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Eleven year olds sing badly about video games
Horrible songs sung by horrible singers are nothing new in the realm of internet video. So we weren't too surprised when we stumbled across the off-key ramblings of Black Out, a trio of eleven year olds that blithely warble about their love of video games in the appropriately titled "Video Games." Still, the group's shaky singing and absolutely inane lyrics bring bad internet music videos to new heights. "Game Cube, X-Box, Play Station 2 / Know all about them as soon as they are new." So... you knew about them six year ago? When you were five?What really got us about this teeny-bopper act, though, was the breathless press release trying to sell them and their song as a new wave in music. Apparently, according to the release, this awful song "elicits laughter and nods of recognition each time a new crowd hears it - from kids as well as their forty to fifty-something parents." We'd like to meet these people and ask them what sort of blunt force trauma they suffered to derive enjoyment from this claptrap.Misery loves company, so check out the high-pitched squeaking for yourself after the jump. Don't say we didn't warn you, though.
Today's raddest game video: GTA San Andreas bike stunts
It takes a brave man (or woman) to try his hand on the dangerous streets of GTA:SA, and an even braver man (or woman) to try those streets on a motorcycle. Then to go above and beyond that, and drive like a complete and total maniac? Fugeddaboutit.Thankfully, someone else has done all the work for you, slapped a thrashing soundtrack to it, and uploaded it to YouTube. All you have to do now is sit back, hit play, and enjoy. Better yet, watch it, and then go out and try it all yourself. Virtually, that is. Please don't try this at home. Unless you're trying it on your console. We don't mean standing on your console, we mean ... ah, forget it. Just watch the darn thing.
Confirmed: Mario Kart 64 on the VC next Monday
My goodness yes. After an absolute absence of any N64 games since the launch title Super Mario 64, a recent press release from Nintendo has confirmed that next week will see the arrival of one of the greatest N64 games ever released: Mario Kart 64.Mario Kart DS has improved upon the series in many ways, but there's no denying that four-player split-screen charm. Don't you dare not pick this up, people. We're watching you.Closely.
Brain tumor victim makes-a-wish for PS3
The St. Albans Messenger has a heartwarming story about a recovering brain tumor patient that got a pretty sweet deal courtesy of the Make-A-Wish foundation. Eighteen-year-old Ryan Kubas came home from a limousine trip to Wendy's (his favorite restaurant) to find a widescreen LCD TV, a new sound system, and a PlayStation 3 that had been donated by an anonymous IBM employee. To be completely accurate, Ryan didn't get the PS3 until just after he got home, and was reportedly "a little disappointed" to find just the sound system and TV upon arriving. When Make-A-Wish volunteers brought the system from their car, though, they produced "a chorus of cheers from everyone inside the house." Kubas' initial review of the PS3 reveals that it is "very realistic, much better than the PlayStation 2," and also "awesome." Related: Valve lets fan tour studio, play Portal
Today's most geometric game video: Geometry Wars PC 'Vista'
Geometry Wars: Retro Evolved has had its own little evolution, going from minigame, to full-fledged console game, and now it'll be dropping onto PCs everywhere and we've got the video to prove it. Yes, it's retro gaming action that takes you back to the land of arcade quarter-eaters like Tempest and Qix ... and it's incredibly addictive fun. Check out the Vista version in action after the jump. It looks pretty spiffy on that monitor, or else the brightness levels are just kicked up to 11. Either way, PC users can finally toss Minesweeper and Solitaire away, because this will be the new king of the timesuck in cubicle-land.
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.
Rig of the Year (So Far)
Digg today brings us our first TUAW rig of the day/week/month/year. Owned by flickr user washington_dc_photographer, this workstation sports three 30 inch Apple Cinema displays, 1 G5 Quad, 1 G5 Dual, 1 15 inch PowerBook, 6TB of external storage, 6 CF card readers, and a 15 inch Sony wireless TV. I can only imagine the kind of money that he must have spent on this setup, but I certainly see why this would be needed for a full time professional photographer shooting large RAW files and running Aperture. In any case, this setup certainly sets a high bar for future 2007 rigs, so don't forget to submit yours to the TUAW flickr pool.
Your daily fix of funny
The "great and esteemed Ludwig" (his words, not mine) stumbled across this video today, and of course felt the need to validate his existence by immediately sending it to me. Though quite old (2003), the hilariously dubbed montage of several Nintendo classics has awesome to spare. Watch! And be merry.(A small warning: this is perhaps NSFW, due to a bit of profanity in the first few seconds.)
Mac Classic Hi-Fi
This is brilliant. Absolutely awesome. Simon realized that begging for an iPod Hi-Fi probably wasn't going to get him anything but scorn and pity from his friends, so he decided to take matters into his own hands. Armed with two ceiling speakers used for sorround sound systems, two original Mac cases, and some powertools, Simon went to work on one of the coolest Mac mods I have seen in a very long time. A few hours, some cans of white spray paint, and you have the two coolest desktop speakers ever. Complete with battery power, line-in, and carrying handle, the new iPod Hi-Fi mini will be the rage all all of your summer parties.Photoset and "Product Page"Via Cult of Mac blog
"I Hate You, E3," declares Escapist writer
Okay, so maybe not hate completely.The eye-catching title of an essay from the latest installment of The Escapist puts the emphasis on the negative aspect of the love-hate relationship many industry vets have with E3, but there's surprisingly a lot of love for the trade show here, even if you don't subscribe to the hardened "I hate E3 because I love it" theory of convention devotion.While the Joystiq staff hasn't been to quite as many E3s as the founder of the International Game Journalists Association (IGJA), we can certainly empathize with the world-weariness that might accumulate after years of weeklong death- press-marches and working in overcrowded, sensory-overloaded spaces. We just hope our love of the game(s) will stay with us as it has for Mr. Thomas, whether we're watching from home or working the show floor in person in post-apocalyptic L.A. The parties will be sure to be awesome.See also: Joystiq at E3 2006 mega-site The Escapist's big E3 issue this week, with references within to Joystiq's Paris Hilton story and some E3 party pics orig. from Joystiq The Game of Journalism -- the IGJA's official web site
