Here are the most kickass video game quotes of the day. These quotes come from Assassin’s Creed 3, Bioshock Infinite and Medal of Honour Warfighter, all of which have had trailers released in past 24 hours.
They will fight. They will fall. They will rise for their freedom — Assassin’s Creed 3 quote
*** click image for full size/ Copy and paste code to embed ****
What an amazing time it is here at Tokyo Games Show 2012. Solid Snake from Metal Gear Solid is right here, there’s a chocobo to the left, a load of booth babes to the right, and games, games, games everywhere. Here are some photos of the best things we have seen at Tokyo Games Show 2012 .
I think Solid Snake must be in stealth mode right now. He’s trying his best not to move. I though Solid Snake would be too busy at Ground Zeroes to attend TGS. I was wrong. Fair play, Snake. Fair play.
These Metal Gear Solid manakins are rocking some cool MGS clothing. Might have to buy some of that.
Cute booth babes are one of the highlights of Tokyo Games Show 2012. I asked for her number. She slapped me. Sad story. Still, least I got a photo, right?
Pacman is such a happy yellow dude. Seriously, look how excited he is about TG2012. Awesome.
Gree might have the best show here at TGS 2012. So many booth babes I think I might pass out.
If this giant chocobo from Final Fantasy lays an egg, were all screwed.
Sony have announced a new super slim PS3. But we still love the plus size model.
copy code below to embed image
Nintendo have had a long and fruitful relationship with celebrities over the years, particularly with their handheld systems. Nicole Kidman, Sir Patrick Stewart, Liv Tyler, Carrie Underwood, Beyonce, and America Ferrara have all done promotional work for the DS in the past five years, and now it’s time for the Nintendo 3DS, as gymnast Gabrielle Douglas joins forces with Nintendo.
The marketing force of celebrities is unparalleled. Put a celebrities face on something and you tap into their (often gargantuan) fanbase. That’s why previous Nintendo / celebrity collaborations have been so affective—they’ve brought two often disparate sets of fans (the celebs and Nintendo’s own) together.
Nintendo’s latest celebrity marketing collaboration is with Olympic gymnast Gabrielle Douglas (who controversially won gold in London 2012 over Viktoria Komova).
You have to ask: is this really a smart choice for Nintendo? The movie stars were one thing. After all, games fans and movie fans aren’t too far apart. But gymnastics? That’s like trying to splice a Yorkshire Terrier with a bowl ofDevon’s custard. And nobody wants to play with a custard dog. . . seriously, damn thing would just get all up in your face and start sliming you with custard. Not to mention the fact that custard and electronics don’t mix. But I digress. . .
Anyway, here’s the result of the combined efforts of Olympic gymnast Gabrielle Douglas and Nintendo’s 3Ds. If this somehow, for some bizarre, twisted reason, actually makes you want to play a Nintendo 3DS more, let us know. And if this article appealed to you, you need to join us on Facebook. Seriously; we’re probably the only site in the entire world that covers both gymnastics and video games, so come play games while doing handstands with us.
Which do you prefer: Gymnastics or Nintendo?
The Wii U could make or break Nintendo. After posting their first annual loss ever earlier this year, it’s questionable whether Nintendo would survive a poor Wii U run, especially given the towering competition of Microsoft and Sony. To put it lightly: Nintendo need the Wii U to be a hit.
Whether or not the Wii U can be what Nintendo need it to be remains to be seen. It’s a two way street. On the one hand, titles like Rayman Legends shows an ingenuity that could lead the Wii U right to the top. Then again, it’s hard to see launch titles like Nintendo land carrying the commercial weight that Nintendo need.
The question of whether or not the Wii U will end up a success was posed today by Games Industry International, who asked analysts to weight-in on Nintendo’s new console.
If you’re a Nintendo fan, you’ll be pleased to hear that the overall opinion of the Wii U was one of high regard. Mighael Pachter or Wedbush Securities commented, “I think that the price points make sense, particularly since I think that the console will be sold out through March.” Pachter also praised a strong launch line-up and healthy third part support (a key ingredient, the lack of which marred the 3DS on its launch). Pachter did, however, suggest that the Wii U will get a price but before holiday 2013 due to heavy competition.
DFC analysts (who are notable for their key speeches at trade shows) believe the price to be high at $349, suggesting a price point of $299 to be more reasonable . DFC analyst David Cole stated, “In terms of launch, Nintendo has a pretty strong fan base to snap up initial inventory and the real issue is not this holiday season but 2013 and beyond…The real issue is whether Nintendo will be able to attract some of the more casual Wii purchasers.”
It’s this market thatCole points to which could hold the key to Nintendo’s success or failure. The Wii set the casual audience on fire and Nintendo reaped healthy rewards as a result. As for the Wii U, titles like Just Dance 4, Rayman Legends and Your Shape Fitness Evolved show the potential to tap-into this audience. Provided these games are strong enough, Nintendo could have the hit they direly need. If not, the future will look very questionable for Nintendo.
Click the image for full list of Wii U launch title
s 
All these Wii U titles look to be shaping up very well indeed, making the Wii U an attractive looking console as it heads to us in November. Yet it isn’t these games that have been given the most attention from Nintendo. Instead, the title which is being given the most attention is a simple, lacklustre games called Nintendo Land.
Nintendo Land is a series of subgames that take place in a virtual theme park. It’s simple. Too simple. It’s reminiscent of titles like Mario Party–games which are firmly cemented in Nintendo’s past, not their future. This one title sends the horrendously unattractive message that the Wii U is really just the Wii plus one, almost like the Mega CD was to theMega Drive so long ago.
This might seem harsh. After all, not many people have actually played Nintendo Land, so how could we possibly know if it’s good or not? We don’t. Nintendo Land could have the most innovative and advanced gameplay ever. We wouldn’t know it because all we can see is videos and graphics. But that’s the whole point. The Nintendo Wii U (as with all consoles and games) is being marketed on it’s visual and audio appeal, because that’s all the mass public can see or hear. And this brings us to the main point:
When marketing in games is firmly on graphics and sound, why market a console off a game that excels in neither?
The Wii U needs to look like the next big thing. Nintendo Land cannot achieve that. It simply isn’t the right sort of game to market a console off of. No one will be excited about Nintendo Land before they play it. It won’t help to sell any units. At least, not off of its graphics and sound. Make Nintendo Land playable at events and at stores when the Wii U is launched, but until then, there’s no reason for it to be in the spotlight.
For Nintendo to place so much of the Wii U’s attention on a title that looks and sounds like the past rather than the future, is marketing suicide.
Here’s my pick for the Wii U games that deserves the most attention.
The Nintendo Wii U looks set to be the definitive piece of family entertainment. The Wii U console itself is clearly designed for family fun for all ages and will occupy that loveable space between the TV and DVD player. And with the line-up that Ubisoft has revealed, it’s going to have the perfect games to keep you and your family entertained for hours.
Your Shape Fitness Evolved 2013: The ultimate in fitness games, Your Shape Fitness Evolved 2012 wants to turn your TV and lounge into your gym. With a personalised traiing system and a points system which will be sure to motivate, this could be just the thing you need to get into shape.
Rayman Legends: Without doubt, Rayman Legends is one of the most exciting games for Wii U. It’s a truly creative title with a brilliant soundtrack and gameplay that makes creative use of the Wii U gamepad (for more see: Rayman Legends Creator Interview)
Just Dance 4: The game I am personally most excited about for Wii U. Just Dance 4 will have you working out while having a whole lot of fun. And it’s perfect for parties.
ZombiU: This is one of the titles Nintendo themselves are giving the most attention to (yesterday they announced a bundle package of the Wii U console with ZombiU). It’s a first person shooter where you take down horde of zombies. This is likely to be one of the Wii U’s best selling games.
The Avengers: Definitely a game for him, The Avengers is a title that teens are going to love, if only for the strength of its cast of characters.
Rabids Lands: not much has been said about Rabids Lands, but the series as a whole has been great multiplayer fun. We’ll have to see how this one turns out.
Assassin’s Creed: No game this year has been more hyped than Assassin’s Creed 3. But will the Wii U version be as good as the PS3 and 360? We’ll have to wait and see.
With this line-up of games from Ubisoft, there can be no doubt that the Wii U is the perfect piece of family entertainment. It’s a must-have this Christmas.
Check out the latest screenshots for Lego City for Wii U
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nuZosyzSiuI
We’ve been waiting for Assassin’s Creed 3 for a long, long time. I don’t know about you, but I’m starting to consider freezing myself so the next 6 weeks go faster (just like Cartmn did on South Park when waiting for the Nintendo Wii). So, to pass the time, how about we all l get hype with this awesome Assassin’s Creed 3 Connor tribute.
[trackable_share]
With both Connor from Assassin’s Creed 3 and Lara Croft from Tomb Raider currently thrilling the gaming world with sneak peaks of their archery gameplay, it seems we are in the glory days of the bow and arrow. What better time than to honor that weapon with this list of the top ten bows, arrows and archers in gaming?
Connor in Assassin’s Creed 3 and Lara Croft in Tomb Raider
Who doesn’t love the bow and arrow? It looks stylish as hell. It makes for excellent gameplay. And many of the best gaming characters have been archers. To be on this list, an entrant must meet all three of those points: the bow and arrow must be great fun to use, it must be used by a great character and it has to look awesome. So, here’s the top ten bows, arrows and archers ever.
We may not have seen a great deal from Lara Croft’s latest Tomb Raider adventure, but one thing we have seen is the bow and arrow gameplay, which looks awesome.
Naturally, Lara Croft gains a lot of points for being one of the best looking and most stylish video game characters ever, and the fact that her next adventure includes such excellent bow and arrow gameplay makes her one of the best archers in gaming.
Another game which has yet to be released, but which we have seen and tried out the archery of. Assassin’s Creed 3’s bow and arrow finds its place in this list thanks to being owned by one 2012’s greatest video games character, Connor, and for the excellent gameplay its given us, which has been a focal point of the build up to Assassin’s Creed 3’s release.
And now, the moment you have all been waiting for. . .
10: Wander (shadow of the colossus)
The odds were always against Wander. He’s a little guy trying to take down a giant made of earth and stone with a horse a sword and a bow. Thank god the colossus has critical weak points that Wander can hit with the bow to weaken them. After clearing 16 colossi, Wander gains “flash arrows” and “whistle arrows,” which give him the ability to blow things up and to distract enemies.
9: Elf: Gauntlet
Pretty much every character in Gauntlet has ranged attacks, but the super speedy arrow shooting Elf is one of the most famous archers in retro gaming. Frankly, I wouldn’t feel right if Elf wasn’t on this list. . besides, as far as 8 bit guys go, he’s pretty darn stylish in his green leggings and pointy hat.
8: Alleria Warcraft 2
One hell of a sexy looking archer. Alleria devoted her life to wiping out the Orcs. A large part of her plan to do that must have been by using the bow, cause her skills are godlike.
7: Turok
Taking down a dinosaur with an old fashioned bow and arrow is no mean feat, but Turok made it look like child’s play. The prehistoric, forest environment of the first level of the game were the perfect setting for showing off the beauty of the bow. Turok gave the gaming world some of its finest bow and arrow memories.
6: Ashe: League of Legends
Ashe from League of Legends is one of the sexiest people to have ever fired a bow. She also becomes incredibly powerful towards the end of League of Legends. With ice arrows and the ability to fire waves of arrows, she’s already pretty powerfully. With her ultimate, Ashe can fire a bolt that can travel the full distance of the map that stuns the target.
5: Pit (Kid Icarus)
Pit was one of the first characters to show the potential of the good old fashioned bow and arrow in gaming. He was one of the 80s main gaming stars before disappearing for many years. When he did make his comeback in Super Smash Bros. Brawl, he truly showed the full power of the bow.
4: Maple Story Bowman
Maple Story’s bowman was never the most popular character, which is strange given how cool the bow is and how good the bowman is. Later on in the game, you get to to upgrade to a hunter or crossbownan. These characters act like the ranger and sniper of Maple Story and are awesome characters, but they’re not as powerful as the godlike Bowmaster that you become towards the end.
3: Shinen – Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance
Rebellious, disrespectful and arrogant Shinen has a good reason for being such a smug and egoistical git: his powers with a bow are second to none. If this list were being ranked on ability alone, Shinen would be number one, but sadly, he has to slip a few points for the fact that he simply doesn’t look that cool.
2: Kai from Heavenly Sword
Kai is a little girl with a mental illness which makes her act like a cock and carefree teenager. This mental illness certainly doesn’t affect her archery skills, however. Using her After Touch” ability, Kai can steer arrows while they’re in the air to take down enemy soldiers. Her accuray with a bow is second to none. Plus, she’s hella cute.
1: Link: The legend of Zelda
There was no doubt who would weight-in at number one on this list. Not only is Link one of the greatest video games characters of all time, but Zelda games have given us the more archery fun than any other franchise of games. There have been many notable Zelda games with excellent archery, but two stand out above all the rest. The first is The Ocarna of Time, which is simply a masterful game. The second is Twilight Princess. Who could forget the first time they fired that bow and arrow with the Wiimote? I certainly can’t. I was doing promo work for Nintendo inEnglandat the time. Let me tell you, every person I showed the Twilight Princess’ vow and arrow gameplay too absolutely loved it, and with good reason: it was amazing.
Will Connor from Assassin’s Creed 3 or Lara Croft from Tomb Raider beat Link to be the best archer when AC3 and Tomb Raider are released. . .? Honestly, probably not, but here’s hoping!
If you’ve read How to be Happy in Life: Mindfulness, then you’ll know that the number one way of becoming happy is to submit. Whether you deem it to be submitting to god, submitting to nature or submitting to life itself, happiness if found when we let go of our hopes, fears, expectations and all other delusions and simply see life as it is, living in the moment. Developing mindfulness is arguably the most important thing anyone could do for their mental health, and it’s something the games can greatly help us with. Here’s Arolemodel.com’s look at the absolute best games about letting go and developing mindfulness.
You can also use technology to relax and improve performance. Self-awareness is not just relaxation and not just meditation. It must combine relaxation with activity and dynamism. Technology can aid that. –Deepak Chopra
Flower (PS3): Jenova Chen, the designer of flower, is regarded as being one of the innovators and leaders of relaxation in games and with flower it’s easy to see why. The player controls the wind as it blows a petal through the air, and that’s about it. It’s a simplicity that is infectious and one that will have you letting go and relaxing in no time.
More on Flower & Journey to Wild Divine @ thatGameCompany
Journey to Wild Divine (PC): Another game from ThatGameCompany, and this one even more innovative than the previous, Journey to Wild Divine is “an interactive series of computer adventures for the mind and body that combines biofeedback with an enlightening multimedia experience.” To a gamer, that will sound like complete codswallop, but amazing, it actually works
Journey to wild Divine not only relaxes you, but teaches you to control energy levels and mind states.
Drift (online): You love cute things. That much is a given. And cats may well be you’re favourite cute thing in the world, right? So what better way to let go, relax and be mindful than playing as a cute little cat as it runs through a garden jumping on balloons? This game is so blinking sweet you’ll get a sugar rush just looking at it.
More Relaxing Games on Ferrhalim
Katamari Forever / Beautiful Katamari (PS3 /Xbox 360): In Katamari, you control a sticky ball that rolls around the stages. Any objects that come into contact with the ball stick to it, making the ball bigger. It’s a simple premise, but is as humorous as it is relaxing. The graphics are bright and cheerful and together with the wacky soundtrack it’ll have you smiling in no time.
Animal Crossing (Wii): Animal Crossing is basically a simplified form of life in which you’re little character lives a rather typical life, carrying out chores, earning a living and doing a whole host of other everyday activities. On paper the premise seems boring, but through its simple and cute depiction of everyday life, Animal Crossing presents a genuinely relaxing experience that will calm the mind and help you leave your worries behind.
Animal Crossing relaxes the gamer by presenting a simplified form of life
Noby Noby Boy: Though it has some steep competition, Noy Noby Boy is probably the cutest game on this list. You play Boy, a kind of worm, who can stretch himself out across the game world, his elongated form wreaking havoc on the little people of the world. There’s actually no purpose to Noby Noby Boy. You just stretch Boy out over houses, cars and more for fun. It’s a pure form of gaming that will make you feel like a kid, having fun for fun’s sake, and there can’t be anything much better at getting you out of your head and relaxed than that.
LEGO (series): Two things make the LEGO games awesome. First off, they’ll remind you of your childhood as you control the little LEGO men, and secondly, it all takes place in one of your favourite movie worlds ever (you can choose from your favourite: Star Wars, Harry Potter and more). It’s fun squared; the love you have for your favourite movie multiplied by the love you for LEGO (and you do love LEGO. . . don’t you . . . ?)
The Witcher 2 is one of the best games to escape in. Just look how relaxed Geralt and Triss are
All the following games have been hand-picked as the best games (of recent times) for getting players to relax, to put aside their stress and concerns and to get away from it all. All these games have an average online review of above 8 out of 10, so are generally considered good games, but are particularly good at allowing players to escape.
Note: Most of the games in this list are RPGs. That’s because of the innate nature of RPGs to relax a gamer, to draw them into a deep story that stirs the imagination and also through gameplay that inspire a gamer to be explorative. For more on this see: The Psychological Benefits of RPGs.
Xenoblade Chronicles: one of the best RPGs for Wii, Xenoblade Chronicles is a very large game with big open worlds that are styled in the typical Japanese-anime arts style. It encourages players to be explorative, to investigate its large maps, which greatly helps to create immersion in the game world. It also includes a strong story and great characters that truly bring the action to life.
The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword: One of the best games in one of the best series of games of all time, Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword is a heart-warming and very relaxing adventure game in a cutesy, cartoon world that (for those who haven’t played many Nintendo games) will remind them of a Saturday morning cartoon. It’s fun, incredibly immersive and generally regarded as one of the best games of all time.
Mario Galaxy 2: Getting a little old now but still a truly remarkable platform game, Mario is filled with all the playful fun you’d expect from the very best of Nintendo. It’s highly creative in gameplay, irresistibly cute in graphics and the sort of pure joy that will make you feel ten years old again.
Mass Effect 3: one of the biggest games of the year and the final part of the epic trilogy, Mass Effect 3 is a very deep, story-driven game with characters and plot-lines that will make you feel very much involved with the modern-science fiction world. Mass Effect 3 is a cross between shooting, puzzles, decision making and RPG-style levelling. It’s also one of the most talked about games of the year.
Tales of Graces: Cute really is the word for Tales of Graces. From the voice acting to the floral, picturesque landscape, to the music, Tales of Grace wears its heart on its sleeve and near demands its players to chill out, to have childlike fun, to see the simplicity and pure joy in the world, and it does this with undeniable brilliance and heart-warming charm. Play this game for ten minutes and you’ll be beaming like a kid.
Witcher 2: A game that was met with universal praise, and also quite possibly the game on this list that, at least stylistically and thematically, will likely prove the most popular for those wanting to get away. Witcher 2 is a mature (genuinely mature, mind you, not “gamer-mature”) RPG in a land of sword and sorcercy and with a rich thread of folklore and mythology running through it. With some of the most popular characters in gaming of late and a world that will spark your imagination, Witcher 2 will draw you deep into its magic and totally absorb your mind.
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim: Arguably the best game of 2011 and one of the greatest RPGs of all time, Skyrim takes place, like Witcher 2, in a world of sword and sorcery, complete with werewolves and dragons. In traditional RPG fashion, Skyrim will have you truly walking in your characters shoes as you level-up to max stats, it will also deliver a well written story of which you’ll want to keep turning the pages. Myth and magic, sword and shield, Skyrim is a romantic romp in the land of dragons.
Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception: A lot of the games on this list have been simply amazing. We’ve had Skyward Sword and Mario Galaxy 2, Skyrim and more (all games that are universally recognised as being amazing) yet perhaps none of them compare to this, a genuine masterpiece of everything that is gaming. Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception is spellbinding. It’s hard to imagine even a non-gamer not being completely engrossed in Uncharted 3. There simply isn’t anything not to like about it. Uncharted 3, however, isnt an inherently relaxing game. Its gameplay isn’t designed to be relaxing, unlike many of the other entries on this list, but its so adsorbing and engrossing that you’ll find yourself forgetting all about your day to day stresses and concerns as you become lost in what is one of the best games of all time.
The best benefit of platform games is not as apparent nor as commonplace as the benefits of all other gaming genres. That’s not to say that platform games don’t have as many benefits as other games for they certainly do, but the number one benefit, the development of creative thinking abilities in gamer, is only really produced by the best of the best platform game designers, like Shigeru Miyamoto.
In order to create a truly amazing platform game it is necessary for the video game designer to find new and entertaining ways to interact with objects and with the environment. Watch this short video of Super Mario Galaxy 2 for a great example of this as we explore The Ledge Hammer Trap
Why are moments like this in gaming so amazing? Because they force our brains to think about basic objects in new and exciting ways. Most of Super Mario Galazy 2 is made up of blocks and, unsurprisingly, platforms. But the sheer amount of ways in which Shigeru Miyamoto is able to produce new effects and new gameplay mechanics from these basic elements inspires and develops the gamer’s creative brain, making them think outside the box, showing them the versatility of objects and inspiring them to be more playful in the real world.
The mentality that Super Mario Galaxy 2 produces can best be thought of as that of an inventor. Inventors are able to create new tools and products because they can perceive new ways in which old objects can be used. Take these old objects: a bead and a rack. To you and I, these objects might appear near useless. What the heck are we going to do with a few beads and a rack? Oh, I know, says a genius creative mind, we’ll put them together such that they form an abacus, a tool used to do quick calculations, a tool so amazing it wont be replaced for about 1800 years.
In inspiring us to see the versatility and possibilities of the most basic objects, platform games naturally develop the gamers creative mind, the side of the brain that has produced most of the essential tools used by modern society.