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Shaq Fu: A Legend Reborn funding ends, goal reached
Shaq Fu: A Legend Reborn concluded its Indiegogo campaign achieving $473,884, which was just slightly over its $450,000 goal. Previously the console versions of the new game would only occur if the game hit stretch goals over $775K, but the campaign site notes it's been updated and Shaq Fu will now be available on PS4, Xbox One, PS3, Xbox 360, Wii U and PC. A Legend Reborn finds former basketball player Shaquille O'Neal trying to bring honor to his sketchy video game past with a beat-em-up style game featuring cool melee weapons, co-op multiplayer and "hundreds of moves and battle techniques." [Image: Big Deez Productions]
Daily Roundup: Titanfall's secret weapon, Edward Snowden talks encryption, and more!
You might say the day is never really done in consumer technology news. Your workday, however, hopefully draws to a close at some point. This is the Daily Roundup on Engadget, a quick peek back at the top headlines for the past 24 hours -- all handpicked by the editors here at the site. Click on through the break, and enjoy.
Shaquille O'Neal talks Fitbit, Google Glass and smartphones at SXSW
This is Shaquille O'Neal's second SXSW, and this year he stopped by Austin to talk about wearables. In a panel with Rick Valencia of Qualcomm yesterday, Shaq touched on the importance of activity trackers in keeping us fit. He's personally a fan of Fitbit, which he uses to help meet the goal of 10,000 steps per day, though he told us he's all for any device that keeps users active and motivated. We had a chance to pick his brain about wearable tech in general -- he's all for Google Glass -- and asked him about the other gadgets he relies on when he's on the road. (Spoiler: he carries both an Android handset and an iPhone.) See what else caught his eye at SXSW 2014 in our video interview.
Shaq Fu's return on the horizon
The pieces are coming together for an official Shaq Fu comeback announcement. A tipster sent Joystiq images of t-shirts that are likely being printed for the marketing campaign. This latest Shaquille O'Neal-sized breadcrumb of the game's reemergence follows a trademark registration for Shaq Fu last year, along with a slip-up by the retired basketball player himself at this year's CES with GameFitNation. The original Shaq Fu from 1994 has a rather checkered, negative and confused history. It's unlikely given all the moving pieces that whatever is going on now is a mere HD-ification of the classic game. Not sure we're allowed to use "classic" in that context?
'Shaq Fu' trademarks join Shaquille O'Neal's 'Shaqfighter'
Shaquille O'Neal's licensing company, Mine O' Mine, registered four gaming-centric trademarks for "Shaq Fu" on May 31, following the company's trademark for "Shaqfighter" earlier that month. The Shaq Fu trademarks cover the gamut of electronic software and related goods, including "action skill games," bobble-head dolls, television programs and printed materials. Shaq Fu already exists as that 2D fighting game from 1994 – but we'd be just fine forgetting that one completely and starting fresh with whatever Mine O' Mine has planned.
Shaq makes his video game return today in ShaqDown for iOS, Android
The only thing Shaquille O'Neal hates more than Kobe Bryant is not being in video games. Good then that Shaq's dry streak comes to an end today with the launch of ShaqDown on iOS and Android devices, a new free-runner smash-em-up for $.99.Shaq takes on hordes of zombies across three stages, each culminating in a boss battle. Developer Hiptic Games has programmed in some of the all-star center's most iconic moves, like the "flaming basketball toss" and "successful free-throw shot," the latter being perhaps Shaq's most memorable basketball trait.ShaqDown is available for download now on the Google Play store for Android devices running 2.2 and up, and on the iOS App store for iDevices running 4.3 or higher.
Apple: Treating celebs like regular folks since 1976
In my second celebrity-oriented post of the day, we'll explore how Apple treats stars like ... well, like regular people. According to a post on Fast Company, Apple is horrible to celebrities. You see, if you're a major sports figure or a top actress like Snooki, you don't really have to buy a lot of things. Companies love to give you free products so that they can ride your famous coattails to success. That's why if you happen to be blessed enough to walk the red carpet at the Golden Globes or Academy Awards, you'll often find yourself "gifted" with about $100,000 in free products. Well, Apple doesn't need any of that celeb love, much to the chagrin of many stars who lobbied unsuccessfully for Apple schwag. Perhaps the most famous celebrity to beg for an Apple product is NBA legend Shaquille O'Neal, who was quoted as saying "The great Steve Jobs, rest in peace, when the iPhone was first coming out, I used to call him every other day. 'Can I please get one first? Can I please get one first?' He never gave me one. He said, 'Shaq, I can't, I can't, I can't.' He was a great guy." Long-time Apple user and author William Gibson says that "I used to imagine that [Apple] might call me, one day, but I don't think they work that way, and the story about Shaq seems to bear that out!" Bradley Frank, a celebrity publicist with Rogers & Cowen, says his requests to the company for free tech toys have gone for naught: "And when the iPhone 4 came out, I can't tell you how many clients were like, 'We need that early.' And Apple's like, 'No.'" NBA forward Channing Frye of the Phoenix Suns, seems to have Apple's strategy worked out perfectly. Frye, whose cousin works for Apple's marketing division, says "It's just wild how they are so tight-lipped about everything. That makes everyone want it so much more--and the NBA is sponsored by Apple, basically. I've yet to see a player use a PC on the road." When you're standing in line at your favorite Apple Store on Friday awaiting your chance to turn your cash into a new iPad, look around -- you might see a celebrity in line with you.
First Look: Flick NBA Basketball brings shootaround fun to the iPhone
Since my team isn't in the playoffs this year (next season, Knicks fans!), I've had to sate my basketball jones by watching some of the sworn enemies of NYC... shame, too, as this Boston-Chicago series is unbelievable. Four out of six games going to OT? I mean, c'mon. Anyway, just in time for the race to the championship, Freeverse's Flick NBA Basketball is shipping for the iPhone and iPod touch. The game combines several "All-Star Saturday Night" staples, including a 3-point shootout, H.O.R.S.E, and a long shot competition, along with a pop-a-shot machine and a finger spin mini-game. While the 1.0 build currently on the store is marred by some crashing bugs and overly challenging (at least, to my middle-aged fingers) shooting mechanics, the submitted & soon-to-arrive 1.1 version improves stability and gameplay. There's also a big additional feature coming in the 1.2 update, date TBA: dunking! We've got an exclusive video demo of the dunk UI in the 2nd half of this post. Of course, the big thrill of Flick NBA is the NBA part -- Freeverse has licensed pro player likenesses and team uniforms, giving players the choice of competing as Chris Paul, Shaquille O'Neal or other pros from all the NBA teams, 30 in total. If you've ever wanted to try your skills on the court as Yao Ming or Dirk Nowitzki, here's your chance. It's not clear if the individual players have unique skill levels, but it's still a thrill to pick your pro and hit the court. The 3D quality, audio and arena graphics are all excellent; it's still a pleasant surprise to see playable 3D on the iPhone screen. The individual game modes vary in challenge level and enjoyability; in my play testing, I enjoyed the 3-point shooting contest the most, as you can start to get into a 'zone' as you round the ball racks. The 1.0 implementation of H.O.R.S.E. was too difficult to be much fun, but the 1.1 update ratcheted down the shot control speeds a bit and I felt more competitive with my computer opponent (you can also play against a human in Vs. mode). Surprisingly, the pop-a-shot minigame is actually a lot of fun, and the 1.1 update improves the ability to grab balls at the bottom of the ramp without having them collide with other ones rolling back from the basket. The long shot and ball spin minigames were less sticky for me -- the long shot contest is still tough enough to make it frustrating even after a few practice rounds. For $4.99 in the App Store, Flick NBA Basketball provides a good mix of playability and 'wow, check it out' value. While it's not the head-to-head game sim you might wish for in an NBA title, it's still fun (and more stable with the forthcoming 1.1 update, live in the store as soon as Apple clears it). With the 1.2 and future updates adding dunks and more modes, you'll be getting even more b-ball value for your purchase. See our screenshot gallery below, and the dunk UI video in the 2nd half of the post. %Gallery-51493%
