looney-tunes
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Space Jam comes back to life with NBA 2K14 mod
A new NBA Jam may not be in the cards, but that's okay; a different kind of jam is here. A Space Jam. NBA 2K series modder MGX has released a set of files that transform NBA 2K14 into an adaptation of the 1996 classic film, with the Looney Tunes and Michael Jordan on one side and the Monstars on the other. Transforming a 2D anthropomorphic animal or space monster into a 3D model is no easy feat. Combine this with the fact that the 3D model versions of the Looney Tunes crew are basically human bodies with animal heads attached and you have a recipe for some serious nightmare fuel uh ... '90s nostalgia. If you want to get in on this mod or others, check out MGX's Facebook page. Now's your chance. Do your dance. At the Space Jam. [Image: 2K Sports/MGX]
Acme Anvil of the Righteous
Quite awhile ago now, I wrote about how playing a Protection Warrior made me feel all warm and fuzzy inside. Or I guess, cold and hard inside? I'm not really sure, but the gist of it was that the graphical appearance of Prot Warrior abilities combined with their sound effects made for a very visceral play experience. It was believable that I was up in a mob's face, keeping its attention focused on me, and taking everything it could dish out while remaining standing. Bashing things in the face with my shield was awesome, and it gave the illusion of being a very ferocious strike, which added a lot to gameplay. Without the sounds and images associated with it, it wouldn't have been nearly as fun.I return with additional thoughts on that: My Protection Paladin, while it still has a very special place in my heart, isn't nearly as fun as my Warrior directly because of a lack of graphical and aural appeal. The visuals and sounds associated with Protection Paladin spells? Lacking, to say the very least. Where a Warrior's Shield Slam looks and sounds like you have busted a skull open with your heavy shield and powerful blow, a Paladin's Shield of Righteousness somewhat sparkles at an opponent threateningly, with an utter lack of aural flair.
DS releases for the week of June 9th
Oh, Jake Hunter, that giant detective. It's so good to see you. Or to prepare to see you. Well, either way, you'll be around this week. Just watch out for that fashion game. You don't want to get too close -- it's catching. Jake Hunter: Detective Chronicles Looney Tunes: Cartoon Conductor My Fashion Studio Check out what's out in the rest of the world after the break.
New Looney Tunes game involves actual tunes
The latest Looney Tunes game looks not only into the Warner Bros. back catalogue for inspiration, but also to the DS's. Looney Tunes: Cartoon Concerto is basically Ouendan/Elite Beat Agents with Looney Tunes characters and inscrutable golden carrots. Players will "conduct" the music, tapping along in order to direct recreations of classic Looney Tunes scenes from shorts like "What's Opera, Doc?"* The bizarre thing is that, much like we had to deal with the confusing thought that a Looney Tunes minigame collection could have value, the Amaze Entertainment-developed Cartoon Concerto could also be interesting. Although the one piece of music named on screen is Beethoven's 5th Symphony, it's possible that in some cases we could be directing those orchestral cues that go along with the cartoons. The music in Looney Tunes doesn't get enough attention, and maybe by playing it we can gain a better feel for how certain sounds were matched to certain motions. Not that we have a problem with classical music.*Did you ever find Bugs Bunny attractive when he put on a dress and played a girl bunny?%Gallery-18332%[Via GamesPress]
Make toon tunes with Looney Tunes: Cartoon Conductor
Remember back in the early '90s when you couldn't turn your head without running into another knock-off platformer based on some popular cartoon property? Well, it seems the rhythm-action game is the platformer for the new millennium. Case in point: Eidos' just-announced Looney Tunes: Cartoon Conductor, coming to the Nintendo DS this June.Players will use the stylus to conduct classic tunes from the, er, 'toons, and then be "rewarded with clips from favorite Looney Tunes cartoon moments." Bugs Bunny, Porky Pig, Daffy Duck, Sylvester the Cat and Tweety will be on hand for a game designed for "absolutely everybody who enjoys simple but addictive gameplay." And who doesn't enjoy that? No one, that's who! So that means everybody will enjoy this game! It's logic as indestructible as an ACME Indestructo Steel Ball.
Best Buy offering $5 gift cards with kid-friendly games
Likely positioning this deal as an incentive for Christmas shoppers to purchase family-oriented titles for younger gamers, Best Buy is throwing in a $5.00 gift card with every video game purchase from its selection of E (Everyone) and E10+ (Everyone 10+) ESRB-rated offerings. Here's a list of the electronic retailer's DS games currently on that list: Ben 10: Protector of Earth - $29.99 Cars (GBA) - $19.99 Dragon Quest Monsters: Joker - $29.99 Drawn to Life - $29.99 Jam Sessions - $19.99 Looney Tunes: Duck Amuck - $29.99 Ratatouille: Food Frenzy - $29.99 Aside from Jam Sessions, these aren't really great bargains, but if you were planning on eventually buying one of these games anyway, why not do it now and pick up a free gift card with your order? [Via CAG]
Amazon gives us a reason to be jolly
Amazon has put over two dozen Nintendo DS games on sale, some of them marked down as low as 50% of their original price! Some of the titles are trash, but there are more than a few that you should consider picking up. We've listed below the ones that stood out to us, but make sure to check out Amazon's page for the full selection of DS deals. Front Mission - $24.99 Looney Tunes: Duck Amuck - $19.99 Master of Illusion - $19.99 Nintendo DS Headset - $9.99 Prism - $19.99 Spanish for Everyone - $14.99 Don't forget that orders totalling over $25 are eligible for the online shop's Free Super Saver Shipping. Joys be thine, frugal readers![Via CAG]
ACME Arsenal demo: European blend
Fellow European readers. We were thinking you'd like to know that there's a 557MB Looney Tunes: ACME Arsenal demo on the XBLM that's awaiting you and your fellow countrymen's download. Yes, it is the same cartoony demo that North Americans received back on October 5th, but it's a special European blend. What's so special about this European blend? Nothing really, except the fact that Europeans actually have access to the demo.To recap: ACME Arsenal demo. Now available in Europe. Download it. If you want. If you don't that's fine. We just inform. Good day.
Xbox Live Marketplace adding HD Looney Tunes episodes
We'll admit it, we had an idea Microsoft's just-announced Xbox 360 Arcade was coming. What we didn't expect was that it would be accompanied by a flood of family-friendly content headed to the Xbox Live Video Marketplace. Along with standard-def content from Nickelodeon, Warner Bros. will make 50 high definition episodes of Looney Tunes available for download. Of course, owners of the new Arcade unit won't be able to download the shows without a HDD, but why sweat the details (like pricing, which wasn't mentioned)? The new content hits "starting today", but doesn't appear to be up just yet, so keep an eye out for Acme-brand items landing on your HDTV.
DS Fanboy Review: Looney Tunes: Duck Amuck
Looney Tunes: Duck Amuck is a very rare game: it has mostly mediocre minigames, and yet is one of the most compelling games released this year. It absolutely triumphs in most aspects not related to gameplay and a few that are; most notably-- and this isn't the boldest thing I'll say in this review-- it is the best Looney Tunes material created in any of our lifetimes. It completely redeems a license and character that have fallen into obsolescence. Forget that Back in Action ever happened. (Sorry if I reminded you that Back in Action happened.) This is a Daffy who can genuinely get away with a Captain Picard reference.
DS releases for the week of October 8th
Don't relax just yet, fanfolk -- that wallet isn't getting a break any time soon. Just when you thought you might get a chance to recover from buying Phantom Hourglass, a bevy of new and interesting releases is coming our way. You want action? Check. You want humor? Check and check again. There's a good set this week, and we're not even up to the holidays yet. Bleach: The Blade of Fate The Cheetah Girls: Pop Star Sensations Flipper Critters FIFA Soccer 08 Looney Tunes: Duck Amuck Touch Detective 2 1/2 To see what's happening in the rest of the world, slip past the break.
Duck Amuck breaks both screens' fourth walls [update 1]
Duck Amuck is the best concept for a minigame collection we've ever seen. It may also be the best concept for a licensed game we've ever seen. It's based on the classic 1951 Merrie Melodie, in which a malevolent animator (later revealed to be--SPOILER-- Bugs Bunny) jerks Daffy Duck around as the cartoon plays. Locations are changed, Daffy is frequently erased and redrawn, and his attempts to regain control of the cartoon are met with punishment.The concept of "Daffy Duck being dropped into hilariously unfortunate circumstances at the hands of an animator" translates into a DS game well, since gamers are used to manipulating onscreen characters. DS gamers, in particular, are used to doing so with a pen. We watched the trailers and looked at the screenshots, expecting to have our enthusiasm thoroughly dampened. But the screens actually look good, and the trailers are well-animated and funny. What? Humor? In our video games? Even though we're pretty sure it's all concept art and not real gameplay footage, we're already impressed. We're also inclined to support WayForward, our new favorite DS developer (pending playtime with Contra 4.)[Update: A producer at Warner Bros. Games wrote in to confirm that all of the footage is in-game, done with Flash!]%Gallery-4960%[Via NeoGAF]
Video: new Looney Tunes ACME Arsenal trailer
Revealed at the beginning of the year, a new trailer has surfaced for Looney Tunes: ACME Arsenal from Warner Brothers. Thankfully, the game actually looks halfway decent. What we see is essentially standard fare for action platformers, but it looks well done at least. The character models look very nice and the backgrounds are appropriately cartoony (we especially dig Wackyland). There are also plenty of outlandish weapons available (including a massive triple minigun). All in all, it's looking like a faithful rendition of some of our favorite characters. Here's hoping someone has the sense to put a budget price on it.Update: Corrected game title.
Promising Looney tunes screens
The new gen Warner Brothers game, Looney Tunes: ACME Arsenal was announced only three days ago, and now we bring you the first screens courtesy of our friends at Xboxygen. Earlier, we noted our apprehension concerning an announced redesign of the Looney Tunes characters. We're generally wary of any attempt at redesigning something to appeal to "the kids" -- especially so given recent poor decisions regarding Looney Tunes characters. Imagine our surprise when the screen shots revealed very faithful renders of some of our favorite characters. Granted, we expected some cel shading, but what we've been given is more than enough to lay our fears to rest. The screens show what looks like a fairly standard brawler with projectile weapons. And yes, Daffy is getting ready to throw a pie. Oh, we hope this game can live up to its pedigree. Hit the "read" link for two more shots, including Bugs Bunny and Gossamer.
Firefly launches DC and Looney Tunes-themed handsets
If the standard translucent blue is boring your tyke to tears, Firefly Mobile has a handful of new variations of its child-oriented handset that might just be what the doctor ordered. Through a deal with Warner Bros. Consumer Products, Chicago-based Firefly Mobile is now peddling versions of its pod-shaped Firefly wrapped in Superman, Supergirl, and Tweety Bird designs. The Tweety Bird version is weirding us out a bit (click through to see what we mean) but we're sure they'll be a hit with the little 'uns this holiday season. Look for the phones in stores now or online at Firefly's site for $90 a pop.[Via Slashphone]
