Sony’s PlayStation Move launches in the fall of this year, and for all intents and purposes, it appears to be a more technologically advanced take on what Nintendo did with the Wii four years ago. Its flagship title is a PS3-style take on the Wii Sports concept, and other launch titles cover the standard bases — party game, shooting game, fighting game, etc.

So what do you think? Is this something you find exciting, or is it too similar to what’s come before? Do you dig the lollipop design, or are you put off by it? Will games like SOCOM and LittleBigPlanet be enough to justify the estimated 100-dollar price tag? Chime in.

This would make an awesome video game. Just like it is, with giant MK characters chasing down LEGOs in meticulously detailed classic cars. The spiritual sequel to Toy Commander.

source: PhotoTuts+ via Twitter

Our friends over at Klei Entertainment just released a new trailer for their upcoming game The Shank. They’ve recently signed a deal with EA to publish it on PSN, XBLA and PC.

Well, Valve may just be the key to changing the face of Mac gaming forever. Yes, the same company famous for their PS3 putdowns has officially confirmed that their entire catalog of Source Engine games will arrive on the Mac this April, complete with a Mac-compatible version of Steam. The ability to play Left 4 Dead 2 without rebooting my computer is enough to make my day, but this news gets even more exciting when you dig into the details.

Mac gamers are used to the awful emulation-based ports of games like Civilization 4, and Valve is fully aware of this. These are real, honest-to-goodness ports, running natively in OpenGL. All of Valve’s future games (and updates to those games), starting with Portal 2 will launch simultaneously on Windows and Mac. Additionally, all of Valve’s multiplayer games will be cross-platform, allowing games to compete regardless of operating system.

All of that is incredible, but where Valve could truly revolutionize gaming on the Mac is through the port of their Steamworks APIs. Every single one of the existing tools has made it over to the new platform, along with one new feature - Steam Play. Building on the Steam Cloud, Steam Play allows a gamer on their PC to save their game to Valve’s servers and pick up exactly where they left off on their Mac.

The sum total of this? Any developer using Valve’s tools (and that is a significant number of them) can put out a game on both platforms that is truly cross-compatible, sharing saved games and putting players on both platforms in the same multiplayer games. If that doesn’t get you excited, you probably don’t have a pulse. If they can get those Mac versions running on Linux, I’ll really be a happy gamer.

source: Rock, Paper, Shotgun

Take licensed cars, render them in beautiful graphics, add in the insanity of twenty players racing against each other, and mix that with Mario Kart (without the cheating weapons - I’m looking at you blue shell).

From what I’ve been hearing, Activision and Bizzare Creations are calling it the Call of Duty of racing games (mainly because of the online mode). They’re probably not far from the truth. Winning races and doing stuff like dodging attacks, drifting and taking down others will score you Fan points. Fan points are your experience - once you get enough you level up. Leveling will give you access to new cars, and new mods. It works just like the perks in Call of Duty, and it is pretty awesome.

I have more fifty keys for you after the break. The beta starts today, so go redeem them!

LUZE-47E9-ACGE-EFCE
46VP-74NG-UD7K-7464
PNP7-EXV2-6TVK-JQWG
T2TF-JNA3-JNTG-EYD4
ZM2H-6LYF-FDFQ-GHE9
JZXC-FXUN-UQRW-FNTU
3Q3E-Q2CP-EF2R-ZYL7
H3LZ-FWMN-W9WA-4Q37
DPDH-ZNYE-CYKN-6W3W
LE6G-UYHY-PY6W-RLAH
T4HW-MAN2-L239-WHRP
JLW7-4NFV-NVE2-NUGT
KW7L-NT6L-UWRQ-R4A6
39XL-D6LH-DVZK-XNNF
AAXY-ZGNE-2AXR-LKX7
E4ER-K7DT-AT6C-E9HM
ZD3F-RCC7-4URN-NET2
YUFU-LR76-A6L4-4YE6
RLQL-HGUL-N7KD-KF2N
NV62-CQ7Y-FHFN-LL3J
6YRX-69P2-DCJT-FYWQ
YVNV-97NY-DCUE-CZ63
FCCK-LAFR-JPND-7H6E
FKA6-R3LL-2G74-CLRE
V22W-7QN7-T72L-RXUM
42M4-CRNV-K3ZJ-M9EM
EHAG-3ANJ-3YDC-4UP9
7V9L-A227-VPUR-9PUW
EJ4E-RMKP-DRND-FWFU
AW7P-KW7T-YR2W-7KFQ
FEJT-AYX7-FQKM-ULC7
9V3J-YT9E-4E42-XGKT
MCTZ-VJZR-H93E-V47X
XA2E-7JJE-ARK2-KKL7
PALQ-3WHE-4YJ2-LYVA
QNLJ-M39L-KZ7G-NYR7
QMPA-CRDC-MZVW-FR6T
GVCP-7WML-2LPK-FT7Q
UUWH-2JTE-4J2X-649T
KW6T-EM2Q-DNZV-6CLZ
G6RD-M9MJ-AXTQ-WEZ4
T6GV-AAU7-7RCR-PLYT
DVU2-DRP3-G77P-ZKMH
YVRZ-AH4Z-7FAL-QTU2
4AWC-GKAP-6DL4-3XZH
EQPK-AGP4-CCZK-UTED
ZFK9-FNVW-AY6N-9AQY
UU2K-F2RK-36L7-Q3T6
U2YC-FKM9-2YLA-Z7ZZ
4KMU-3VDH-W94D-DCHK

Once you chose a key, you will need to head over to this website and enter the key. From there, they will send you an email with the Xbox 360 marketplace code.

Details are still scarce, but it looks like the DS sequel will feature improved controls, 120 new levels, 10,000 new words, a new hint system, and new merits. Also, the par limits have been removed, and the developers are adding in a new “adjective” system.

Honestly, all of that sounds awesome to me. The controls were my biggest issue with the first (well, that and the fact that some items just didn’t work). Add in d-pad control and make sure that the objects interact as they should, and I’ll be in heaven.

Scribblenauts 2 will hit the DS this fall. No word yet on the Wii version that was leaked a little while back.

source: Tiny Cartridge

Nick:

This month I have split my time between two games: Charadium and Plants vs Zombies on the iPhone. Charadium is one of the most addictive and well conceived mobile games I’ve ever played. It’s essentially online pictionary. You compete against others by typing in your guesses. Fastest one wins. And then when it’s your turn you use the touch screen to draw the item/place/thing you were given. It’s amazing. And addictive. Within a day of discovering it, the game had spread around my entire office. So fun. And the website is amazing too. It keeps track of the entire game and shows all the drawings as well. Good for a laugh and bragging rights.

And Plants vs Zombies… I shouldn’t have to say anything. Within 9 days of being on the App Store it’s already earned a million dollars. Crazy. It’s a super charming, super simple, yet addictive, RTS. And who doesn’t want to control a garden of awesome plants to thwart those evil Zombies?

Edgar:

I’ve been playing Borderlands and Dragon Age, both on the 360 for most of February, but I had to stop both due to getting the RROD On my iPod Touch, I’ve been playing Plants vs. Zombies a lot, I guess like everyone else who owns an iPhone/iPod.

Jody:

I have been playing Being a New Father 2K10. Aside from that, the limited game time I have had has been spent with Zelda: Link to the Past and Bioshock 2, with a bit of Borderlands thrown in. I have been thinking of picking Pokemon Platinum back up, but I think I’m going to wait for Heart Gold or Soul Silver.

Michael Tucker:

If you asked me a month ago what games I would be playing this month, I would’ve traveled into the future and kicked my own ass.

My “friend”, fellow rebel GK Zhang, tempted me to download a trial of World of Warcraft wherein after two days of playing he went out and bought me a month’s subscription of the game. So, then, despite my going to college and trying to get into a fairly difficult BFA program, how could I refuse to play? Now, because I have a level 55 undead rogue in the virtual world, I must avoid icy-cold glares from my girlfriend whenever she asks what I’ve been doing with my time and am struggling to begin my hours of homework anytime before the night prior to the due date. I could take responsibility for my own actions, but imma blame GK instead.

To further my shame, I attended a LAN party a couple of weekends ago on the suggestion of a friend from acting class, only to realize after attending it that I had none of the games that were being played. With the party being on school property and using the university internet connection, everybody was hesitant about sharing the goods. Maybe it was the cheap pizza or the endless soda or the loud noises and mob mentality, but I let myself be persuaded into purchasing Left 4 Dead 2 at full price. Yes, a game available on Steam, a service which has crazy sales almost every month. And I bought it at full price.

Despite my apparent hesitance when it came to purchasing these titles, they’re both fantastic games. World of Warcraft is everything I’ve heard it hyped as being and it’s been quite an enjoyable way to spend my time. It’s nice to be able to play games with friends across the country who I’d otherwise only talk to on the phone every few weeks. Left 4 Dead 2 is a wonderful update to one of my favorite new franchises in years, and has enough differentiation (and variety) from the original to make me enjoy playing it as often as I played the first game.

I haven’t played much of anything independent this month, which is unusual because when I lack free time, independent titles are usually my bread and butter. But I did find my old Gameboy Color a few days ago with my LSDJ cart inside, so when pressed for time, I’ve been opting for that instead of the more intensive titles I’ve mentioned.

GK:

I’m playing World of Warcraft with Hokku. Then I’m playing World of Warcraft with other friends as well. I don’t have a girlfriend to glare at me, but the reflection in the monitor while I play World of Warcraft is enough.

I have also recently played a mod that can only be described as PURE GENIUS! Okay, so get this. Adolf Hitler, in his rise for power, brings back a weapon from prehistoric times. Now in addition to his army of men, the Fuhrer himself also controls an army of man-eating dinosaurs! I don’t care if this game isn’t that great when it comes out. I want to fight against some Nazis, I want to fight against some dinosaurs, and most of all I want to fight against some Nazis and some dinosaurs at the same time! You can do this in the Half-Life 2 mod known as Dino D-Day. There is a tech demo out for the game right now, but the author states that the first full module should be out this spring. Check it out here.

Greg:

Well, I didn’t bring any of my consoles along with me to China, so I won’t get to play Mass Effect 2 or No More Heroes 2 for another month. However, I did recently get my hands on a DSi XL. It’s awesome! I was skeptical of the big-screen handheld, but I fell in love with it the moment I tried one out. I talked a store owner into a pretty good deal, and before I knew it, I walked out with one of my own.

To put the handheld through its paces, I finally played through Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney. The first three Phoenix Wright games were incredible, and I have no idea why I held out on the fourth for so long. I’ve just dived into the spinoff, Miles Edgeworth: Ace Attorney Investigations, which seems just as fantastic so far. I also got started into The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks. I really liked it at first, but the charm has worn off a bit. It’s better than Phantom Hourglass, but it is still missing something that made Link’s Awakening and the Oracle games so great.

Oh, and like everybody else in this post, I’ve become hopelessly addicted to Plants Vs. Zombies on my iPhone.

Sean:

Has another month gone by already? I tore into Mass Effect 2, and didn’t let go for two weeks. I’m sure I’ll do a whole treatise about the experience soon at some point, but suffice to say that BioWare has outdone themselves. If Dragon Age represents the kind of sequel I expected for Mass Effect, the actual ME2 is more like an experiment in game design that I’m sure will pay great dividends. To say it’s flawless would be a lie, but their efforts have helped me focus on a story that might go down as one of the greatest sci-fi tales ever told. Each mission is a chapter in a larger narrative with clues (if you look for them) as to what will happen in ME3 — which, according to all indications, will be sooner rather than later. I took the rest of the month to acquaint myself with the Sega Master System, and revisit an old favorite from my Apple ][ days: Choplifter. But lest I forget Nintendo, I recently picked up a haul consisting of Mega Man, Adventure Island, Shadowgate, and… Back to the Future Part II & III? What in the blazing blue hell, JLN??

Vinnk:

Another busy month, but when I did have a few moments, they were spent playing No More Heroes 2. Almost done with it and I will try to review it for the site. My bathroom gaming for this month has consisted of Sands of Destruction. the game is pretty standard RPG fare, but I am enjoying it so far. As for retro gaming, I have been playing Buffers Evolution on the Wonderswan. It has a bit of a Mega Man vibe, but I haven’t fully figured it out yet.

Nick Rumas:

Once again, this month was all Wii Sports Resort and Mother 3 for me. In the former, I played nothing but Table Tennis. I still cannot believe how deep it is, and how fun it is to play. For at least three weeks, I have been battling the champion, Lucia, and then getting knocked down the podium over and over. She is a beast. But last night, I actually came close to beating her for the first time. There will be a rematch soon…

In Mother 3, I’m currently grinding in preparation for my final run. Even leveling up is a blast in this game.

(I’m not talking about Indigo Prophecy or, by extension, Heavy Rain, but I suspect I could be)

The Powet panel discusses these ideas and many more! (After the Jump.)

(Powetcasts are rated explicit; you’ve been warned!)

Direct Link:
Powetcast Episode 28: Down the Digital River (Show Notes)

We also wonder aloud why video game sequels seem to be superior to other kinds of sequels:
Powetcast Episode 27: Red-Green Herring

What do you think, Rebels? Is there a way to balance gamer expectations with the practicalities (or even propensities) of game development?

You can either buy the print versions or read them online, as the contents are slowly posted to the site. If you do decide to actually buy one, I highly recommend Issue 3. The books are well put together and definitely worthy of a purchase.

source: GameSpite Quarterly Issue 4

…Huh?

Stay with us, it will all make sense.

Video Netcast Version
Subscribe to Famicom Dojo on iTunes
Direct Link: Famicom Dojo S2 - Sega Family Tree Special

Consider this a prologue, as we’ll keep coming back to it. Episode 1 hits later this month!

Check out the show notes at Powet.TV.