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Furu Furu Park making a surprise trip to the US
Furu Furu Park, Taito's self-referential minigame collection, is coming to the US courtesy of Majesco. Normally, we're all GRR TOO MANY MINIGAMES. But this one's got Arkanoid bits in it, so it gets a pass.In other words, Taito has figured out the winning formula for making us care about a minigame collection: well-designed gameplay making it look like old games. It may even be fun, with games like Super Karate (in which you waggle karate moves), Safe Cracker (The Wiimote becomes your, uh, combination lock dial!) and Bubble Bobble (which is Bubble Bobble!) Man, that version of Bubble Bobble looks sharp.
Internet-enabled TrailGuard metal detectors snitch on poachers
The latest anti-poaching tool may not be as completely bizarre as the Robodeer, but the TrailGuard technology coming out of Steve Gulick's laboratory is entirely more sophisticated (and stealthy, too). The system consists of a network of metal detectors buried next to forest trails which will detect the presence of a contraband machete or rifle and swing into action. Upon recognizing a potential weapon, the sensor will "send a radio signal to a nearby internet gateway and then to the internet via satellite," which will subsequently alert a ranger to the unwanted guest practically in real-time. The developing team insinuates that this product could make the rounds that rangers make a lot more efficient, and considering that most national parks are somewhat understaffed, this could help them cover the ground that they need to. So if you just so happen to wander out in the woods and pitch a tent with metal stakes, only to be approached by an armed wildlife officer, don't be too alarmed.
Theme Park DS interview
One of those wonderful joys that humans can't quite classify is building a really, really sweet roller coaster. Many games have provided for this need in the past, but now EA's promising Theme Park DS might allow us that satisfaction anywhere we so choose.This in-depth interview reveals plans for country-themed parks, Wi-Fi visitation of other people's creations, a new negoiations feature, and more. Also included are some new screens and even a short little trailer.Is anyone else oddly excited by this game? We plan to build an incomplete roller coaster, and make our friends repeatedly and wildly careen to their deaths at every opportunity. As any true gamer should.
Robotic parking garage hits New York
Although international locales have warmed up quite nicely to automated parking garages, they haven't proven quite as popular here on American soil, and although Fort Lauderdale has one (and the Florida-based Hollywood Grande has one in the works), we'd say it's about time the Big Apple got one of its own. Notably, the controversial Robotic Parking Systems, Inc. that crafted the court-entangled deck in Hoboken, New Jersey won't have a hand in this one, as Automotion Parking Systems (the US subsidiary of Germany's Stolzer Parkhaus) will be utilizing its highly proclaimed technology to hopefully save New Yorkers from the same "drops and traps" that Garden State folks have unfortunately had to deal with. The company stated that in the 11 years it has crafted robotic garages, "only one car has been damaged," and it feels that even that single issue has been resolved with the latest sensor / laser upgrades. In fact, Ari Milstein, the director of planning for the firm, boldly stated that it's "a complete virtual impossibility that damage can occur," which most certainly leaves little no room for error. The Chinatown-based garage will hoist, shuffle, and park vehicles without a single human supervisor, stuffing 67 vehicles into a space that could typically hold 24, and it even spins your ride around when you return so there's no need to throw it in reverse when exiting. Rates actually aren't too outrageous either, as you'll be asked for around $400 for a monthly pass, or $25 if you're just in for the day.
First screens for Theme Park DS
EA has issued out the first screenshots for the upcoming Theme Park DS. A port of the PC game, there are few details still on the features this port will have. So, we're still in the dark on the game's features, but at least we now have some screens of the game to gawk at. We've included a hand full of them into the post, after the break.See also: EA announces Theme Park DS
Orange, SFR team up to ease parking in Paris
Here in the US of A, we like to do things the old fashioned way. Case in point: when we're looking for a way to track availability of parking spaces in real time, we turn to satellite radio for the answer (okay, fine... bad example). In France, Carriers Orange and SFR have teamed up with NavX, V-Traffic, and a number of other firms to take an arguably simpler approach to the problem. A new feature on Orange's portal (and we're guessing SFR's as well) enables users to search for nearby parking garages with available spots; cell triangulation can estimate the phone's position, or the user can enter a location manually. Of course, only garages explicitly participating in the system will be listed, but seeing how everyone has a phone, we could imagine the holdouts losing business at a brisk pace.[Via The Wireless Report]
South Park and the Wii
If you're one who enjoys their Wednesday nights in the form of watching South Park, perhaps sipping on a cup of hot Earl Grey, then you undoubtedly caught last night's episode featuring show staple Eric Cartman and his attempts to get his hands on the Wii. His desperation for the console -- something we know all too well here -- went so far that he attempted to freeze himself in order to instantaneously time travel to November 19th for the console's release. Instead, things went wrong and Cartman found himself frozen for some 500+ odd years -- to a future where atheists were at war and somehow sea otters evolved to the point where they could talk and use assault rifles. Sadly, the episode is to-be-continued, so before we can see Cartman get his hands on a Wii -- which we assume will be next week's ending -- we're just going to have to wait.
Dinosaurs battle it out on the DS
Majesco's Dino Master charges players with playing God, much like the way John Hammond did when creating his Jurassic Park. Upon digging for, and finding, dinosaur fossils, the player will use them to clone a certifiable cornucopia of carnivorous and omnivorous beasts and, like any other person who would manage to accomplish a feat often dreamed of in Sci-Fi films, pit them in combat to the death. The game will feature over 100 real species of dinosaur, multiplayer for up to 2 players via wireless link-up, and over 35 fighting techniques to discover.[Thanks Sense!]
