, what? Amazingly enough, GameStop has seen fit to bundle a $0.25 water gun with a Wii and call it a bundle; heck, it's even limiting them to two per household. If that's not strange enough for you, there's also the Pirate Tattoo bundle and Take a Bath with a Buddy (a rubber ducky, just so we're clear) bundle. Talk about really taking advantage of that whole "freedom" thing.

Read - Summer Fun bundle
Read - Pirate Tattoo bundle
Read - Take a Bath with a Buddy bundle

[Via Joystiq]

Hori's Tekken 6 Xbox 360 / PS3 joystick ain't a bad way to burn $150

by Darren Murph, posted Jun 23rd 2009 at 8:42AM

Got a knack for fighting titles? Have a particular fondness for Tekken? If so, you definitely shouldn't be playing with a stock controller, and that's exactly why Hori has crafted the beauty you're inevitably peering at above. The stick, which will ship as part of a Tekken 6 Wireless Fight Stick Bundle bundle, will be made available soon for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 (shown after the break), and according to our pals over at Joystiq, it'll be on sale at a variety of respected retailers for $150. Said MSRP also includes a collectible art book and a pinch of pride, which totally justifies the somewhat steep asking price. Right? Right.

Continue reading Hori's Tekken 6 Xbox 360 / PS3 joystick ain't a bad way to burn $150

Maingear's Axess HD Gamer PC looks to blow your mind, empty your wallet

by Ross Miller, posted Jun 19th 2009 at 4:44AM

Make no bones about, Maingear's new Axess HD Gamer (and by merit of its namesake, HTPC, too) is nothing if not a powerhouse for those wanting to pay an arm and a leg for a souped up gaming experience. You want specs? At its best, we're looking at an Intel Core i7 on a X58 chipset, dual NVIDIA GeForce 9800 GT in SLI, up to 12GB of DDR3 RAM, Blu-ray, Windows Vista / Media Center, and two 3.5-inch storage bays supporting 320GB SSD or 2TB HDD. If you need more nerd cred, ghost of vaporware past Phantom Lapboard serves as one of the bundled input devices, as does the NVIDIA GeForce 3D vision kit and a 22-inch Samsung LCD. Starting price is $1,799, but if you wanna go for broke -- and whether not you can, you probably want to -- top configurations can run you well over $5,000.

Project Natal recognizing retail shelves in 2010, says Ballmer (update: maybe not)

by Ross Miller, posted Jun 18th 2009 at 5:14PM

Despite our incessant pleading, not a soul at Microsoft -- including newly-minted media darling Kudo Tsunoda -- would give up a release window for Project Natal, except to say "not in 2009." Well, at least we know we won't be waiting too far into the future. Company CEO and cheerleader Steve Ballmer told attendees to his speech at The Executives Club of Chicago today that the Xbox 360 motion control interface is coming in 2010. That's still a large timeframe, but hey, at least you can go ahead and start planning your block-breaking 2011 New Year's Eve party now.

Update: Looks like Steve might've spoken out of turn. Microsoft just us over an official statement reiterating that they "have not confirmed a launch date at this time." Full reading after the break.

Continue reading Project Natal recognizing retail shelves in 2010, says Ballmer (update: maybe not)

Nintendo unveils light blue Wii remote with MotionPlus, for select Japanese Wii Sports Resort owners only

by Ross Miller, posted Jun 15th 2009 at 6:54PM

Just great, more hue-enhanced Wii hardware that we in North America will very likely never get. After teasing us with that kuro (i.e. jet black) Wii and matching classic controller, Nintendo's announced a light blue sleeved Wii remote, nunchuk, and motion plus set that'll be given out to five thousand members of its Japanese Club Nintendo program who have registered Wii Sports Resort. Historically, Club Nintendo gifts have only made their way stateside via unofficial channels, so if you're desperate for a non-white peripheral and using paint is absolutely out of the question, we suggest you keep a close eye on eBay and hope the House that Mario Built takes a cue from its portable line sooner rather than later.

[Via Joystiq]

Xbox 360's Games on Demand service gets demoed on video

by Darren Murph, posted Jun 7th 2009 at 12:32PM

Without a doubt, Microsoft's Xbox 360 Games on Demand unveil at E3 gave gamers plenty of reason to celebrate. Just think -- no more camping out for midnight launches; you just fire up your console, make sure you've paid your internet bill and get to downloading. For those who just can't wait to see what said experience will actually look like on Redmond's console, the video just past the break does a commendable job of explaining. It looks as if the system logs your credit card information in order to make game purchases as easy as a few button presses, and games that are already on your HDD can be played while another downloads. It's good stuff, we promise.

Continue reading Xbox 360's Games on Demand service gets demoed on video

Video: Beatles Rock Band books surprise gig at Xbox 360 meetup

by Ross Miller, posted Jun 2nd 2009 at 7:10AM

Last night Microsoft held an E3 2009 post-press conference event, and while Natal wasn't anywhere within our reach, we did happen upon Harmonix's Beatles Rock Band stage, an appropriately cliché setup on the rooftop of The Standard Hotel. We'll be getting more thorough hands-on time with the instruments later in the week, but for now, enjoy a glimpse at the concert ensemble, blasting forth with (confirmed!) three-part harmony.

Engadget arrives at E3 2009!

by Ross Miller, posted Jun 1st 2009 at 12:24AM

We've landed in somewhat sunny Los Angeles, just in time to watch the (de)construction of a mountain of miscellany in front of the LA Convention Center's South Hall. It's gonna be a long week for us covering all the hottest hardware and gaming peripherals, including DJ Hero, Beatles Rock Band, and we're thinking a few non-surprises from the likes of Microsoft and Sony. We've joined forces with our cohorts at Joystiq in creating a dedicated E3 2009 hub to satiate all your game news needs, as well as keep track of when all the keynotes are going down -- but of course if you're just interested in the Engadget side of things, you know where to look.

Things kick off tomorrow -- June 1st -- with Microsoft's press conference, and we'll be there blowing it out live. Here's when all the fun begins:

07:25AM - Hawaii
10:25AM - Pacific
11:25AM - Mountain
12:25PM - Central
01:25PM - Eastern
05:25PM - GMT
06:25PM - London
07:25PM - Paris
02:25AM - Tokyo (June 2nd)

Guitar Hero 5 hits the streets September 1st, one week before the Fab Four

by Laura June, posted May 29th 2009 at 4:49PM

Yeah, you heard it right: another volume of Guitar Hero -- the game you either love to hate or love to love -- is making its debut on September 1st. This one, Guitar Hero 5, promises a bunch of features that are party friendly, such as the ability to play through sets with no players actively playing, allowing anyone to join in at any time -- because we all know how many ragers are built around GH, right? It's probably no coincidence that the release date comes exactly one week before that other music game, The Beatles: Rock Band. So, which one are you buying?

Scratch: The Ultimate DJ controller spins into life

by Ross Miller, posted May 27th 2009 at 9:00AM

We've already gotten a couple of glimpses of DJ Hero's turntable / mixer controller, and now it's time for Scratch: The Ultimate DJ and its Numark-designed deck to steal the spotlight for a song or two. The setup pretty much mirrors the on-screen interface we saw in the initial screenshot, with the free-spinning, touch-sensitive turntable on your left and five Akai Pro MPC-style drum pad triggers next to the cross-fader to the right. According to the press release, you'll actually be able to upload your own samples using a compatible USB mic if none of the pre-loaded jams get you going -- and not to worry southpaw scratchers, you can rotate the mixer to the left if that's more comfortable. We'll have more of Scratch at next week's E3, but in the meantime, hit up the press release after the break for more deets.

Gallery: Scratch: The Ultimate DJ controller spins into life

Continue reading Scratch: The Ultimate DJ controller spins into life

DJ Hero's turntable, crossfader peripheral spotted in E3 preview

by Ross Miller, posted May 24th 2009 at 8:33PM

Admit it, you weren't satisfied by those initial concept images of DJ Hero's button-laden turntable. Yeah, us neither, but thanks to a screengrab reportedly from a television promo for Spike / GameTrailer's E3 2009 coverage, we've now got a brief glimpse of what Activision's peripheral looks like in physical form. In addition to getting somewhat of an idea of its size, we've also got the first peak at the crossfader attachment. No clue on if that means we'll be needing a second turntable, but with any luck we'll get to find out for ourselves early next month.

[Via Joystiq]