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Madmarv thinks that there might be a relationship between WoW players and metal or rock music, since everyone he knows that plays the game listens to metal or rock, and lots of videos use the same. But other players quickly prove him wrong-- not everyone listens to or even likes metal or rock music. And since we've got these nifty polls, why not figure out exactly what you do all listen to?Of course, if metal/rock doesn't win (and I suspect that it won't-- my guess is you all are a pretty eclectic crowd), then the question remains just why all that crazy rock keeps showing up in your PvP vids anyway.%Poll-8623%
All that glitters is gold decal
We've showed you some nice DS sticker skins from South Korea before, but we think these decals are a little bit nicer. Why? Because they're 24-karat gold, of course. The SGP Metal pack, which makes the DS shiny and delicious, is being sold in South Korea for 26,200 KRW (approximately $29 USD).Adding metal trim to the DS is apparently all the rage in South Korea, which is fine by us. If we ever make it over there, we'll have to keep an eye out for all the pimped out handhelds.Hit the jump to see what this DS looks like on the inside.
iMac design vs. Audi
We've already seen the iPhone's influence on the new iMac, but the Audi? A British ConceptCar site claims the aluminum and glass casing of the new iMac reminded them of another chrome, aluminum and glass design-- that of an Audi. As you can see in the picture above, the comparison kind of works. Kind of. I especially like the coloring on the windshield.I really doubt the iMac's design was directly inspired by the car-- I don't see Apple designers sitting around a table while one of them looks out the window and is suddenly inspired by something he sees driving past. Rather, my guess is, as ConceptCar says, that they're both headed towards the same things: form mixed with function, and grace mixed with power.But then again, who knows what inspired Apple to make that logo black? The iMac certainly costs about as much as my first car did.Thanks, Christian!
Apple sites worldwide gain the new metal look
We're receiving reports that Apple sites around the world have been updated to the new 'metal look' that the US site received last June at the start of WWDC '07. Since I live in the US, I'm less familiar with Apple's international sites. However, TUAW reader Graham points out apple.com/nz/ which sports the new look. I've found that the sites listed in the international popup at the bottom of apple.com have been updated as well. Anyone out there still on the previous design? Let us know.
DS Lite cover is TOTALLY METAL
If you're looking for a matte black look for your DS, look no further. Replacement cases are way better than DIY solutions, at least in this instance. This sleek aluminum shell is, frankly, pretty hot, especially with all that white peeking through. And hey -- just in case you harbored a secret desire to replace your soccer ball with a DS Lite one afternoon, this may be just the thing you need. Because it's metal.The black aluminum shell sells for ¥2,520, or a little more than $20.[Via Famitsu]
Wii Warm Up: When you just can't take any more Dragonball
Don't get us wrong, we used to like Dragonball Z. When we were, like, twelve. But with the announcement of yet another DBZ game coming to the Wii, we can't help but think of all the other deserving anime franchises that could use the gaming treatment. The import Naruto titles on the 'Cube were spectacular, and we hear that the Bleach and Full Metal Alchemist titles aren't half bad.You guys probably watch more anime than us, so which series, no matter how obscure, would you have make its way to the Wii? How about Read or Die, which could make very interesting use of the Wiimote for the various paper-based powers, or maybe Hikaru no Go, as a cool boardgame/RPG tandem title? Come forth, otaku, we summon thee!
Haier's shiny Sterling handset gets official
Way back in January we were able to get our comparatively large palms around Haier's minuscule Elegance, and now the company's latest mirrored handset has gotten official with a pre-order price and release date. The oh-so-shiny Sterling brings back the bling factor in a serious way, and while it may look like there's no external display on this bad boy, we promise it's just an illusion. Underneath the facade resides a 1.8-inch color LCD, 1.3-megapixel camera, a pair of "music puzzle games," support for MP3, WMA, MP4, and AAC files, USB 2.0 connectivity, Bluetooth, 128MB of internal memory, a microSD card slot, and a battery capable of staying alive through three solid hours of yapping. Interestingly, you can plunk down a "non-refundable" deposit of $199 now in order to secure a position in line when it launches worldwide in July, but considering that there's no word on how much extra you will be billed upon shipment, we'd be mighty hesitant to pull the trigger just yet.[Via I4U, thanks Luigi]
Wii Warm Up: Snake's Revenge
Some slightly disparaging remarks were made recently on this blog about Metal Gear Solid's Solid Snake. While a certain contingent of our staff may doubt the fighting ability of the son of Big Boss, but we know the truth. Snake is hardcore. He may ask a lot of questions ("Metal Gear?" "A Hind-D?") and he may have a habit of hiding in boxes, but he definitely has the combat prowess required for Smash Bros., made evident by the fact that he smashed his own brother.This post is a big "!" for Snake fans. We can hear your thoughts. Come out of hiding and tell us how awesome Solid Snake is!
Hands-on with Samsung's CeBIT "treasure case"
Hall 26 is definitely one of the places to be for mobiles at CeBIT and Samsung is there in full force. The booth is taking up a good bit of the available real estate, so there was much to see and a big space to cover. We took some time to look through a PR type's "treasure case" to check out what Samsung had to offer at CeBIT for 2007. The message is definitely the Ultra II devices, easily seen by the signage draped and standing almost everywhere we looked (check the pics for a couple samples). While Samsung didn't have too much new at this year's event, we still got a few sweet pics for your ogling entertainment. Samsung hands-on
OrigenAE cranks out sexy 1080p LCD-equipped HTPC chassis
HTPC enclosures with front-mounted LCD screens certainly aren't new, with firms such as VoodooPC and Okoro Media Systems (just to name a couple) have been pumpin' them out for quite some time, but OrigenAE's take on the LCD-equipped chassis involves quite a bit more distinction than the other ho hum attempts. The S21T is practically one-piece aluminum (black or silver) case that just oozes sleekness, and would probably become the instant standout in any AV rack. Gracing the front is a recessed 12.1-inch motorized LCD that touts an (admittedly tough on the eyes) 1,920 x 1,080 resolution, and just might beat out the actual TV sets this beast will end up connected to. Regardless, the enclosure also features a host of internal fans, matching optical drive bezel, removable motherboard tray, support for 10 internal hard drives, and a bevy of ports including USB 2.0, FireWire, audio in / out, and multi-card flash reader. Of course, it doesn't really matter how sensational the innards of this thing are, just click on through for a few more snapshots and see how great it looks completely empty.[Via MissingRemote]
Kojima doesn't care about HD, likes Wii
Taken from a recent issue of Gamepro magazine, Metal Gear guy Hideo Kojima said the following things when asked about HD gaming and the possibility of working with the Wii. Given the past (Metal Gear Solid: Twin Snakes), we think the possibility of a Kojima project, whether it be Metal Gear related or not, is good. What kind of project would you like to see from Kojima on the Wii? Maybe a port of Metal Gear: Portable Ops or perhaps a brand new IP?
Metareview: Metal Slug Anthology
Upon mentioning the name of Metal Slug, gamer ears perk up much like a dog that hears a school bus coming down the block. It's one of, if not the best, 2D side-scrolling shooters in existence. And upon releasing their anthology compilation on the Wii, many wondered how the title could take advantage of the Wii's specific features. According to the critics, the game doesn't really accomplish this, but the fun and replay value of the 7 titles within are enough to make up for it. Nintendo Power (80/100) says it's a natural choice for fans of the old-school: "Fans of classic, side-scrolling, 2D action will love Metal Slug Anthology." [Jan. 2007, p.108] Game Informer (75/100) points out the flaw in the control options: "The problem is that no matter which [control scheme] you select, you'll sacrifice functionality - either in maneuverability or how you lob grenades." [Jan 2007, p.107] IGN (72/100) tasks us to not get our hopes up if expecting more than just the seven different games: "These are amazing games, and if you want to own them in any form, now's a good chance to do that. Just don't expect a grand fanfare when you boot the game up. It's basically seven titles for $40 bucks. No more, no less."
WRUP: looking for those Elebits edition
With a couple of notable releases this week, our pick of the litter obviously goes to Elebits. That's what we're planning on playing, but what about you guys? More interested in Far Cry or perhaps Metal Slug Anthology? Or are you still hung up in Zelda or another game? Or do you, in fact, plan on doing as we are and hunting down all of those little creatures, trashing houses in the process of doing so? Past posts: What were you playing?
Metal Slug on GBA no more
According to the latest issue of Famitsu, by way of DS-x2, four Metal Slug titles slated for released on the GBA have been cancelled. Metal Slug, Metal Slug 2, Metal Slug 3, and Metal Slug X have all been tossed to the garbage. No other information explaining why the titles have been cancelled is available. Could it have something to do with the upcoming release of Metal Slug Anthology?
Plasma Focus researchers develop non-radioactive X-ray for metals
Cesar Moreno, who heads the "Plasma Focus" physics research group at the University of Buenos Aires, has co-developed a "non-conventional setup" for taking X-rays of metallic objects sans the need for nuclear hardware. Based on "plasma focus hard X-ray" technology, this newfangled approach differs from more traditional routes -- which require irradiating the items to be scanned with radioactive element -- by demanding only electricity and a rather large workspace. After seven years of toil (and potential exposure to incredible amounts of gene-altering radiation), he was finally able to display photos of a "camera, door lock, and a bolt fixated to a metal bar" as proof of a working machine. The device can reportedly take photographs that pass through any type of metal up to 25-millimeters thick (including moving objects) without a single "trace of radiation or heat generated during the process." Although Moreno has a lot of red tape to clear before we see his invention in radiography labs, the $10,000 prize he captured for his work should certainly provide adequate motivation to get things moving.[Via The Inquirer]
TGS 06: More Metal Slug Anthology screens uncovered
I don't think I can ever get bored of Metal Slug's super expressive and detailed sprites dying ultra-violent deaths, and this year's Tokyo Game Show kicking off today, Gamespot has uncovered a cache of new screens for us all to drool over.Now, in case you don't already know, Metal Slug Anthology is a collection of six previous Metal Slug games. It is set to ship Nov. 7, 2006 and will support two-player wireless multi-player.God, I love this franchise and to think we get six games in one really gets me excited.(Via Gamespot)
Gaming Nexus interviews Killzone director
The Killzone posts keep rolling in. We first spotted the demo, found out the November OPM will feature it and have reviewed even reviewed the demo, but now here's an Gaming Nexus interview with Mathijs de Jonge, the games lead designer and director.In the interview, Mathijs explains how the game ties in with its predecessor, how many levels to expect, vehicle use and says the game is nothing like Metal Gear Solid. It's kind of funny because I even made mention of the two game's looking very similar in my review. GamingNexus: Killzone: Liberation is quite a departure from the original Killzone on the PlayStation 2. Why did you decide to switch from a first-person shooter to an overhead shooter? MdJ : We wanted to create a new experience within the Killzone Universe. Pulling out the camera to a third person perspective was the thing that we thought would change the experience most. So when we started working on this game this was the very first we tried. Then we decided to stick with it as it gave us a lot of inspiration for new mechanics and areas of focus such as improving the AI system.(Via Gaming Nexus)
Smash Bros Dojo update: Snaaaaaaaaaake!
Honestly, how good does the above screenshot make you feel? The Dojo has updated us with a Snake "bio," which only reveals that Snake's attacks will primarily revolve around the use of explosives rather than realistic firearms. The thought of sneaking behind someone and snapping their neck, while in execution during gameplay is more than likely not all that practical, is a keen prospect nonetheless.[Thanks to everyone who sent this in!]
PSP impressions: Metal Gear Digital Graphic Novel
My timing on snatching up a good 5 minutes with the Metal Gear Digital Graphic Novel was impeccable. Situated directly across the walkway of the Tecmo booth and next to Atlus' wonderful booth, the seat on the white bench called to me with the strength of a siren's song. I didn't think I would be able to hear anything from the unit, yet surprisingly there was little traffic there for the 5 minutes leading up to the Tecmo girls strutting out for their annual thing while I watched the digital comic unfold.As for the artwork and voice work on the E3 build I was privileged enough to spend some time with, they were both very good. The panning was tastefully executed and Ocelot's dialogue, which took up most of what little time I had for the demo, was rich and powerful. Their pistol dual re-enacted from Metal Gear Solid was incredible. Overall the package seemed to be on par with, if not better than, The Silent Hill Experience UMD and has easily made my list of 'must buy' when it releases next month.
Metal Gear: Portable Ops info
With the announcement of a true Metal Gear Solid title hitting the PSP at E3, it was on my list of most desirable games that just had to be played. Sadly, time did not permit this and I was forced to leave the floor without getting my hands on it that Friday afternoon. Lacking the information I most desired (see: how the controls worked), Gamespot managed to swoop in to fill that void of information in my cranium and even went on to discuss the multiplayer modes that will be available in the final product during E3.
