track and field
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Google's Olympic doodles get interactive with button-mashing hurdles
Google has already churned out quite a few of its trademark doodles for the Olympics, but it's upped its game considerably today for its depiction of the hurdles. Pressing that red play button on the search engine's front page will let you test your Track & Field skills (and your keyboard's sturdiness) in an interactive event -- one where you can, naturally, also share your results on Google+ when you're finished. Hit the source link below to give it a go yourself.
Today's Google Doodle takes to the Track and Field
We can totally push buttons faster than you, and today's Google Doodle proves that. It's basically a web-based take on NES favorite Track & Field, paying homage to the currently-in-progress 30th Olympiad in London, and we scored a gnarly 15.4 seconds. Can you run down a virtual track and leap hurdles faster than our convention-grizzled blogger hands? Go ahead and try us, punk! Spoilers: You probably can.
Double amputee Oscar Pistorius will race in the London Olympic games
Four years ago, double amputee Oscar Pistorius -- aka the Blade Runner -- was battling bureaucracy (and his own ability) for the chance to compete in the Beijing Olympics. He might not have made the cut for China, but this time around he's secured his ticket to London. The South African athlete was already penned in for the 4 x 400 meters relay, and will now also compete in the singles 400 meters -- said to be his favorite distance. The South African Olympic committee made a last-minute decision to include Pistorius in the team, making him the first amputee track athlete to compete in the full Olympic games. An amazing achievement in its own right, but a race victory on top of the bureaucratic one would surely be the ultimate finish.
Microsoft contest pits UK Kinect Sports players against actual gold medalists
Hey, UK-based readers: Do you feel like totally humiliating yourselves? You should look into Microsoft's "Game with Fame" competition, in which one lucky, Kinect Sports-playing family will compete in virtual track and field events against actual Olympians Linford Christie and Mark Lewis-Francis.
South Korea will be first to OTA 3DTV this month
South Korea will beat Australia to free OTA 3DTV broadcasts as several broadcasters will try out the technology starting with KBS May 19 during the 2010 Colorful Daegu Pre-Championships Meeting. We're not sure if that's soccer, a (potentially rigged) Starcraft match or what (it's a track meet), but it will be broadcast live in 3D, while SBS will air World Cup 2010 action in June. If you happen to be in Seoul and own a 3DTV then channel no. 66 is the one to watch for, but even if you don't, roll by Cheonggyecheon Stream Square and peep the action on a 600-inch 3D screen. 3ality Digital, who has handled so many sporting events stateside is participating, we're just hoping Fox (home of the 2011 Super Bowl) is paying attention.
XBLA weeklong 'blowout' sale includes SSFIITHDR, Lumines & Age of Booty
No joke -- several solid Xbox Live Arcade titles have been temporarily discounted, most by 50 percent, today through April 7. A few of the notable victims of this price slaughter include: Super Street Fighter II Turbo HD Remix ($7) -- 53% off Lumines LIVE ($5) -- 50% off South Park Let's Go Tower Defense Play! ($5) -- 50% off Check out the full list of XBLA cost casualties after the break.
DS releases for the week of July 21st
It's a tough week. Not only are we coming off the excitement of E3, but we're faced with several great releases this week, too. Will you be shelling out for more than one game? At least in Australia, the choice this week is much, much simpler. Final Fantasy IV Izuna 2: The Unemployed Ninja Returns The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor Nancy Drew: The Mystery of the Clue Bender Society New International Track & Field Check out the rest of the major markets after the break.
E308: New screens, new art, New International Track & Field
These latest screens from Konami's New International Track & Field look like time lapse photography in four acts; we often seen the beginning of the event (a lone figure preparing for a run at the vault), the middle (the wind whipping through her hair), the climax (a double twisting Yurchenko, just look at it!), and the denouement (throw those hands in the air). Really, it's about the very essence of (super deformed) sports: glory. There's glory in these screens.Also, gymnastics.%Gallery-6247%
Konami uses comedians to advertise New International Track & Field
We can't really understand Konami's marketing decision for New International Track & Field here. Usually, when it comes to advertising sports, sporting apparel or, heck, sports video games, we're used to seeing athletes in the advertisements. But, then again, we don't live in Japan.There, Konami has enlisted the aid of celebrity comedians Coolpoko to advertise the title through a special site that is set to launch soon. If you're wondering where you saw the guy on the right before, it was probably in an episode of Entourage.We've included one of their videos past the break, to give you a taste of their comedic stylings.%Gallery-6247%
The track and field is a bit more crowded now
Besides sprinkling in some of its most notable characters, Konami is also employing another key strategy to ensure that New International Track & Field is a success: online multiplayer. That's right, folks, the title will support online multiplayer for up to four players!Along with online leaderboards, the inclusion of online multiplayer means that the game will not only be a viable option for Game Night, but also allow you to settle that argument about who's the better swimmer, Pyramid Head or Solid Snake, you had with your friend halfway across the world.Oh, and Pyramid Head would totally win. His head is practically a boat.%Gallery-6247%
New screens from New International Track & Field take the gold
A whole slew of screens from New International Track & Field have come from a recent Konami press event and we're digging the game with each new screen. It looks like it should offer up some solid action for those of you with a taste for competition. We even get to check out some new characters in the game who aren't from other Konami games.In our gallery below, you'll find some new images showing off the swimming relay event, as well as the discuss toss. Oh, and there's a healthy bit of running sprites in there, for good measure.%Gallery-6247%
European dates for Etrian Odyssey, LOL, Pokemon Explorers
News of a European release date for Super Smash Bros. Brawl has dominated coverage of Nintendo's latest European release schedule, but there are a number of tasty morsels on the list for DS owners.For a start, the continent will finally be getting Atlus roguelike Etrian Odyssey, and it's about time -- lest we forget, the title made its U.S. debut last May! Notably, there are also dates (of varying specificity) for Race Driver: GRID (May), the new Pokémon Mystery Dungeon games (July 4th), New International Track & Field (Q2 2008), and Cooking Guide: Can't Decide What to Eat? (June), the European version of Cooking Navi. "ArchimDS" appears on the list as well, though we presume this refers to LOL, or Bakushow as it'll be known in Euroland.Add all of those to this morning's Final Fantasy IV announcement, and Europe has quite the line-up of games to look forward to. Check past the break for the full list!
New International Track & Espionage
Okay, as if the inclusion of Pyramid Head in the game could be topped, Konami has gone ahead and included their resident neck-snapper, Solid Snake. What we found to be particularly cool about all of this is how he even dons his sweet facemask seen at the beginning of Metal Gear Solid during the water events. Now, before you go screaming unfair advantage, keep in mind the man is going up against a very large penguin. They're bred for swimming. So we think a little slack should be given.Check out the other screens of Snake in action in our gallery below.%Gallery-6247%
New International Date & Details
A press release for New International Track & Field just burst through the tape and into our inboxes, complete with news of a U.S. release window and fresh details.Apparently, the game will be launching stateside this summer, with more than 15 characters available from the start. A further two are unlockable (and our money would be on Snake making his second non-Metal Gear Solid appearance of 2008), and there'll be 20 events to keep us distracted and our touchscreens gouged.Also worth mentioning is the "Voice Boost" feature, which will allow players to bellow into the DS microphone to give their character a performance boost by cheering them on. We saw this idea used (briefly) in Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games (one could psyche up the crowd by clapping near the microphone), but it seems like it could be a more significant feature here. "The louder you are," declares Konami's press release, "the bigger the boost!" That could get annoying.%Gallery-6247%[Via press release]
And it's Pyramid Head from Belmont by a length
Look at Frogger's expression here -- he simply can't believe that he's part of a 100m sprint with super-deformed versions of Pyramid Head and Simon Belmont. Nor can we, actually. The cast of characters in Konami's New International Track & Field is even more unusual and eclectic than that of the DS's other mascot/athletics mash-up.As well as Frogger, Pyramid Head, and Simon Belmont, these 28 new screens feature Pentarou, a penguin whose most notable appearances came in the Parodius series of games, and Evil Rose, a fighter from the mediocre Xbox 360 'rassler Rumble Roses XX. The events appear to be just as diverse, including as they do the likes of "Belmont's Challenge," which looks like a kind of vampire-themed take on archery.%Gallery-6247%[Via press release]
Poll results: New games in old franchises
Last week, we asked you which of the many upcoming DS sequels to NES-era classics turned your heart to a heart-shaped powerup. No surprises here: the overwhelming majority of you picked Konami and WayForward's Contra 4, which we've been hyping into the stratosphere ourselves. If you voted for Contra 4, CONSIDER YOURSELF A HERO.Of course, all of these games look unfathomably awesome, and are all winners. But in the other regard of receiving votes from DS Fanboy readers, Super Dodge Ball DS is more of a winner than Arkanoid DS, International Track & Field, and The Legend of Kage 2, in that order. The important thing is that you guys cared enough about these games to click on a button within a blog post.
