Wii

Summer is in full swing, but the busy holiday season is just around the corner. Which means the most exciting time for gamers around the world is quickly approaching.

The last half of the year always brings in a wave of new games: all fighting over that coveted spot under our Christmas trees. It's a gamers candyland and, of course, this year is no different. So many amazing games are coming out this year - I'll never be able to choose just one!....or five!

Batman: Arkham Asylum

Definitely a different spin on the beloved Batman series, Batman: Arkham Asylum feels more like cut scenes from House on Haunted Hill than a comic book. B:AA is also a stark contrast to the Lego: Batman video game that came out earlier last year. The response from the public has been nothing short of excitement, but one does have to wonder if B:AA will get lost in the sea of horror-themed games that have come out previously this year and last.

Guitar Hero 5, The Beatles: Rock Band, Lips #1 Hits, DJ Hero, Rock Band: Lego, Band Hero

Where can you find the fastest portal completion (14 min 27 sec, Michael Yanni, 2/26/08), the best-selling launch for an XBLA title (Rez HD [25,000 downloads in May 2008, its launch month]), and the longest drum marathon in Rock Band (26 hr 40 min, set by Sean Feica [Canada]. He played through every song at the time [243 tracks] from July 26-28, 2008.)? Why the 2009 Guinness Book of World Records - Gamer Edition of course!

February 4, 2009 was big day for gamer knowledge seekers. GBoWR: GE is packed full off the most awesome... and the most random... gamer trivia. From completion times to marathons. From high scores to challenges: you can find it all in this book. Some of the spreads this book includes are:

Space Games Intro - History of Gaming - Top 3 Console Games - Professional Gaming - Best of Playstation 3 - How to be a Record Breaker - Grand Theft Auto - Guitar Hero

You can check out 18 pages of the book here: http://viewer.zmags.com/publication/32a6d8e8#/32a6d8e8/1 It's always great to try before you buy!

Okay, so I did post something about Ghostbusters a while back, but now I'm back with a review. Specifically, this one is the Wii version of Ghostbusters by Red Fly Studios.

You play as a new rookie, testing new experimental equipment. The story does continue after Ghostbusters II, but Gozer events are quickly returning. The familiar scenes that you may have seen are the re-capturing of Slimer and you also get to fight another Stay Puft. Oh, and the librarian lady is in it.

The first thing you willnotice in the Wii version is the graphics. Yeah, I know they aren't the greatest, but the Wii wasn't made to be as powerful as the 360 or PS3. In fact, if there are three versions of a game, the Wii version will have to be created in a completely different way. In other words, Wii versions of games look a little more cartoony. They are made that way to make it seem normal.

^{Notice the difference between the Xbox version on the left and the Wii version on the right.}

Happy 233rd Birthday America!

Take a moment to remember and appreciate everything our troops have done in our great history and what they fight for today. Be proud of your country and your freedom to fight for it! Take the day to exercise that freedom! Game to your heart's content! And eat a few hot dogs and hamburgers while you're at it.

As a fan of the books and the movies, I've never been too excited about Harry Potter video games. But I have to admit The Half Blood Prince game seems to have improved since the days of the Gamecube's Sorcerer's Stone.

While the game still has all the familiar robot-esk characters and sub-par voice overs, the game developers seem to actually be learning from past mistakes and successes to give 360, PS3, Wii and others a game actually enjoyable.

It's important to realize that the majority of people that will be buying this game are already Harry Potter fans. They've read the books, watched the movies, and played every game previous. So an important buyer fact is that they already know the story. They know the dialog, they know the ending. They even know what will happen in the next book. (I know I do!) So making a game that simply follows the story is to some, repetitive. Half Blood Prince acknowledges that. HBP, while still highlighting on the story to give the game some stucture, focuses more on a free-roaming experience of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Which, in the words of Ron, is "brilliant."