Advertisement

WRUP: The Hand of Zumba points the way to Gamescom

Zumba Fitness 2 inspired us all day with its freakish character model hand. For those who still can't see what we were going on about, we've designed an example of the hand open-palmed after the break.

On to business: next week is Europe's -- no, wait, the world's -- biggest video game convention. The week starts off with GDC Europe, followed by Microsoft, EA and Sony press events on Tuesday. Then Gamescom, with its quarter-million attendees, consumes the rest of the week and goes into the weekend. There will be plenty of announcements and news.

What's everyone playing?

  • Alexander Sliwinski (@XanderSliwinski): I will be traveling to Gamescom in Germany. Going to get in some League of Legends before I go. Going to play iPhone games on the flight. Recommendations welcome.

  • Ben Gilbert (@BigBossBgilbert): Whatever a Leidseplein is, I'm playing that. Also, haven't picked up a single StreetPass in all of Amsterdam. Get on that 3DS tip, Europe!

  • Christopher Grant (@ChrisGrant): I've had a productive gaming week, having finished LA Noire, Bastion, and From Dust. This weekend, I'm hoping to polish off Trenched (RIGHT, JUSTIN?) and Insanely Twisted Shadow Planet. I might go back to the vault and work on the Castlevania: Lords of Shadow DLC. Remember when that came out? Yeah, nobody else did either.

  • David Hinkle (@DaveHinkle): This weekend, it's all about Summer of Arcade games: Bastion, ITSP and From Dust. Also, I plan on beating up Ludwig in a little DOA 4!

  • Griffin McElroy (@griffinmcelroy): Just got on that Dance Central tip. I think I'll probably spend all weekend playing that, getting my moves right for the prom.

  • JC Fletcher (@jcfletcher): I'm finishing my second playthrough of El Shaddai. That's how thorough I am for YOU, readers. At least, that's how thorough I am when the publisher delays its game and gives me an unexpected mandatory one-month deadline extension.

  • Jess Conditt (@JessConditt): I'm feeling sentimental (I always do around the same time every month. Very strange.) so I need to spend some time with good friends this weekend. Braid, Left 4 Dead 2 and Halo 3; you are my rocks. Stay solid.

  • Jordan Mallory (@Jordan_Mallory): Since I've had it up to here with fighting Krueger in Mortal Kombat (too easy, too annoying, too many hitbox errors), I've been gettin' my 16-bit on. Finally beating Sonic and Knuckles yesterday gave me a spiky blue itch, so per Ludwig's suggestion I picked up Sonic 3 on XBLA.

  • Justin McElroy (@JustinMcElroy): [Playing the impossible.]

  • Ludwig Kietzmann (@LudwigK): I need to catch up on XBLA a bit, so I'll be wrapping up Ms. Splosion Man (that last world is MEAN) and trying out Insanely Twisted Shadow Planet.

  • Mike Schramm (@MikeSchramm): I kind of want in on Chris' Trenched session. Other than that, LA Noire needs finishing, and I think I'm the guy to do it.

  • Richard Mitchell (@SenseiRAM): Toy Soldiers: Cold War for me. Bastion if I get the time. League of Legends if I want evaporate all time.

  • Steven Wong: I'll probably start a new Civ5 session that will no doubt eat up the entire weekend.