John Guilfoil's Blog
Blast recently awarded the Atari-published game N+ the best handheld game of E3.
The game’s developer, SilverBirch Studios, put out a press release thanking us and GamingExcellence, which gave N+ an award for best PSP game.
“This is obviously a great honor for us,” said Wojtek Kawczynski, Senior Vice President, SilverBirch Studios. “Winning two awards at E3 further validates the quality of N+ and is a reflection of the passion that went into the making of the game.”
There was no E3 sketchbook on Penny Arcade this year.
There needed not be an E3 sketchbook, because the webcomic geniuses at PA summed up the entire three and a half days in one simple comic.
And then they finished the job in their single E3 blog post:
No doubt the proprietors of Ladies’ Home Journal were breathless during Nintendo’s presentation, but those outside of that august body may derive less enjoyment. This is the deep-dish, delicious irony endured by the Nintendo stalwart: to see their platform of choice ascendant, even as their bright God turns his face away. Though it contained very little sustenance for our kind, the presentation was (as is typical) a confident, refined affair. The salvo was not a failure. It was simply aimed elsewhere.
That was E3 this year. More promises of future promises promising future promises and no real substance out of the big three.
If the big three didn’t bore you to death, there was some actual content at E3 this year, including the rise of Atari, the balls descending on Electronic Arts and an awesome looking Fallout 3.
And there were some sleepers and a movie announcement. Yay.
Matt Peckham wrote an excellent post Friday which touches on the status of this country, our stance on violence, video games and sexuality, citing Tom Brokaw’s remarks that video games and blogs were “cancerous.”
Talking to radio talk show host Hugh Hewitt, Brokaw reacted to the shooting at the Nebraska mall in a way that I simply consider dangerous, especailly for someone who calls himself a journalist and a free-speech advocate.
HH: Do you not think it’s going to incite other people to try to do the same thing?
TB: No, I don’t. I think…to get back to something we were talking about earlier in general thematic terms, I don’t think we’re doing a very good job about talking about violence in this country, either. You know, Virginia Tech went away. We didn’t have any ongoing dialogue in our communities or on the air about the corrosive effect of violence. It was not what he, what people saw of him on the air that will drive them, it’s what they read in blog sites, and what they see in video games. It’s that kind of stuff that I think is cancerous. And I’m a free speech absolutist, but I think that at the same time, we have to have free speech in some kind of a context. And part of that context is a discussion of the possible effects of it.
For SHAME Tom…
This is why blogs exist — to further free speech and give all people a voice that anyone is free to analyze for themselves.
And great job Matt for bringing this to the spotlight.
I’ve been reporting a lot on Atari lately, including recommending that they release some of their classic games on Xbox Live Arcade and make new versions of some of them.
Atari released this today:
Atari, Inc. (NASDAQ:ATAR), one of the world’s most recognized brands and a third-party video game publisher, today announced that Asteroids(R) and Asteroids Deluxe(R) is now available on Xbox LIVE(R) Arcade, with three more beloved Atari Classics coming soon. With Asteroids(R) and Asteroids Deluxe(R), Battlezone(R), Tempest(TM) and Warlords(R), Atari will deliver the same gaming sights, sounds and action as the original, as well as a new evolved version of games featuring enhanced graphics, sounds and special effects.
“Atari and Stainless are thrilled to bring the Atari Classic and Evolved games to Xbox LIVE Arcade,” said Robert Lindsley, Executive Producer, Atari, Inc. “Players can now get the best of both worlds; nostalgic fun with the original Classics and new gaming experiences with the Evolved versions featuring contemporary graphics and music, all while unlocking Achievements and boosting their Gamerscores.”
Asteroids and Asteroids Deluxe offers gamers the chance to rotate, thrust, flip, fire and launch into hyperspace as oncoming asteroids are blasted to smithereens just like in the 1979 original. The evolved version features the same frenetic gameplay with updated, beautifully rendered, high definition graphics.
Following through this holiday season will be Tempest, Battlezone, and Warlords. Maintaining the spirit of the original’s linear geometric rendering by using vector graphics, the evolved version of the cult-classic Tempest features a graphics overhaul. Using skill and an arsenal of weapons, gamers must clear a web of enemies before time runs out and advance to the next stage.
The classic Battlezone has received a serious overhaul and added exciting new multiplayer modes. Players can use the Xbox Live Camera to watch live video of their opponents. Combine these features with new special effects for weapon firing, impacts and explosions and Battlezone becomes one killer classic.
The multiplayer Warlords pits king versus king to resurrect the competitive spirit of arcade games from years gone by. Up to four players can join the action with Xbox Live Camera support and take control of their own castle, allowing for a variety of single- or multiplayer experiences.
Gamers can recall their old-school arcade skills in Emulation mode and experience these treasured games in all their historical glory. Mature trigger fingers can play the evolved versions of the same titles and experience the same core gameplay. Gamers of all levels can test their gaming prowess out with three different settings — Easy, Medium and Hard. For those who need a refresher on Classic Atari games, time-limited trial modes are available for all titles. These Atari Classics on Xbox LIVE Arcade support all Xbox 360 high definition resolutions up to 1080p as well as full-screen anti-aliasing and digital surround sound. Players can make the most of the Xbox LIVE service with leader boards and 12 achievements.