GP2X Wiz Portable Arcade & Console Emulator

If you're an old time gamer like I am, you long for the days where you can just jump into a game and immerse yourself in that reality for a few minutes. The games these days take quite a while to finish and requires a lot of effort and concentration, thus the fun factor has been sorely lacking. It also requires you to buy multiple cartridges or discs in order to play games that you like. It's great then that the GP2X Wiz is coming out with a lot of games under its belt. Not only is this a Game Boy Emulator but it's an emulator to end all other emulators.

The Wiz uses Linux-based firmware to support a number of different emulators. As a result, games ranging from classic Nintendo to Sega Genesis to Neo Geo plus Arcade favorites are playable in one handheld device. "The retro gaming community grows in size every day. The demand for old favorites to be readily available is constantly increasing, despite how many new games are released" stated Mark Hall, Wiz enthusiast and proprietor of the community site GP2XWiz.info.

Although I do have to admit that the games included in the Wiz seems to be more targeted to an older audience, it doesn't mean that the younger generation can't get into it as well. Let's say it's a way for them to appreciate where the gaming today came from. For those of my age, it's a great way to relive younger days where games are meant to be fun rather than a challenge.

Press Release

Giant Katamari Controller

I have noticed a recent trend in video games that gets the player into the game with some kind of accessory. For example, Tony Hawk: Ride uses a plank for a controller for all kinds of skateboarding action. Considering that Guitar Hero and Rock Band have been very successful games with peripherals, it was about time someone developed a large trackball accessory for the Katamari series.

For those of you who are not familiar with Katamari, it is an odd little game that originated in Japan. The object is to rebuild heavenly bodies by rolling a sticky ball called the katamari that gets bigger with every object the player rolls over. Of course, the ball rolls quite awkwardly with all the incongruously non-round stuff attached to it.

A blogger by the name of Kellbot has created a way to make the Katamari game much more interactive by connecting an ordinary PS2 controller to a large ball. You can see a video of it after the jump to see how well it works.

Originally, Kellbot wanted to put this control on a yoga ball, but she found that the rubbery surface didn’t really work to well. Too bad, because that would have created a very unique video gaming experience.

If you would like to try this out, Kellbot has a schematic of her creation on her blog. If you ask me, someone needs to seriously mass-market this thing. Katamari people, get on this ball!

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The 3-in-1 Retro Adapter for the Wii

Technology moves so quickly that many gadgets get tossed out and forgotten. However, gamers aren’t always so quick to toss aside old gear. After spending so much time bonding with and getting used to an old controller, using a new one is just never as good. There is the Classic Controller that was created for the Wii, but it’s still just not the same. So for those that still have their old Nintendo controllers, now you can put them to good use on your Wii.

This 3-in-1 adapter will allow for you to hook up the original NES, Nintendo 64 and Super Nintendo controllers to your Wii. For those of you that tossed out your old controller, you might want to be on the lookout for replacements. Komodo and Innex are supposed to be officially announcing the adapter at this year’s E3. It’s supposed to be priced right around $19.99 once it does come out. Of course, that won’t be until mid-June, which isn’t all that far off.

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Zune and Xbox 360 in 1

Just to let you know, this product here, complete with picture, is a rumor. The source of this story comes from Team Xbox, who say that Microsoft is working on this Digital Entertainment Handheld. This is what it is: an Xbox 360 with a Zune. Your two favorite things in one package? Well, maybe not the Zune, but one out of two ain’t bad. (Not another “Zune slam”, stop it already.)

Anyway, the project is codenamed “xYz”. I am assuming the “X” comes from the Xbox 360 and the “Z” comes from the Zune. As for the “Y”, the answer to that is “because they can, and it would make money”.

Other facts are pretty sketchy at this point, but we do know that the xYz will come with a WVGA touchscreen. Assuming, of course, that it gets created.

Normally, I don’t report on something unless I have a viable source (or sources), but I am reporting on this to generate buzz. You see, I am hoping that all the chatter about this product will create a demand for an Xbox 360 Zune, and the company will make it to meet this demand. Hey, I can dream, can’t I?

Seriously, does anyone out there know if this is legit? If so, feel free to chime in with a comment.

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Nintendo DS Lite for Mom

Have you ever bought a gift for someone that you live with, and you really “gave” it so you could use it? This might be the case for when a mother buys a child this new version of the DS Lite.

The child should be immediately suspicious as he or she notices that the DS is lime green in color. I can pretty much guarantee that any kid who is seen in public with a lime green DS Lite will be called some sort of name by the end of the day. I’m sure the kids will start with the easy to use “limey-fruit” and will eventually shorten it to “fruit” in a matter of days.

This version of the DS Lite, which really should be called “The Housewives edition”, comes with Personal Trainer: Cooking. Yeah, junior’s going to be completely addicted to that game!

Did I mention that this edition also comes with a matching carrying case? In all honesty, I don’t really use the carrying case, and I’m guessing most teenage boys probably don’t either.

So, if you are a young lad, and your mother gives you a Nintendo DS that looks like the one in the picture, don’t open it. Your mom will be all over it if you do. Instead, run from the house and exchange it wherever you can. It costs about $149, so you should be able to get yourself something decent for it, like a Nintendo DS of a proper color like white, black, or even red.

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The Strike Video Game fishing rod

I remember playing this handheld electronic game ten years ago called Bass Fishin’. I’m sure most of you remember it, because it was quite a big seller. In this game, you had a controller that looked like a fishing rod, and a little screen to show when the fish were ready to be caught. A shaker was also in there, and if you brought up the rod controller at the proper time, you would get points for the fish you caught.

It would appear that Griffin International wants to take this fishing action and put it on the console with The Strike. As you can see, The Strike comes with a fishing rod controller for what one gaming publication has called “the best fishing video game ever created”.

Griffin has said that the game will also feature customizable characters with boats, lures, rods, and reels. Its advanced graphics allow for “realistic lake bottom topography” and “lifelike fish behaviors”.

The Strike will be available during the fall for the Xbox 360, the Nintendo Wii, and the PC. I’m not certain what the price is for the Wii or PC, but the Xbox 360 package with rod controller is planned to be $69.99.

In addition to The Strike, Griffin is also planning on releasing a game based on hunting rather than fishing. The title of this game is simply The Hunt, but I haven’t heard anything about a controller that looks like a hunting rifle.

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USB Riff Rocker: Rock like a rockstar

What is it?
The Riff Rocker is essentially a USB controller for a game. You plug the little rocker into a free USB socket, download the two games off the Riff Rocker website, and then thrash your little fingers off.

The downloadable games come with the usual 3 difficulty settings and are based around the guitar heroes-esc format of “press the correct coloured button in time with the on screen prompt”.

Why do I want it?

Hear at GFM towers we love the Guitar Heroes series of games but have come to the conclusion that you could never really call them “portable”. This is where the Riff Rocker shines, as it is light enough to be transported by pocket and small enough to be easily hidden within a work desk.

As the games are downloadable you don’t need to worry about transporting any software and as long as the unit you plug it into has an internet connection, you will never be more than a couple of clicks away from getting your button bashing fix.

This makes it perfect for an impromptu lunchtime concert where you can wow your co-workers with your guitar fettling skills and shake off some of those office blues. Suitable for new comers and pros the Riff Rocker is easy enough to pick up and really difficult to put down.


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Wii fit: Jog Game controller

How many of us have made our New Year’s resolution to work off those fats sticking around our waist like a barnacle that seems to grow larger and larger by the month without any sign of abating, and yet feel disappointed as we prefer to relax on our couches without hitting the treadmill? Perhaps video games could be used to make exercise more fun, as with the Jog Game controller for the Wii.

Jog takes you one step further into the immersive world of Wii gaming by hooking your controllers up to a waist-mounted step counter. Every time you run a step, the sensors pick it up and your onscreen character moves in the direction you’ve pointed the Nunchuk joystick. It’s that simple – just plug in and play. Within seconds you’ll be pacing, pelting along and having an all-out sprint to evade black magic zombies, score against Manchester United or knock out the Green Goblin stone cold.

The Jog will work with hundreds of existing games, and you benefit more from both exercise as well as getting an immersive gaming experience right in the comfort of the living room without having to share it with other sweaty folks from the gym. Perfect to bring the family together for a healthy and fun workout-cum-gaming session. You can pick up the Jog Game Controller for just £24.95 and start gaming to a healthier you! Just lay off the pizzas and sodas during those breaks.

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SEGA twin player console

Video gamers have this thing about retro games, and more often than not, they don’t mind going back to the good old days once in a while and indulge in a little bit of nostalgia, where pixelated graphics ruled the day and the gameplay experience coupled with an overactive imagination proved to work better than just flashy graphics. For those who missed out on Sega’s heydays as a home console manufacturer, here’s the Sega Mega Drive Twin Player Console that allows you to go through a bunch of 16-bit classics.

Simply plug it into the telly and you’re away. It might be smaller than the original but the Sega Mega Drive Twin Player Console is preloaded with 15 Sega licensed games, including Sonic and Knuckles, Alex Kidd, Golden Axe and many more. Better still you can bung in all those old Mega Drive and Genesis cartridges that have been languishing in the loft. Indeed, this nifty region-muncher doesn’t care where your games originated.

You will be able to bring home the Sega Mega Drive Twin Player Console for just £39.95 - a small price to pay for those glorious moments of yore without having to contend with the taint of downloading illegal ROMs.

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Nintendo DSi

Nintendo pioneered handheld entertainment in the '80s and famously made it fully mobile and accessible to millions around the world with the Game Boy and DS video game systems. Now, Nintendo is taking things to the next level by transforming the way people access, experience, create and share content with the new Nintendo DSi system, the third iteration of the world's best-selling portable video game system.

Nintendo DSi Blue in box
View of the Nintendo DSi Blue closed

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Nintendo DSi external camera in action

The DSi external camera in action.
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View of the Nintendo DSi Blue open with stylus

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The System
The Nintendo DSi is a high-powered handheld video game system in a sleek, folding design-loaded with features designed to create a unique gaming experience. Like the DS and DS Lite before it, the DSi features Nintendo's trademark stylus-driven touchscreen technology, but determined to make portable gaming simultaneously larger and smaller in all the right places, Nintendo has also created the DSi with significantly larger screens and an even slimmer body design than its earlier cousins. Other features include the ability to snap photos with built-in cameras, edit and send them to friends, play back your music with Nintendo DSi Sound, or browse the Internet with the Nintendo DSi Browser. From playing games to just playing around, the Nintendo DSi does it all.

Features:

The DSi's Two Digital Cameras
The most noticeable feature of the slim Nintendo DSi system are its two cameras - one camera is situated on the external body pointing away from the user, and the second one points at the user when the device is flipped open. As the first truly interactive digital camera in a video game system, the DSi Cameras feature 10 different interactive "lenses" that can manipulate your photos, offering an easy way to take and share your photos with family and friends. The cameras also present people with unprecedented ways to interact with their games, and in the process provide developers with a new tool to devise creative games and experiences. If the touch screen gave Nintendo DS a sense of feel and the microphone allowed it to hear, the two cameras give Nintendo DSi the sense of sight.

DSi Sound
Another enhanced feature is the Nintendo DSi Sound application, which serves as both an interactive voice recorder and music player that allows users to play with their music while they listen to it. Users can access different audio filters or control the pitch and speed of recorded voice or music files to alter voices or change the tempo of a song. The mic is located between the two screens when the device is flipped open, and there is also a stereo headphone output that lets users listen to music saved on an SD card, even with the screen shut.

The DSiWare
In the world of software, Nintendo DSi will be the platform for the most relevant and fun on-the-go games and applications. The Nintendo DSiWare application will populate Nintendo DSi with software that can be downloaded using Nintendo DSi Points directly to the portable system, just as WiiWare has with Nintendo's Wii console. Developers big and small are invited to create software that makes use of the properties and functions of the hardware. Nintendo DSiWare games and applications will be available at a range of values, starting at 200 points.

Games and Backwards Compatibility
In addition to downloadable games, Nintendo DSi is able to play games made specifically for the system and sold at retail. The system can also play most Nintendo DS games, and will have access to a library of more than 850 titles originally made for that system. As an example of the quality of games that DSi players can expect to see both from both Nintendo and third-party game developers, at the launch of the DSi Nintendo is also releasing Rhythm Heaven. A wildly popular rhythm game in Japan, where it has sold nearly 2 million copies since its release in mid 2008, Rhythm Heaven features catchy tunes, charming characters, and a wide variety of rhythm games as it makes maximum use of the DSi's functionality.

What's in the Box
Each DSi comes complete with: one Nintendo DSi System, one Nintendo DSi stylus, one Nintendo DSi AC power adapter, an easy start guide, manuals (basic and controls) and a support booklet.

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