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Dedicated app will stream every episode of The Simpsons, and more news for January 16, 2014
Fans of The Simpsons will be happy to hear they'll soon be able to download an app which will allow them to legally stream all 24 seasons of the show for free. The app will be coming courtesy of the FX network, whose sister site FXX got the exclusive on-demand rights to The Simpsons in a deal worth almost US$1 billion last year. This is huge news for Simpsons fans as there is currently no legal way to stream the series online or via an app. But the app won't be free for everyone. In order to stream The Simpsons through the new app you'll need an FXNOW account, which only about half of US cable providers offer. In more news for the morning of January 16, 2014: Refurbished Late 2013 13-inch MacBook Pros are now for sale in Apple's online store. Customers can save between $200-270 depending on which model they buy. Baldur's Gate II is now available for download in the App Store. The game is one of the most popular RPGs of all time. Features of the game include the final chapter of the Bhaalspawn saga, easy multiplayer gaming and The Black Pits 2: Gladiators of Thay saga. Baldur's Gate II is $14.99. Apple has released a small update to the WWDC app. Version 1.0.3 addresses an issue where developers were unable to log in to watch videos from the 2013 WWDC. WWDC is a free download. The US Patent and Trademark Office has published an Apple patent application for a "Method to send payment data through various air interfaces without compromising user data" -- essentially a patent that details a backend strategy for enabling contactless payment systems for mobile devices. Does this mean an iWallet is coming soon? Who knows. Apple has thousands of patents for products and tech that never see the light of day.
The Perfect Ten: Franchises that would make great MMOs
Any MMO player worth his or her salt has a binder full of ideas for games, usually based on a favorite book, television, or movie franchise. We've talked about it before. We've discussed whether or not it's a good idea to even have IP-driven MMOs. But you know what we've never done? We've never consulted me. I'm hurt, to be honest. I know that I'm just one of millions of MMO players, but I have a binder too! It's a vintage Trapper Keeper with a wizard on the cover who is dashing among abstract geometric shapes. My mom thought it was cool and my friends think it's totally rad. Inside are the secrets to hit MMOs that studios are just too scared to make but would be bigger than World of Warcraft if someone would just take the chance. I know it. Today I'm going to open up that binder and shove my ideas in your face. And then, knowing how these things go, I will raise up every geek voice against my picks in the comments section. Bring it on. My wizard can handle all of you.
The Simpsons skewer iPad obsession with A Tree Grows In Springfield
This past Sunday night The Simpsons ran an episode with what has now become a semi-regular guest star: Mapple Computer. This episode devoted a considerable chunk of the story to Homer's obsession with his newly won MyPad. I can't give away any more due to spoilers, but suffice it to say the man known for his gastric rapacity knowing no satiety meets his comeuppance in the materialistic trappings of tablet ownership. The ending of the main story, a nod to the late Steve Jobs, is not to be missed. The episode on Hulu is blocked unless you're a Plus member and locked on Fox.com unless you are "connecting to a participating TV provider account." In accordance with all "we hate allowing people to watch free TV online even with advertising we can directly monetize" rules the networks have had in place since Jules Verne invented the television, the episode will be available for the unwashed masses to watch (in certain geo-restricted countries, naturally) December 3.
Wearable lab coat TV packs thousands of LEDs, heads for Burning Man (video)
Sure, we've seen iPad hats and augmented reality tattoos, but a 60-inch display suitable for hours of wear under the hot Nevada desert sun? Well that's just crazy talk. Believe it or not, a one Dave Forbes built exactly that: a 12V battery powered, 160 x 120-pixel monitor capable of displaying standard NTSC analog video from an in-pocket iPod. The result is nothing short of incredible, but when you're building a wearable lab coat-based TV with thousands of LEDs and a pair of circuit boards, features like breathability and water-wicking tend to get overlooked. Forbes spent six months creating this ultimate gadget, which is likely to make quite the colorful splash when he shows it off next month at Burning Man. But with a multi-month time commitment and $20,000 price tag, we can't help but wonder what this 'brainiac' could have come up with were he to redirect those resources towards a super-slick tech project for the masses, instead.
Simpsons Arcade (sort of) released on iPhone
If you happened to be wandering around a St. Louis, Missouri arcade in the early nineties, you'd probably find a young me, playing the Simpsons Arcade game (either that or the Avengers game, I loved that one too). It was great: beat-em-up action, The Simpsons, and impressive animations and graphics for the era. Now, EA Mobile wants you to try and revisit those days on your iPhone -- kind of. They've released something that they're calling The Simpsons Arcade [iTunes Link] on the App Store, and while it is a nice sort of tribute to the old game, it's not exactly a direct port. Trust me -- I played the old game, which had the family chasing after Maggie, and this game, which has Homer chasing after a doughnut, isn't the same thing. It's not a bad game -- it is a beat-em-up, with the standard movement stick, and an attack and jump button, which can be used in the ways you'd expect. And it does have real voices and sounds from the show, nice new, crisp graphics, and (c'mon, it's The Simpsons) guest stars aplenty. You can bring the family members in for special attacks later on in the game's 25 levels, and there are even some mini-games just like the old arcade version. But it's not the same, and for $4.99 in the App Store with no free trial currently available, it's slightly disingenuous to call this "The Simpsons Arcade" when you're not really getting to play the old game. If I bought this expecting a port and opened it up to find the respectable 2D beat-em-up that it is, I'd probably be a little disappointed. It's a good, solid game, and probably worth the price if you like this type of thing, but don't come expecting to revisit those glory days of '91 in any way but the overall feel.
TomTom's Homer Simpson voice skin is just like the real thing, without the Duff's
Well, let's be frank. The Knight Rider GPS, while brilliant, is a bit of a stretch. Isn't it a little sad to be living out your boyhood fantasies of excitement and danger vicariously, behind the wheel of your '92 Buick Roadmaster station wagon? On the other hand, perhaps you're ready to put away your childhood dreams and hit the road in a manner more befitting your average schlub. The official Homer Simpson voice skin for the TomTom GPS features the voice of the iconic cartoon dad, including such gems as "Take the third right. We might find an ice cream truck! Mmm...ice cream." Psyched? We bet you are. Priced at $12.95 -- check out an audio sample after the break, and then hit the read link to pick it up it for yourself. [Via Pocket-lint]
Halo? Simpsons? Rube Goldberg? Sold!
We always knew that there would be some very interesting maps generated with the new Halo 3 map Sandbox, but this ... this is special. This map takes three of our favorite things -- Halo, The Simpsons and Rube Goldberg machines -- and swirls them all together into a delicious, digital smoothie. We could waste more of your time and ours by describing it, but you'd really be better served by just watching the video after the break. Enjoy.[Via Bungie.net]
The Simpsons goes HD tonight, new title sequence revealed
Switching to high definition isn't the only change for The Simpsons tonight, with the first permanent new intro since its debut in 1989 making its appearance. Fox uploaded the new opener on YouTube in widescreen, but not HD (embedded after the break.) Lined up with the Daytona 500 and newly refreshed King of the Hill we're liking all the Sunday HD on Fox all of a sudden.
The Simpsons finally making high-def debut
The Simpsons began its twentieth season last September, and now -- at long, long last -- we're going to see Bart, Homer, Lisa and the whole gang in high-definition. Starting on Sunday, February 15th, the American sitcom that has entertained both young and old for decades will make its high-def debut on FOX. Just let this simmer on your mind for a minute, then feel free to explode in comments with extreme jubilation.[Thanks, Michael]
I'm clamming it up
I was doing a bit of research tonight for upcoming articles about patch 3.0.8, and I came across some more changes to clams. Yes you read that right, clams. The little things you get after killing every damn murloc and sea creature.This topic deserves an article for a few reasons. First, let's take a look at all the changes to clams since 3.0.2: Clams are now stackable in stacks of 20. (Patch 3.0.2) Players can now open clams while riding a vehicle, sitting, mounted, stealthed, and invisible. (Patch 3.0.8) I look at this and think to myself "Some at Blizzard spent time thinking about different conditions that clams needed to be opened up in, wrote out a list, discussed it with someone, and then implemented the changes."And further, someone said "Clams take up too much bag space, let's let them be stacked together."
Top 5: Christmastime in Gaming
Ahh, Christmastime. Every year, we look forward to cherished traditions such as fighting traffic, stressing out over finding gifts, and even the occasional Black Friday trampling. Yet one would be surprised to learn that December 25th has a history which shares very little with frivolous lawsuits and Bill O'Reilly frothing at the mouth. Indeed, aside from its litigatious and hostile depiction on the news, Christmas is largely an excuse to shower our loved ones with food, presents, and joy. It's also an easy inspiration for a stressed columnist trying to finish his Christmas shopping to create a Top 5 list. As such examples of religious-based holidays are rare in gaming, this list will not be Nintendo-specific. For those who celebrate the date, I wish you a Merry Christmas. For those who don't, I wish you well just the same. NEXT >> #ninbutton { border-style: solid; border-color: #000; border-width: 2px; background-color: #BBB; color: #000; text-decoration: none; width: 100px; text-align: center; padding: 2px 2px 2px 2px; margin: 2px 2px 2px 2px; } .buttontext { color: #000; text-decoration: none; font: bold 14pt Helvetica; } #ninbutton:hover { text-decoration: none; color: #BBB; background-color: #000; } The Top 5 is a weekly feature that provides us with a forum to share our opinions on various aspects of the video game culture, and provides you with a forum to tell us how wrong we are. To further voice your opinions, submit a vote in the Wii Fanboy Poll, and take part in the daily discussions of Wii Warm Up.
The Simpsons take on 'Mapple'
As Dave and Mike discussed during last night's talkcast, Sunday's episode of The Simpsons included plenty of wink-wink-nudge-nudge references to our favorite fruit company. (The video is also available on Hulu.com.) Lisa discovers a "Mapple store" has appeared in the Springfield Mall, complete with "myPods," "myPhones," and even a "Brainiac Bar." Comic Book Guy wants to know why OS 4.2 is built so poorly, and Krusty the Klown wants to get rid of his myPod. Mapple CEO "Steve Mobbs" also makes an appearance, with typical Simpsons hilarity ensuing. While not particularly biting social commentary, the sketch pokes fun at Apple Mapple customers' willingness to shell out big bucks for their products. The Simpsons have taken on Apple before, with the now-famous Newton "eat up Martha" gag. You might say this is one more thing to add to the list of gags that The Simpsons have done. In the words of Steve Mobbs and Steve Jobs, it's "insanely great." Thanks to everyone who sent this in!
The Simpsons mocks (m)Apple
var digg_url = 'http://digg.com/apple/The_Simpsons_mocks_m_Apple_2'; Few have been spared the satire of Matt Groening's long running animated sitcom. Last night, The Simpsons took on Apple, or uh, Mapple for a full 6 minutes of lampoonery -- a pretty harsh ride at a two-joke per minute pace. It all starts when the Springfield mall gets its very own Mapple store, "it's so sterile," gasps Lisa upon entering. Perhaps the best exchange comes from Bart's dubbing of a Steve Mobs' product announcement in front of a crowd of gaping nerds, "You think you're cool because you buy a $500 phone with a picture of a fruit on it. Well guess what? They cost 8 bucks to make and I pee on every one!" A Mapple store employee then angrily responds, "Who dares question the boss we fired 10 years ago and then brought back!" Yuk yuk. Videos after the break for as long as it takes for the copyrighters to wake up.[Thanks, holycow]
Deal of the Day: The Simpsons Game for $30
The Simpsons is one of television's best and longest running cartoon comedies. While the show is a true pop culture classic, the videogames on the other hand are not so memorable. While not stunning, most Simpsons games were actually all right ... with the exception of the horrendous Virtual Bart back on the Genesis. The latest in Simpson sims simply titled: The Simpsons Game, is not a bad addition to the lot. For 30 bucks, it's a not a bad deal either. Might be worth picking up.
Red Ring of Death? Blame Krusty the Clown
Wow. It's more or less the common assumption that Microsoft skimped a bit on product testing before unleashing the Xbox 360 on the world. Anyone whose experienced the dreaded Red Ring of Death will tell you that. We have to admit though, we never realized that Microsoft had skimped this much. It seems Microsoft could have done a little more research before appointing their QA lead. See what we mean after the break.Warning: it's suggested that only those with a sense of humor proceed past this point.
Cheap Classic Controller alternative for wire haters, master thrusters
Whenever accessory manufacturer Thrustmaster comes up in conversation -- and it often does -- we can't help but imagine the Simpsons' Duff Man character stabbing the air with his pelvis. So, if you hear us suddenly yell out, "Oh yeah!" now you understand what provoked our involuntary impulse.Despite the distracting nature of its company name, Thrustmaster successfully put together an acceptable alternative to Nintendo's Classic Controller and WaveBird with several advantages over its first-party competition: Togglable rumble via switch Doesn't depend on a Wii remote hookup for wireless functionality, using a GameCube port dongle instead Xbox-like shoulder button layout Turbo and slow modes Mappable buttons Best of all, Dell's online shop is currently selling Thrustmaster's T-Wireless NW Gamepad for only $13.59 ($19.99 MSRP) until December 13th! Check out more photos from IGN's favorable review past the break. Oh yeah!
WoW Moviewatch: The Simpsons Game, Neverquest trailer
A while back, I found out from Gamebunny that a spoof on the MMO genre is an important part of The Simpsons Game, which just went on sale at the beginning of this month. We featured a Simpsons WoW spoof in a WoW Moviewatch some time ago, and as you can see from this trailer, a lot of the feeling and sound of the game is very reminiscent of WoW. Somehow this sort of making fun feels to me like the very height of praise for WoW and the impact it's had on the market. If the Simpsons make fun of it, it's got to be good.This portion of the game is called "Neverquest," and I would definitely try it out if I could. Has anyone played this? Is it as fun as it seems in this video? Does it actually play at all like WoW plays, or is the similarity only in the look of it? Previously, on WoW Moviewatch...
Spider-man PSP bundle revealed
Europe will be getting a new PSP-2000 bundle, featuring a red and black PSP Slim and Lite, a copy of Spider-man 3 the video game, and Spider-man 3 movie UMD. The red PSP will feature black buttons and a black back, giving it a truly distinct look.Earlier in the year, The Simpsons PSP-2000 bundle was also announced, and we're assuming it will also bundle both the game and the movie with a limited edition system. The yellow PSP can be seen in our gallery below.These bundles are exclusive to Europe, and are unlikely to find their way to the States.%Gallery-9816%
DS releases for the week of October 29th
We're just going to have to get used to seeing these long lists of weekly releases. The lazy -- and cheap! -- days of summer are behind us, and the holidays are just around the corner. That means a number of games will be jockeying for our money over the next few months. It's a bittersweet time. Sure, we'll be doing lots of gaming, but, oh, the lack of money ... it's so tragic. Barbie as The Island Princess Bee Movie Game Ben 10: Protector of Earth Cars Mater-National Dementium: The Ward Dr. Suess: How the Grinch Stole Christmas Garfield Gets Real Neves Ratatouille Food Frenzy Shrek: Ogres and Dronkeys The Simpsons Game Super Collapse 3 For the releases in the rest of the major markets, check the lists after the jump.
The Simpsons pushing envelope on DS audio, FMV
We're not yet sure where we stand on the DS version of The Simpsons. On the one hand, it's The Simpsons, and thus automatically has the potential to be pretty great. We also applaud the idea of parodying other games; even if other companies want to stomp their feet about being cutely mocked, that send-up of Nintendogs is just too irresistible. On the other hand, the gameplay itself, the meat of the package, looks just a little ... vanilla.One thing it probably won't lack, according to producer Eric Dallaire, is top-drawer production values, particularly as it's EA throwing big bucks at this release. Chatting to IGN about the title, Dallaire spoke of "pushing the limits" of the platform, and discussed how the game will boast "the most audio lines and total FMV on a DS cartridge to date." How much, precisely? "We've crammed one-fifth of the audio lines from the console versions [and] the equivalent of a TV episode's worth of FMV onto the cartridge."All of which will mean diddly-squat if they don't nail the gameplay, but it's always good to see boundaries being pushed, right?
