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09 Dec 2011 13:49

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Tech: Nintendo’s Shigeru Miyamoto retiring, not retiring; honestly we’re not sure

  • Is Nintendo’s game-master retiring? Wired’s readers had reason to worry Wednesday after an article led them to believe that Shigeru Miyamoto, the company’s top game designer, would be stepping aside and working on smaller projects. (It was an easy conclusion to make: The headline was literally “Nintendo’s Miyamoto Stepping Down, Working on Smaller Games.” He also said, in these exact words: “I’m not saying that I’m going to retire from game development altogether. What I mean by retiring is, retiring from my current position.”) However, Nintendo denies the report; they told PC Magazine that, in his Wired interview, that “he attempted to convey his priorities moving forward, inclusive of overseeing all video game development and ensuring the quality of all products.” The company also noted that he wanted to take on smaller projects to rekindle his early love of making games. Were there translation issues? source
Posted by samimain • 0 Comments • Permalink

03 Dec 2011 20:23

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Tech: Electronic Arts attempts to nickel-and-dime die-hard Tetris fans

  • $30 per year to subscribe to a special Tetris club (?!?) source
  • » Wait, what?!? If you’re like us, you’re a huge fan of Tetris, one of the simplest, best video games ever created. However, Electronic Arts couldn’t leave well enough alone with its iOS edition, and rebooted it as a version of Farmville, essentially. Now, just to play the game (which you have to pay 99 cents for, by the way), you have to register for a special social network run by EA. And for the biggest fans, they’ve created a “T-Club” component, in which you pay $2.99 per month — or $30 per year for the die-hards — just for the right to get some extra power-ups. And the final kicker: The original iOS game, which was perfectly fine as-is, no longer exists on the App Store. For shame.
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

13 Sep 2011 00:43

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Culture: Angry Birds: Educational? Uh, sure, why the heck not?

  • That’s why it’s only natural that today’s more tech-savvy educators are recognising the potential of using games as a teaching device in their classrooms.
  • Ntombezinhle Modiselle, a South African teacher • Defending the use of technology in the classroom.  This teacher is trying to recognize the fact that “today’s learners are the gamer generation.” We kinda think that the Atlanta teacher using “Angry Birds” to teach velocity and acceleration might be taking it a little far, though. What’s next, urban planning through “SimCity”? (OK, OK, you’re right, that’s actually a good idea) World War II history through “Call of Duty”? Statistics through one of the “Final Fantasy” games? source
Posted by samimain • 0 Comments • Permalink

29 Aug 2011 23:14

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Tech: Mario + Portal = Mari0, a game we absolutely want to play now

  • Continuing with our trend of posting all things Mario, this as-yet-released mashup of Super Mario Bros. and Portal pretty much puts the kind of twist on two different classic games that seems like magic in action. We approve. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

28 Jul 2011 10:43

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Tech: Signs the 3D fad is over: Nintendo drops 3DS price significantly

  • $80 price drop after only five months on the market source
  • » Poor sales might be the cause: Amid reports that 3DS sales are roughly 39 million units off of projected forecasts, the device, noted for its unique 3D screen (which does not require glasses, by the way), is dropping from $249.99 to $169.99 next month. The 3DS, while well-reviewed, faced a number of problems at launch, including bad timing — with the console having just come out before the devastating earthquake hit Japan, Nintendo’s home and a key sales market. On top of all that, Nintendo is facing unprecedented competition in the portable market, what with mobile phones getting in on the territory Nintendo exclusively dominated for years. Oh, and 3D is hard on the eyes. That seems like a good reason.
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

16 Jun 2011 13:53

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Tech: Robin Williams is definitely a bigger Zelda fan than you

  • Robin Williams has been into Legend of Zelda since the ’80s. And in this new ad for the 3DS version of the Nintendo 64 classic Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time (one of the best video games ever), Robin Williams is their poster boy. He’s a pretty big fan, apparently, and he has the proof. Check it out. source
Posted by Justin Jones • 0 Comments • Permalink

08 Jun 2011 13:17

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Tech: Nintendo – promising more than they can deliver?

  • excited Yesterday Nintendo announced a new console, and it seemed pretty awesome. From the touch screen controller to the HD graphics, the Wii U was proving itself to be a console that could compete. It was exciting seeing Nintendo stepping up to be a real competitor.
  • disappointed It seems that Nintendo used some footage from the competition during their press conference. Some of the games they showed weren’t from their new console, but from the current-gen Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. Which is kind of embarrassing.  source
Posted by Justin Jones • 0 Comments • Permalink
 

07 Jun 2011 14:31

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Tech: Nintendo’s new console steps up to compete, finally

  • The Wii U takes the controller a step further: The new Nintendo console will remind you a bit of their handheld DS. It has a touch screen in the controller, which will add a bit to gameplay. In addition, the Wii U will be the first Nintendo system to feature HD graphics. The controller can also be used to make voice calls and run old Nintendo games, which is pretty awesome. It’s going to come out next year, but there hasn’t been a price announced yet. Expect that controller to be pretty expensive, though. source
Posted by Justin Jones • 0 Comments • Permalink

07 Jun 2011 10:43

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Tech: Sony’s PlayStation Vita: A great opportunity to change the subject

  • Sony just had a rough month, and it continues to be kinda rough. So a console launch like the PlayStation Vita comes as a breath of fresh air for the company, which needs something to take the focus off their security problems and back onto their bread and butter. So, with a brief apology — “I want to apologize both personally and on behalf of my company,” as Sony’s North American head Jack Tretton, put it — it was onto the new console. And what a console it is: An OLED screen, touchpads in the back, and multiple cameras for augmented-reality gaming. Will it be enough to bring gamers back into the fold? source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

25 Apr 2011 20:51

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Offbeat: Super Mario Bros. 3 sounds better with acoustic instruments

  • Because we have a predilection towards anything Mario: Here’s a clip of someone playing through Super Mario Bros. 3 — with a soundtrack provided by live musicians. Holy crap guys. We’re nerding out, and so are the creators of this — a couple of video game/jazz nerds called “Eight Bits of Jam.” source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink
 
 
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