monkey
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Blyk-powered 'Orange Shots' service coming next month to Monkey customers
Now that Blyk's free-service-for-ads model has officially bitten the dust, we're starting to see new ideas come out of the woodwork from the Dutch company that might (or might not) stand a better chance of striking a survivable balance of value and profitability. Orange UK has announced that it'll be launching Orange Shots as of February 1, a program for advertisers that lets them target subscribers of its Monkey prepaid service in very specific ways. Sound familiar? Yeah, that was pretty much what Blyk had been doing all along -- difference being that they're no longer trading access to that targeted group for free minutes and texts. As far as we can tell, Orange is simply offering its subscribers the hope of getting special offers from advertisers, meaning its margins are probably going to be a lot higher here than Blyk's ever were before -- assuming Monkey customers agree to sign up, of course. For now, it's purely opt-in; let's hope it stays that way.
MMO Family: A parent's look at Ether Saga Online
MMO Family is your resource for leveling a gaming-specced family ... From tips on balancing gaming with family life to finding age-appropriate niches for every family member, MMO Family offers you advice on MMO gaming of the family, by the family and for the family. Next in our look at kids' MMOs is Ether Saga Online, winner of a 2009 National Parenting Publications Award for tweens and teens video games. Compared with the freewheeling, open-ended approach of Free Realms, ESO presents a more traditional MMO face. Even so, you probably weren't expecting a work of classic literature -- but that's in fact what you'll get. ESO, which was first developed for Chinese players, is based on Journey to the West (often known in the West as Monkey), considered one of the four great classical novels of Chinese literature. All that, and it's free to play, too.
Super Monkey Ball 2 now $5 on iPhone
Good news, fans of ... well, fans of monkeys trapped in hamster balls who are forced to roll through perilous obstacle courses in a sad attempt to collect bananas. Sega recently announced a halving of the price for Super Monkey Ball 2 on the iPhone, which reduces the cost to a mere $4.99. If you've been waiting to fulfill your spherical, simian desires, this might just be your best chance. If rollin' monkeys isn't your thing, check out Touch Arcade for a pretty sizable list of temporarily discounted apps. They'll cater to a much broader range of interests, including poker and zombie pizza-making.
Breakfast Topic: Should raid progression even be tracked anymore?
With the ease of Wrath of the Lich King raiding we're seeing guilds kill boss after boss at an alarming rate. And I'm not just talking about 5-man heroic bosses (those seem a bit hard, actually). I'm not even talking about 10-man bosses (easy cake). I'm talking about the big bad sorry excuse for a boss that is 25-man raiding.Some guilds can roll their face over the keyboard and kill something.Others just have their cat play with the mouse and keyboard for a couple hours.Still others are hiring 25 monkeys to sit in a room together clapping their hands while throwing feces at the screen. The occasional flick of their tail hits the keyboard and presses any of the numerous iWin buttons currently in game that automatically kills a level 83 mob. While the monkeys are doing this and other disgusting acts, they're also writing Shakespearian dramas, fixing the economy, bailing out the auto industry and homeowners, and ending all wars through creating world peace.This is what 25-man raiding has become. It's so easy a caveman monkey could do it!Do boss kills even count for anything anymore? Not really, no.
Timesplitters 4 teaser: Revenge of the Simian
"Every game has a sequel." Oh, if only that were true. In the case of Timesplitters: Future Perfect, however, it is. Timesplitters 4 is well and truly in production. We're happy about it, but not as optimistic as we might have been before a certain narcotic-and-war-condemning title was released over Summer. Still, our hopes are high that Free Radical's next project will be a little less pretentious and a little more fun, like other Timesplitters games were. A new video has appeared on the Free Radical website. It doesn't show a lot but, like the first teaser, it shows of more what we can expect from the game; monkeys and pop-culture parody. While the video is cute (particularly the very end), we desperately want to see some actual game footage. Still, a monkey in a suit is better than nothing. Right?
Tomorrow's WoW Insider Show has your chance to win a monkey
Our weekly podcast is back again this Saturday (as it is every weekend, at 3:30pm Eastern on WoW Radio), and this week's show promises to be a good one. Not only is Turpster going to be on with us, and not only are we welcoming our new columnist Chase Christian to the show for the first time, but we're going to give away probably the best prize we've ever passed out on the WoW Insider Show: a Bananas pet monkey, straight from Turpster's WoW TCG collection.Come for the giveaway, but stay for the discussion, because we'll be chatting about the raid tweaking coming in 3.0.2, the non-Honor wipe, Blizzard's big win in the Glider case, and AoE Tanking and why the devs seem to be passing it out like Hallow's End candy. And as usual, we'll answer your emails and questions -- drop us a note at theshow@wow.com, or join us live during the show on IRC at irc.mmoirc.com in the #wowradio channel.Should be a great time, and hey, if you come listen, you might walk away with your own pet monkey! He'll clean and cook and do all kinds of things for your character in-game.* And his name is Bananas! What a great name for a monkey!*Note: Monkey comes untrained. And it might be hard to train a noncombat pet. But look how cute!
From disgust to joy: new Samba de Amigo trailers
This Samba de Amigo trailer starts off badly. And by "badly," we mean terribly. For the first 34 seconds, it's just a bunch of bratty kids hamming it up with some of the worst having fun acting we've ever seen. The occasional glimpse of the game and that chimpanzee from an earlier video helps a little, but it's still fairly risible.Then, the trailer totally turns it around, instantly grasping victory from the jaws of defeat. How? Because the chimp, for some unspecified reason, starts breakdancing. Suddenly, this becomes the best videogame trailer of 2008. Hit the jump for a second video featuring the simian handing out a thrashing to (and then planting a kiss on) Dad.Source: Chimp beats puny manSource: Chimp breakdances%Gallery-20601%
Super Monkey Ball updated to 1.01
SEGA has released an update to the popular Super Monkey Ball, which appears to address issues with control sensitivity. The update was expected to drop last month. No release notes were available online. In cursory testing (by yours truly), it does appear the update improves player control. As promised, the "dead zone" where the ball stops moving altogether is larger, and movement overall has become less erratic. I noticed that when trying to slow down, the monkey ball is less likely to turn around, which makes it easier to navigate tight corners and control speed. Also included is a new tutorial designed to help you get accustomed to the controls. Additionally, you can resume where you left off if you press the home button during a game. Super Monkey Ball [App Store link] is a free update for existing users, and $9.99 for new users. Thanks, Adiz!
GC 2008: Finally, a pet game we can get behind
Click image for MORE MONKEYS. "Monkey Madness Wii targets kids ages 6 to 8 years," reads the opening line of the press release for Ubisoft's new monkey sim. "Like hell it does!" say we. Okay, so maybe it does, but we can't help being drawn to Ubisoft's newest pet game (and at least it's not Monkeyz). Fact: monkeys are adorable and awesome. Everybody thinks this, so no wonder Ubisoft settled on making a game about them. We've had it with labradors and kittens, frankly.In Monkey Madness Wii, kids we will be able to adopt a monkey and then befriend, train, feed, play with, and photograph our simian chum. There's a range of ridiculous outfits to dress George in (we've already settled on a name), and George's personality will be shaped by how you treat him -- he could be meek, courageous, loyal, indifferent, or something else. We can even cross-breed George with other species of monkeys to create "fantastical hybrids," which sounds a tad disturbing, but we plan on George being an amorous little bugger.We haven't even touched on the neatest feature of Monkey Madness Wii -- the ability to upload George to your Wii Remote (using the Wiimote's 6 kilobytes of on-board memory) and take him to a friend's house to play with the monkeys on their Wii. Clever! In fact, this is wasted on chil'n, and we'll say it now, readers: DO WANT. Now, can you resist a monkey gallery?%Gallery-30057%[Via press release]
Know Your Lore: Brann Bronzebeard
Welcome to Know Your Lore, where each week Elizabeth Wachowski and Alex Ziebart bring you a tasty little morsel of lore to wrap your mind around. Sweet, sweet lore. Mmmm. Oh yeah, and it's late this week. Blame it on the severe dehydration. Or Alex, you can blame him too, if you want.Continuing the Wrath preparation train, this week's Know Your Lore will take a look at one of the three Bronzebeard brothers. Not the King one or the dead one, but the eccentric, probably-should-be-dead one. The one and only Brann Bronzebeard, explorer extraordinaire.Brann Bronzebeard is the very definition of a Jack of all Trades. He's an explorer, a linguist, a warrior, an archaeologist, et cetera, et cetera. He is the premier member of the Explorer's League, and while the guild was founded under an edict by Magni, Brann was one of its founding members.
See how badly Japan wants the Bape DS Lite
There's no doubt in our minds that the Bape DS is a hot little number, but we'd never wait on a line like this for one. At first, the line seems somewhat modest, but then the camera keeps on turning around more and more corners. We should have guessed as much, seeing how the video is over two minutes long. To see exactly how much Japanese gamers love special edition DSes, check out the clip embedded above for yourselves. [Via GameLife]
Monkeys take their robot-wielding powers international
It's been a while since we've heard from the folks at Duke University and their robot-controlling monkeys, but it seems that they've remained hard at work on their potentially perilous collaboration, with them recently showing off some of their latest tricks at the Neuroscience 2007 conference earlier this month. This time, they had the monkeys control a pair of robot legs through the use of some electrodes implanted in their brains which, apparently, went off without a hitch. But that's not all! The legs the monkeys were controlling just so happened to be located at the Advanced Telecommunications Research Institute International in Kyoto, Japan, which the monkeys were linked to via the Internet. No word on what they plan to attempt next, although taking the robots and/or monkeys into space would seem to be the next logical step (at least to us).[Photo courtesy of NASA-JSC / Wikimedia Commons]
Researchers show off robot hand neural interface
It looks like robot hands have taken yet another step into human-like territory, with a team of researchers at John's Hopkins University recently demonstrating a new neural interface that allows an artificial hand to be used to play the piano. But that's not all! In true mad scientist fashion, to actually control the hand, the researchers relied on neural activity recorded from a monkey's brain. According to MIT's Technology Review, that resulted in the fingers on the hand performing their intended movement about 95 percent of the time. While the system doesn't currently work in real time, the researchers are reportedly planning a live demonstration with a monkey within the next six months. Apparently foreseeing a potential monkey-machine rampage, however, the researchers have wisely decided to only let the monkey control a virtual version of a prosthetic arm.
New WoW site for non-combat pets
With the release of the latest WoW TCG expansion, a new in-game pet has arrived, Bananas the Monkey. Looking into this has led me to a wonderful site dedicated to collecting all the non-combat pets in Warcraft. And when I say "dedicated", I mean "look no further than this site."World of Warcraft Small Pet has checklists, FAQs, guides to getting pets exclusive to the opposing faction, screenshots, extensive information for each pet, you name it. Now, I have a fair collection of non-combat pets, mostly from seasonal events like the mechanical yeti from Winterveil and Willy from Children's Week. I also quested for the Sprite Darter Hatchling out of Feralas back when the zone was in my level range. But this site is for the serious collector.Check it out and then tell me: frightening obssession or one more kind of pleasant activity to pass the time in-game?
Julius the Pirate Monkey DS Lite
It's been too long since we last took a sip from China's rum bottle of personalized DS Lites; it's time to get back on that wagon with a buccaneer-themed skin.YYJoy forumer Pikapika shivered our timbers, decorating his handheld with a crossed-cutlasses pattern and Julius the Monkey decked out in full corsair regalia. Now that's piracy we can get behind! Walk the post break plank for more photos of the shipshape DS Lite.
Everlasting Love is worth the effort
Why haven't we seen more rhythm platformers since Donkey Kong Jungle Beat? And while we're at it, how come there aren't more games that feature primates? We were on the verge of sending out subpoenas and demanding answers from the video game industry's "top people," but then we stumbled upon Everlasting Love, a charming, monochrome game from homebrew developer Mia (Ninja & Zarbi, Oil Panic DS).Following the single-song soundtrack (from We Love Katamari) and the monkey protagonist's head movements, players tap the A button to the beat. Just hitting the A button at all makes the simian character bounce around, but he jumps higher depending on how rhythmically accurate you are. You can use the directional pad to face which direction you want to pounce, but all movement is limited to hopping around.While there's a lot of emphasis on staying with the rhythm, jumping as high as possible isn't the goal of the game -- you're actually meant to complete the levels with as few measured hops as possible. Some of the portions actually require you to jump off-beat, keeping your head down to avoid low-hanging spikes.Everlasting Love can get pretty frustrating at times, but we're not sure if it's the fault of the game's or our own lacking abilities. Clearing the first pit took us a few tries before we could put it behind us, and the obstacles get exponentially harder after that. At version 0.1 though, Everlasting Love has a lot of potential to be the rhythm platformer we've been waiting for all these years.[Via DCEmu]
Best Buy whips out mad dealz
Seriously. Best Buy is having a small-yet-appreciated discount on a few of the Wii launch titles. The following reductions should have already taken place: Red Steel - $29.99 (formerly $49.99) Super Swing Golf - $29.99 (formerly $49.99) Super Monkey Ball: Banana Blitz - $39.99 (formerly $49.99) Perhaps not the finest of titles, but the significant price-cuts to RS and SMB might convince gamers who were on the fence to take the financial plunge. Any of you guys out there going to finally pick one of these titles up? Can we come to your house and play with you (we work for cookies and the occasional mixed drink here)?[via GoNintendo]
Wii Warm Up: Tacos, etc.
So the Wii has opened up new gameplay possibilities, new control methods, more immersion, and all that. But, unless the Nunchuk is involved, it's also opened up one of your hands. This has created the possibility for completely immersive snacking, wherein you don't have to stop playing even for a second while you stuff your face full of delicious, crunchy tacos (and, possibly, non-taco food items), totally sabotaging your Wii Sports exercise program.We want to know-- are you guilty of the crime of convenience? Have you succumbed to a sudden banana craving after picking up hundreds and hundreds of them in Super Monkey Ball? Or have you refrained from eating during gameplay, afraid you'll accidentally transfer some Cheeto dust onto the Wiimote?
Sony's Walkman monkey "Choromatsu" passes away at 29
While devices such as the GameBoy and original Atari are more like slivers of history than gadgets of days past, Sony's Walkman has also become transcendent through time, and one of the fellows who helped put it on the map has sadly passed away. Choromatsu, the "meditating monkey" who starred in a Sony spot that eventually won best commercial in the late 1980s, died this past Sunday after living for 29 years. The monkey was famous for his various performances around Japan, and happily retired in 1990 to live out the latter half of his life with his 41 year old "human partner in performances," Goro Murasaki. While Sony's recent marketing attempts have been somewhat intriguing and less subtle than the firm would've hoped, this critter could probably convince anyone that owning a Walkman is a soul-soothing experience, so if you missed his performance back in 1987/88, be sure to click on through for the ad in its entirety.[Via TokyoMango]
Today's monkey vs. robot video: er, Monkey vs. Robot - The Movies
Today's movie isn't topping any charts, but it's a dash of much needed Monkey vs. Robot-ness. Comic book artist and musician of the wacky James Kochalka created Monkey vs. Robot eons ago, and has appeared on cds, as a graphic novel, and in animated form. However, this version was created with the PC game/simulation The Movies. Yes, it's inane. Sure, it's repetitive. Damn skippy, it's simple ... but c'mon, it's monkey vs. robot. Check out the damage after the jump. For a real royal rumble, someone needs to do a Monkey vs. Robot vs. Ninja vs. Pirate mashup. At least this thing is better than the episodes of Lost that have aired so far this season. Sawyer vs. Robot, FTW!
