Digital Ensemble #209: Drew tells awesome jokes

By AnthonyPublished: December 22, 2009

Season 2 – Episode #9: Drew tells awesome jokes

Keith and Anthony are joined this week by Drew, who closes out the show with some amazing jokes. All the normal topics are covered, and the show is as fun as it’s ever been, but man, you have to hear these awesome jokes!

This week’s show will take place live, tonight at 8PM, and will be our Jingilitious Christmasgeddon Holiday Special. Feel free to listen at WBNY’s live stream, or come back and download the recorded version.

Featuring music from: Secret of Mana (SNES), The Megas, 8-bit Instrumental and much more

Top 5 Favorite Games of 2009 – Number 5

By DavePublished: December 21, 2009

Starting today and running through Friday, the staff here at Extra Guy will be counting down their favorite games of 2009. This isn’t a definitive best of the year for the site, but rather a countdown of some of the games that we enjoyed playing throughout the year. Take a look at what each of us chose as our number 5:

Dan
50 Cent: Blood on the Sand
50centt5coverI’m not what you would call a 50 Cent fan. I had a brief foray into liking rap ironically back in 2004, but yelling ‘Whaaat’ ala DMX got old kind of quickly. So it took me by surprise when I quite enjoyed Blood on the Sand, though I have to admit that it was in an ironic sense as well. The game was decent, and you got to hear ‘Hey Fiddy!’ every thirty seconds while you tried to help Mr. Cent get his diamond encrusted skull back from that bitch who stole it, taking down helicopter after helicopter in the process. It’s not often that you see a rapper pick up an AK in a Middle Eastern country and start shooting fools, and so for a unintellectual romp Blood on the Sand was a damn good time.

Anthony
LostWinds: Winter of the Melodias
lostwindst5coverWinter of the Melodias is a follow up to WiiWare’s first competent offering and it improves and expands upon the original in almost every way. This platformer had fantastic pacing — reminiscent of Super Metroid or a modern Castlevania — and added a new gameplay wrinkle each time the game was in danger of becoming stale. If there’s an example of how to bring retail quality to a downloadable environment, but chop it up in easily digestible bite-sized chunks, it’s the LostWinds series.

Dave
Resident Evil 5
residentevil5t5coverI’ve been a huge Resident Evil fan since I played RE2 on the original PlayStation, so I was incredibly excited about this release. RE5 gave me everything I’ve come to expect from a Resident Evil game and more. Although I do miss the old days of Resident Evil being a game about killing zombies, I still love the story and the atmosphere that the series provides, and it’s great to be back in control of Chris. A lot of controversy arrived with this game due to the controls not being updated since RE4, but in the end what you’ll find is that even with these old school controls this is still one of the best games of 2009. If somehow you missed a chance to check this game out earlier this year, Capcom is set to release a special gold edition early next year that you definitely need to pick up and play.

Nintendo Downloads: 12/21/09

By AnthonyPublished: December 21, 2009

weekly downloadsChristmas week is upon us, and Nintendo is in the giving spirit… meaning they how you’ll give them WiiPoints in exchange for the new games they’ve made available for download. Take a gander at this week’s titles and be amazed at their quirkiness, holiday spirit, and retro style. Everybody loves a good round of Super Smash Bros. on the N64, right?

Deck the halls with downloadable fun this week as Nintendo offers 11 new games to engage and entertain everyone in the household. Among this week’s highlights is the Virtual Console™ debut of the original Super Smash Bros.™ game, bringing the total of downloadable games for the WiiWare™ and Virtual Console services to a fabulous 500 and featuring a host of beloved characters from across the Nintendo universe. New WiiWare offerings include the Earth-conscious action game Eco Shooter: Plant 530™ and a sequel to the quiz-lovers’ favorite TV Show King. For Nintendo DSiWare™ fans, fresh arrivals include hand-held versions of the card-table classic UNO™ and the pioneering arcade game Dragon’s Lair®. For rollicking multiplayer fun, mellow single-player diversions and everything in-between, Nintendo’s got you covered for the holidays and beyond.

WiiWare

Eco ShooterEco Shooter: Plant 530
Publisher: Nintendo
Players: 1
ESRB Rating: E10+ (Everyone 10 and Older) – Fantasy Violence
Price: 1,000 Wii Points™
Description: Earth’s empty cans have been brought to life by the Cannoids, an alien race determined to destroy the planet. Only Mack, a technician from the recycling facility Plant 530, stands in their way as Earth’s last line of defense. Step into Mack’s shoes in this guided first-person shooter as he takes on the invading aliens with only his trusty recycle cannon and a can-do attitude. Blast and vacuum (yes, vacuum) your way to victory, keeping in mind that every shot counts. Your ammo also doubles as your health, and every enemy you destroy leaves behind Can Energy that you can vacuum up and use as ammo. Uncomplicated controls (including optional use of the Wii Zapper™ accessory) give everyone the chance to save the planet, while advanced tactics like consecutive hit combos and the tough Challenge mode give even the best players a run for their money. Are you ready to step up and put a dent in their cans?

Game Show 2TV Show King 2
Publisher: Gameloft
Players: 1-4
ESRB Rating: E10+ (Everyone 10 and Older) – Drug Reference
Price: 800 Wii Points
Description: TV Show King is back for a second round. There are 8,000 questions sorted into 12 categories on the program, including general knowledge, sports, movies, music and more. And that’s without counting the questions that you can create yourself. Here’s everything you need to compete with your friends, or with players all over the world thanks to Nintendo® Wi-Fi Connection.

PallurikioPallurikio™
Publisher: Playstos Entertainment
Players: 1
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone)
Price: 1,000 Wii Points
Description: Jump and roll with Pallurikio, a fast-paced action platformer that’s easy to pick up yet challenging to master. While playing a mysterious board game he found with his friends, Rusty is sucked into a dimensional vortex and finds himself in a mystical and wondrous world where he assumes the aspect of the round and bouncing Pallurikio. Using the Wii Remote™ controller, make Pallurikio jump and roll and help him find his way through more than 50 enticing levels while surviving all kinds of pitfalls and trickeries in Bakumbala Jungle, the far reaches of Palluro Prime and many other weird settings. Featuring physics simulation, Time Attack mode, collectible cards and space rockets to boot, Pallurikio is a game you won’t want to miss.

ChristmasHappy Holidays Christmas
Publisher: 505 Games
Players: 1
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone)
Price: 500 Wii Points
Description: Planning a Christmas party and want to grab guests’ attention? Or want to send greeting cards without the hassle of licking stamps? Here’s the solution: Create and send fun Christmas cards with this unique WiiWare application. Happy Holidays Christmas lets you make fun Christmas-themed e-cards and send them straight to friends’ Wii™ consoles. Add a tree and decorations; choose frames, stickers and music; then write a message to friends you’ve registered in your Wii Address Book. It might not snow this Christmas, but with this fun new software your holiday is guaranteed to be a happy one.

DSIware UNO
Publisher: Gameloft
Players: 1-4
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone)
Price: 800 Nintendo DSi Points™
Description: Get ready to call out “UNO!” on your Nintendo DSi™ system. The world-famous card game has been faithfully reproduced for the Nintendo DSi system and features exciting new rules. With a multiplayer mode that can be accessed by local wireless play or with broadband Internet access and Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection, playing UNO has never been so fun and easy, so be the first to get rid of all your cards.

Dragon’s Lair
Publisher: Digital Leisure Inc.
Players: 1
ESRB Rating: E10+ (Everyone 10 and Older) – Animated Blood, Fantasy Violence, Mild Suggestive Themes
Price: 800 Nintendo DSi Points
Description: You play the heroic Dirk the Daring, a valiant knight on a quest to rescue the fair princess from the clutches of an evil dragon. Control the actions of the daring adventurer and find your way through the castle of a dark wizard who has enchanted it with treacherous monsters and obstacles. In the mysterious caverns below the castle, your odyssey continues against the awesome forces that oppose your journey to the dragon’s lair. Dragon’s Lair is a fully animated classic arcade game from legendary animator Don Bluth.

Hot and Cold: A 3D Hidden Object Adventure
Publisher: Majesco Entertainment
Players: 1-2
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone)
Price: 800 Nintendo DSi Points
Description: You’re getting warm…warmer…hot! You’ve found Hot and Cold: A 3D Hidden Object Adventure, the new game that puts you on the job of finding people’s missing stuff. A voice in your head tells you whether you’re Hot or Cold when searching for things. Investigate cases all over town using your unique ability, and discover the secret behind the mysterious voice in your head. Throw objects out of your way, maneuver your way through a 3-D world, follow your Hot and Cold meter and more in this unparalleled hidden-object adventure.

High Stakes: Texas Hold’Em
Publisher: Hudson Entertainment
Players: 1-4
ESRB Rating: T (Teen) – Simulated Gambling
Price: 500 Nintendo DSi Points
Description: Hudson proudly presents the definitive Texas Hold’Em game for Nintendo DSiWare with High Stakes Texas Hold’Em. High Stakes allows players of any level to enjoy Texas Hold’Em game play. The popular No-Limit rule set used in many tournaments is included, so anyone can play with the big boys. With the added functionality of DS Wireless Communications, players can compete with others and test their skills. It’s the core Texas Hold’Em experience on your Nintendo DSi system – anytime, anywhere.

myNotebook: Green™
Publisher: Nnooo
Players: 1
Price: 200 Nintendo DSi Points
Description: myNotebook allows you to take notes wherever you are. Just pop open your Nintendo DSi system and jot down your thoughts. Make a list and cross it off, or even play your favorite pen-and-paper games (games not included). You can even personalize your notebook by drawing on the cover and changing the paper type with 18 unlockable squared and lined paper styles. Use the pen or pencil to make your notes or doodles, then erase the bits you don’t like. With five ink colors, you’ll always be able to make your notes and doodles look stylish.

Virtual Console

Smash BrosSuper Smash Bros.
Original platform: Nintendo 64™
Publisher: Nintendo
Players: 1-4
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone) – Cartoon Violence
Price: 1,000 Wii Points
Description: Choose from an all-star cast of Nintendo characters in a frantic melee to prove who will be the ultimate brawler. Utilize the easy-to-learn but hard-to-master controls and battle it out in the single-player mode, earning point bonuses and unlocking hidden characters along the way. Enter VS Mode to take on up to three other players simultaneously. Inflict damage using each character’s unique set of special moves, familiar items and power-ups, eventually winning by knocking your opponents off the screen in one of the interactive stages, each with a Nintendo theme. Need a moment to catch your breath? Polish your skills in Training Mode or destroy targets in Bonus Stages specific to each character. Are you ready to test your mettle against all comers, including the powerful Master Hand?

Ninja GaidenNINJA GAIDEN™
Original platform: Arcade
Publisher: TECMO
Players: 1-2
ESRB Rating: E10+ (Everyone 10 and Older) – Alcohol Reference, Suggestive Themes, Violence
Price: 600 Wii Points
Description: Take control of a ninja, master of the Five Ninja Fighting Arts of assassination passed down since the chaotic times of feudal Japan, and enter “Jungle,” a terrifying American city, to crush waves of foes who are part of an assassination syndicate. Use three buttons to execute exciting moves like the Flying Neck Throw, the Hang Kick and the Triple Blow Combination. Each stage is based around popular Western misconceptions about ninja and Japan, making the game world a fantastic mix of ninja and American pop culture. Game settings such as the starting number of player characters and the difficulty level can also be adjusted.

Nintendo adds new titles to the Nintendo DSi Shop and the Wii Shop Channel at 9 a.m. Pacific time on Mondays. Users with broadband Internet access can redeem Wii Points or Nintendo DSi Points to download the games. Wii Points can be purchased in the Wii Shop Channel. Nintendo DSi Points can be purchased in the Nintendo DSi Shop. A Nintendo Points Card™ can be purchased at retail locations. All points from one Nintendo Points Card must be redeemed in either the Nintendo DSi Shop or the Wii Shop Channel. They are not transferable and cannot be divided between the two systems. Remember that both Wii and Nintendo DSi feature parental controls that let adults manage the content their children can access. For more information about this and other features, visit Wii.com or NintendoDSi.com.

Castlevania: The Adventure Rebirth Trailer Released

By AnthonyPublished: December 20, 2009

RebirthCastlevania: The Adventure Rebirth has been a long time coming now, especially considering it’s been out in Japan for a bit, but there’s good news for those looking forward to the title. Konami has released a new trailer for the game on their American site.

Click the link above to check it out. It’s a pretty good gamble the game is on its way out soon, since the video was recently added. Keep your fingers crossed for this week, and return Monday to see if your patience has been rewarded when Nintendo’s weekly downloadable title are revealed.

Star Wars The Force Unleashed 2 Trailer

By DavePublished: December 19, 2009

If for some reason you haven’t seen the announcement trailer for the new Force Unleashed game set to come out next year, now’s your chance. The original Force Unleashed was one of my favorite games from last year and I can’t wait to see how the story unravels in the new game. Check out the return of Starkiller in the trailer below.

Get the Flash Player to see this player.

Mega Man 10% Off For 10 Days Sale

By DavePublished: December 18, 2009

MegaMan9SoundtrackSince Mega Man just turned 22, Capcom is having a special sale as part of the celebration. All Mega Man related merchandise is now on sale for 10% off for the next 10 days at the Capcom Store. If you’ve been holding out on picking up that Mega Man shirt, or perhaps the soundtrack from Mega Man 9, now seems like a great chance to pick them up at a reduced price. The deal started on the 16th, so you have until Christmas to take advantage of the sale. Some products have already sold out, so if you’re interested in picking anything up, it’s suggested you head on over there sooner rather than later.

Bionic Commando

By DavePublished: December 18, 2009

BionicCommandoCoverGenre: Action
Developer: GRIN
Publisher: Capcom
Players: 1
Retail Price: $20
Availability: Xbox 360, PS3, PC

C

Playing Bionic Commando Rearmed last year gave me high hopes for Bionic Commando. I found myself wondering what GRIN would do with the license in a full 3D game. Unfortunately, like GRIN’s other console releases, the game takes it’s time to get going, and by the time you start to really enjoy it, you’ll find it’s over. The end result is a less-than-stellar title that has a few high points, but overall ranks as a dissatisfying experience. Bionic Commando is a terrible game, but it doesn’t really do anything that will keep your attention. The boss sequences in the game are entertaining and can be a lot of fun to play and the game does look good, but some segments can be incredibly frustrating.

The story of the new Bionic Commando takes place ten years after the events of the first game. You’ll reprise the role of Nathan Spencer and work with Super Joe in an attempt to stop a terrorist group called BioReign, who has recently set off a massive bomb in Ascension City. One thing that you’ll find out pretty early on is that Spencer and Joe aren’t exactly best buddies anymore. You’ll find the main protagonist in prison at the start of the game sans bionic arm. Turns out the government isn’t too fond of bionic commandos anymore. It’s lucky then that they offer a mission in exchange for freedom, or else there wouldn’t be much of a story here. And while the story serves the purpose of the game, it doesn’t contain many interesting moments. There are some twists that you may or may not see coming, but it’s still fairly boring.

Well, this shouldn't be too much trouble

Well, this shouldn't be too much trouble

While you start the game without your bionic arm you won’t be without it for long. Unfortunately though, many of the fun things you can do with the arm are locked out from you until later in the game, which was easily one of the most frustrating parts of this title. Don’t go in expecting to immediately pick up and throw cars or boulders around — you’ll unlock Nathan’s abilities as you journey through the game, as he starts to remember what he can do. Luckily, the swing mechanic is available right from the start, and is one of the high points of the game. They did a good job of making the arm an important part of maneuvering though the levels, and once you’ve mastered how to use the arm you’ll enjoy quickly making your way through the remains of Acsension City.

Much like the first Bionic Commando, your arm isn’t the only weapon at your disposal. You’ll also be provided with a selection of firearms at certain points throughout the game. Rather than enemies dropping weapons, you’ll be given these guns at specific points where Joe drops them in for you. You’ll also quickly realize that even though you have these secondary firearms the ammo is pretty scarce. It’s because of this that using your arm or your hand-to-hand combat skills effectively becomes necessary if you want to succeed.

The arm grabs on to just about anything

The arm grabs on to just about anything

One thing to be aware of as is that the story and gameplay progression are linear, which almost seems strange due to the nature of your movement. It’s not that I wish Bionic Commando was set in an open world environment, but it can be frustrating to work within the confines of the level given freedom of movement they provide you with. The biggest obstacles to avoid are radiation and water, both of which you’ll want to stay far far away from. This basically means that you’ll need to swing from specific objects in order to make your way across the obstacles, at least if you don’t want to die and restart from your previous checkpoint. And believe me, you don’t — it usually isn’t close to the spot you died.

A fair amount of collectibles and unlockable abilities are available if you want to take the time to search them out. You’ll find standard hidden item fare here. Things like concept art can be found, though you should keep a keen eye out since the linear progression of the story prevents any sort of backtracking. You miss it and it’s gone. One of the more interesting aspects of the game is its unlockable abilities. These are granted by completing tasks which usually require you to take out a certain number of enemies with a particular weapon. These can be difficult — if you miss your opportunity to kill a particular enemy, you’ve simply missed that opportunity and there’s no going back. That ability is gone.

Bionic Commando isn’t all bad and it does do some things really well. I was impressed with most of the boss fights in the game, and once you’ll collected a fair amount of Nathan’s abilities the action and the pace of the game seem to quicken, becoming more exciting. Unfortunately, many of the flaws rear their head just when you start to have fun with the game, which really makes the overall experience a continued frustration. All this in addition to the fact that the game is only five to six hours in length make the overall package hard to recommend. If you were a fan of the original Bionic Commando you should definitely check out what Nathan has been up to all these years, but even you can probably find better ways to spend your time.

Mega Man 10 Trailer

By DavePublished: December 17, 2009

A new Mega Man 10 trailer is making its rounds on the internet and it shows off a bit of what you can expect out of next years new release. Check it out below if you’re interested in seeing a bit of the story and action you can expect when the game launches.

Final Fantasy 14 Beta Sign-Up Page

By DavePublished: December 16, 2009

FFXIVIt looks like Square Enix is interested in accepting applications to be a part of the FFXIV beta launching sometime next year. FFXIV is the second MMO set in the Final Fantasy universe and if you’re interested in checking it out you can hit the official site for all the details. Players will be randomly selected, and this is only for the Windows Beta with more information about the PS3 beta to come in the future.

Contra Rebirth

By AnthonyPublished: December 16, 2009

ExGenre : Shooter
Developer: M2
Publisher: Konami
Players: 1 – 2
Retail Price: 1000 Wii Points ($10)
Availability: WiiWare

B

If you’ve ever played a Contra game, you’ve had your ass handed to you. It’s a fact of life. The series remembered for a handful of reasons but its difficulty is the jewel set atop the crown. Contra Rebirth is the second installment of Konami’s line of WiiWare reimaginings and it certainly looks and feels like a member of the family, but only if you dive right into the highest available difficulty setting. Rebirth is otherwise a cakewalk; a would-be hoping to rub elbows with the elite by simply wearing their clothes… ironic in a game where the main characters are shirtless.

Rebirth’s story continues the saga of series stalwart Bill Rizer, who is awakened from stasis in the year 2633 and given a new mission. Tasked with chasing down and defeating Colonel Salamander, Rizer pursues Earth’s current ruler through time and back to the year 1973 to prevent the destruction of the then-infantile Contra program, thus saving mankind from their current enslavement. All in a day’s work, right?

Expect to see this guy's bullet patterns in your sleep

Expect to see this guy's bullet patterns in your sleep

The mission begins as only Contra can: a hole is blown into the side of an invading starcraft as you leap from your helicopter and into the fray. This tongue-in-cheek silliness pervades the entire title. Enemies explode in a fiery blast when defeated; Bill growls “Let’s Party!” when deployed. It’s 80s action-kitsch applied with a wink and a smile, and it’s done quite well. The attitude is only half the battle, however. Contra is about more than bandannas flapping in the wind and tough-guy catchphrases. It’s about shootin’ some damn aliens.

And shoot some damn aliens you will. You’ll also shoot enemy soldiers, bionic owls, a cybernetic samurai and robotic ostriches. The bad news for you is they won’t go down without a fight. Enemies have apparent access to unlimited amounts of ammunition and aren’t afraid to discharge it in your direction. Also, it’s one hit kills all the way folks. The initial shock of seeing the chaos can be overwhelming — there are bullets everywhere. But this does well to hide the clever, and ultimately manageable level design. Like its old-school brethren, Rebirth is slightly more about pattern memorization and patience than it is about twitch-reflex.

Shirtless travel through the atmosphere? Ahh, the power of testosterone

Shirtless travel through the atmosphere? Ahh, the power of testosterone

Enemies are deliberately placed to provide maximum discomfort for you. Success comes at the price of failure, a price paid multiple times over without the presence of absolute luck. There are several set-piece moments where an enemy will unexpectedly leap out and nail you but not enough to degrade the integrity of the level design. Each of the five levels is capped with a boss battle, most of which are challenging but fall short of remarkable by a fair margin. Like the levels, pattern memorization is the key to achieving victory. You can continue after losing all your lives, but expect to replay the entire level, minibosses and all should you meet your demise. As stated before, victory comes at a price to be paid in full, and multiple times.

Completionists and masochists will be glad to know there are two characters and a “Nightmare” level of difficulty to unlock. The game is relatively short — the five levels won’t take more than three hours to play through on normal difficulty, especially if you’re attentive to the patterns — but Rebirth isn’t a game looking to provide an epic, mind-altering journey. Its mission instead is to hearken back to a simpler time, when games were about mowing down unlimited waves of enemies with a constant stream of machine-gun fire, or somersaulting through the vacuum of space and into battle without a second thought to the realism involved.

Older Entries