While Virtua Tennis 2009 promises to bring more of the playability from Virtua Tennis 3, there is a new game on the block. Grand Slam Tennis from EA is only released on the Wii. With the use of Wii-Motion Plus you are able to preform real motion tennis strokes.
 Prototype
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Prototype is an action adventure game where you are Alex Mercer. The story takes place in Manhattan, New York. Alex has limitless power with no memory. As you develop Alex’s powers, you discover his origin.
 Tiger Woods PGA Tour 10
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As for the others, the Wii had a big release chart for this week. Tiger Woods release is always big. Be on the look out for Gunstar Heroes on PSN and XBLA later this week.
 After Microsoft’s E3 press conference, Xbox Live General Manager Marc Whitten held a meeting of his own. Mainly, discussing what improvements and upgrades should be hitting the Xbox Live service in the fall. Here is a list of what we can expect.
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 Game Marketplace
First, the Games on Demand feature. With this feature you can use real money (NO Microsoft points) to buy real games. It will be headlined with games like Mass Effect, Assassin’s Creed, and Bio Shock.
 Avatar Marketplace Â
Second, the Avatar Marketplace was announced. If you are tired of the clothes that you have on your avatar, you can just buy some new ones. This new apperal will consist of real world brands and game related items. Along with that there will be Awardables. These clothes will be awarded after completing a task within a Xbox 360 game. Some examples of these items are a Halo 3Â O.D.S.T. costume, remote controlled warthog, cheerleader pom poms and soccer balls.
Last.fm
Third is the added addition of Last.fm that will hit later in the fall. This will basically give new and existing Xbox live customers the ability to listen to Last.fm. Users can listen to tracks, make playlists and even listen to music while playing games.
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Zune video Store
Netflix Updates
at E3 ’09 we were presented with what will now be called the Zune video store delivering content up to 1080p high definition. This will be a real challenge for the service since it claims it will be able to stream 1080p right when you hit play!. In addition to the new store, Netflix for the Xbox 360 will also get an update allowing subscribers to change movies from their list on the fly.
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Facebook on Xbox 360
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Twitter on Xbox 360
Social networking has also been the craze  on the internet these days (lol). Up until now it could only be enjoyed on your computer and mobile devices. It will soon be available in the fall so you can update your status until your hearts content. Facebook will allow users to put/make their profile on the Xbox 360, Viewing pictures and friends. A new feature will be added allowing the ability to capture screenshots during gameplay to upload onto facebook which should be really interesting to see how that plays out. Twitter will allow you to update and view other updates on Twitter as its happening on the fly.
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With all these new features Microsoft is really trying to make the Xbox 360 a full multimedia hub for the whole family to enjoy. If you needed more reasons to “jump In” if you haven’t already, now would be the chance. So does this mean that those free clothes on Wednesday are going to discontinue for your Avatar with the introduction of the Avatar marketplace ? Hope not. Even though it was only every other Wednesday with only a few items released, it was something to look forward to.
Several video game analysts are saying the Sony PS3 will drop in price in August to coincide with the release of Madden ’10. This might seem like a random game to do the price drop on but the series sells extremely well for the PS3 so it makes sense. Some analysts are also suggesting August is a good time because of college students doing their school shopping, many will most likely flock to the price drop. How much the price will drop is another question, many are hoping for a $100, which would bring the console down to a reasonable $299. Sony didn’t not hint at a price drop at E3 to the disappointment of many but it wasn’t surprising being that Sony mentioned before the show that announcing a price drop at E3 would be “inappropriate”.
Need for Speed is one of the main stays of racing games, the franchise has dominated the genre since it first appeared years ago and hasn’t backed down since. Now with much more competition in the market the series looks to continue delivering excellent racing experience. EA released these screenshots and trailer for E3 and we gotta say Shift looks pretty amazing so far. The graphics are sleek and polished, while running at a smooth frame rate. The game definitely seems to emphasize the driver view as seen in the trailer. The game is also said to have a whole slew of customization capabilities, giving players the freedom to trick out their rides as they please. Check out the video and gallery to see more.
The first Battlefield Bad Company was a pretty big hit when it was released about a year ago, for the first time the game put players in the role of actual characters rather than the no name generic ones of the previous battlefield games. The game also allowed for destructible environments, and energetic multiplayer. Bad Company 2 follows this formula and stays close to it, the game appears to be much sleeker in presentatioin, and seems to add more gameplay in a variety of forms. One of the major aspects in the orignal bad company was the vehicles and the new title looks to do more with them.
One of Nintendo’s biggest games shown at E3 was of course Red Steel 2, the game taking place in a unique fantasy setting was the interest of many at the show. Red Steel 2 promises very accurate controls compared to the original, this is due to the Wii motion plus which will be required to play the game. From the gameplay videos and demos shown the game seems like it’s shaping up rather well, with the ability to switch between sword and gun at anytime. Red Steel 2 along with, the new Dead Space, and Resident Evil titles looks to bring in an older audience on the kid friendly platform.
Nintendo at E3 2009 has shown off it’s new line up of Wii and DS titles, even though the reaction was mixed from fans, and the gaming community in total, Nintendo did manage to surprise with some new and interesting games that will most likely be big hits with both the core and casual gamers.
The very first thing shown by Nintendo was unsurprisingly a Mario title however the game itself was a surprise, New Super Mario Bros Wii. The title is a 2D sidescroller in the same format as any classic mario game, but the main draw is that up to four players can play at the same time creating a both cooperative and competitive experience. The big N also announced Wii Fit Plus, a game that will expand the current Wii Fit experience with several new features. Nintendo also showed off Wii motion plus with Wii sports Resort, the game looks to be aimed for the casual audience like the original.
Nintendo put plenty of time into the DS as well during the conference. Several new games were announced for the handheld including Mario & Luigi: Bowser’s inside story, an RPG similar to partners in time. Also announced were Golden Sun DS, COP, and Mario Vs. Donkey Kong: Minis march again. The DS had overall plenty things announced and shown.
Also making a first appearance, the Wii vitality sensor was shown. Although little details were given about the new device, Iwata announced that it will measure body signs like heart rate, and blood pressure. The sensor will most likely be used with Wii Fit to create an expanded measurement of players health. However some rumors are saying the vitality sensor can be used with other games that will react to signs possibly changing the game if the player gets nervous. Overall however not much was outlined on this peripheral.
There are two more games that Nintendo announced that caught many off guard. The first game being Mario Galaxy 2, a direct sequel to the original that was released in 2007. The game features new levels, power ups, and several other features. Also announced was Metroid: Other M, little details were given about this game, but from the video shown it looks like a much more story based game than other Metroid games.
Presented by Jack Trenton at the Shrine Auditorium, Jack goes into figures about having 3 successful platforms. He also states that this ’09 line up of games is going to be their strongest ever! The PS2 is still going strong, even after 9 years. The PS3 install base is growing with the help of retail sales. PSN accounts increased to 24 million. Sucker Punch’s Infamous which was just released is already a summer hit!
Uncharted 2:Among Thieves
Naughty Dog showed single player game play of Uncharted 2: Among Thieves. Drake has his hands full, shooting enemies while avoiding a helicopter and escaping from a collapsing building.
M.A.G.
Zipper Interactive presented MAG. A live 256 player demonstration took place. This game showed a huge world map, with player controlled actions as they take out bunkers and fulfill specific objectives.
Jack talked about the PSP’s upcoming releases. Releases such as Rock Band: Unplugged, Final Fantasy: Dissida, Assassins Creed:Bloodlines, Pets, Loco Roco 2, Patapon 2, Little Big Planet, Socom Fire Team Bravo 3, Monster Hunter: Freedom Unite,Motor Storm: Artic Edge, Harry Potter and a Hanah Montana bundle.
PSP Go
Kaz Hirai announces PSP Go! mainly for users of digital content. The PSP Go has 16GB of flash memory, built in WiFi, integrated Bluetooth.
A new application announced, Media Go. This app can be used to manage content on the PC, PS3 and to go to the PlaystationStore. Other application that was announced was Sense Me. It goes along with the PSP and PSP Go. It analyzes your music library to help create a new playlist. A new Gran Turismo was presented functioning on the PSP Go. It will release on October 1, 2009.
Metal Gear Solid:Peace Walker
Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker was announced by Hideo Kojima, along with a PSP gamplay trailer. This is coming in 2010. The PSP Go will hit retailers on October 1, 2009 for $249.99.
Jack comes back out and states that Resident Evil will be coming out for the PSP for the first time. Then a series of trailers was shown of PSP games coming in 2009. The list contained, Little Big Planet, a new Jak & Daxter game, Motor Storm: Arctic Edge, Final Fantasy: Dissida, Socom Fire Team Bravo 3, Monster Hunter: Freedom Unite, Soul Calibur: Broken Destiny,Tiger Woods PGA Tour, NCAA Football, Fat Princess Rock Band: Unplugged and others.
Final Fantasy 7
Playstation Network will be adding 51 classics to the Playstation Store starting June 2 with the launch of Final Fantasy 7.
HOME
Jack discusses figures about HOME. They are working on expanding this social network by adding new areas like: inFamous, Buzz, Socom, EA, Ubisoft, Activision, Capcom, Namco, and Eidos.
 A video for whats next up for PS3 is displayed. Its features, Uncharted 2, inFa mous, Madden ’10, Final Fantasy 13, MAG, Batman: ArkhamAsylum, Brutal Legend. White Knight Chronicles, Gran Turismo 5, Ghostbusters, Ninja Gaiden 2 Sigma, Mafia 2, King of Fighters XII, Tekken 6, Red Faction Guerrilla, Tiger Woods PGA Tour ’10, Heavy Rain, Fat Princess, DC Universe, Bio Shock 2, Ratchet and Clank: A Crack In Time, Fight Knight: Round 4, God of War 3 and others.
Lost Planet 2
Jack states that Lost Planet 2 will be shipping early 2010 on PS3. Also Rockstar North will release ‘Agent’ only on PS3. Set in the 1970’s, the player will go across the globe within the shadowy world of espionage and assassins in its darkest hours.
Assassins Creed 2
Ubisoft presents Assassins Creed 2. Along with a live game-play video of the story mode. The game has missions taking place in Italy. You can use inventions by Leonardo Da Vinci. There are new assassination kills. You will receive 6 unique weapons you can unlock if you connect Assassins Creed: Bloodlines to Assassins Creed 2. Both will release by this holiday.
Final Fantasy 13
Final Fantasy 14
From Square Enix, a new trailer for Final Fantasy 13 was shown. Then Jack announces something brand new only for the PS3, Final Fantasy 14 Online. A new trailer for this game is shown. According to Jack, its coming 2010! Â
A tech demo is shown of a proper PS3 motion controller that is detected by the PlaystationEye. It shows that it is precise and accurate even for a demo. The examples used are movements with tennis racquets, baseball bats, whips, swords, mace ball and even a stop sign. There was a first person view while shooting a gun. The block building, writing and painting demonstrations were efficient. Dominoes and a real time strategy tank games were nice. Next they showed some character controls, with a sword and shield. They showed accurate movements with the sword and shield. They then displayed shrikens thrown at different figures. The archery mechanics were shown as fun but difficult to master. The goal for this launch is spring 2010.
Disney Interactive Studios are releasing costumes for Little Big Planet. Captain Jack Sparrow, Cinderella, and even Mr. Incredible will be coming out starting this fall.
Modnation Racers
United Front Games presented Modnation Racers. It lets you create the racers, create the vehicles, and create the race tracks. It will be released in 2010. Can’t wait to race create and share!
The Last Guardian
From Fumito Ueda, his latest project titled The Last Guardian. It shows a young boy and a oddly shaped creature going on adventures. Next was a trailer for Gran Turismo 5 which featured many different cars and racing types such as NASCAR and Rally racing.
God of War 3
Sony Santa Monica Studio played a live demo of the brutal God of War 3. Kratos is back with new weapons, moves, and killing sequences. Gore was splattered everywhere. There are new enemies like minators and a snake tailed deer headed lion! This epic game will release in March of 2010.
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Afterwards, good o’ Jack gave his closing statements.
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This years conference had many surprises. For one, the new motion contoller seems to correct the mistake of the original sixaixs controller and looks very innovative. While the demonstration was great, hopefully this will pan out to be something major and separate itself from the other companies. M.A.G. is going to be big, real big. This game is going to set a mark for 1st person shooters. PSP Go is going to be useful for the people that want to go UMD-less. Speaking of UMDs, Rock Band:Unplugged, Final Fantasy:Dissida, and Assassins Creed:Bloodlines are looking good for this system. This should push some sales. Gran Turismo looks nice for the PSP and PS3. I hope the PS3 version does not take forever to release though.
The Final Fantasy 7 announcement was a added nice touch, but where is the remake? Guess I’ll take whatever I can get. Final Fantasy 13 is shaping up to be the must have 2010. The announcement of Final Fantasy 14 came out of nowhere and surprised the crowd. This was the only MMO game announced, but what happened to The Agency, Free Realms, and DC Universe. Also there was no talk of Final Fantasy 13 Verses. Hiedo Kojima should have stated that Metal Gear Solid:Rising is coming out multi-platform in my opinion, instead of the media having to find out for themselves. Also there was no presentation for Insomniac Games and the game Heavy Rain.
Assassins Creed 2 is looking slick with the new character, Ezio and his new assassination kills. I predict Modnation Racers to be a great game, with the ability to create racers, vehicles, and tracks, you can’t go wrong with that. The Last Guardian seems to raise more questions then answers, but the video was looking good. The game that rocked the house was God of War 3. Enough can not be said about the game. This is going to be a official system seller!Â
Overall this conference was a great show, Sony showed the present and the future of the PS3. New games for the PSP, PS2, and PS3 now and later. The weird thing was the crowd cheering so loudly for Hannah Montana but it was funny.Â
It was announced by Microsoft last year at E3 that with their installment of the NXE (New Dashboard Experience) update released later that year 2008 were going to have a Prime Time category. Not being ready in time for the NXE, Microsoft said it will come out sometime in spring. Exactly one year from its original announcement we finally get our hands on it.
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If you are wondering what 1 vs 100 is about, it is a game show on TV where one contestant faces off against a mob of 100 contestants. That person must answer trivial questions correctly and try to eliminate the mob (the hundred opponents) in order to gain money/points. When enough of the mob is eliminated the contestant will receive an option to collect the money that they’ve won and quit the game but they can decide to continue the game to try to eliminate more members for more cash prizes. If the contestant is stumped for an answer they can choose one of three options presented to them. One is choose the mob which will give them the answer most popular to the mob, second is choose the crowd which is the crowds most popular answer and third is choose the brain which will give them the answer of the person in the mob that has the highest score. However if the contestant against the mob answers a question wrong they lose the game and the top three opponents will split the earningsÂ
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The Beta was on June 1st 22:30 hours eastern time and about 30 minutes before the game started you would receive a message pop up on live saying “Beta Downloaded”. It would then give you the option to start the game where the beta lied on the Xbox live dashboard. Upon entering the game, you were given an option to play a public or private match, we went with public and it took us right into a room. Now one thing that was a bit surprising to take notice of was that the game show host and co-host on the show floor were actually LIVE! with commentary of the actual event. He was either funny for some or annoying for others which I’m sure if it gets to that point their will be an option to mute commentary upon release.Â
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The trivial questions varied from entertainment, video games, politics and internet example “what is it called when someone “Tweets” online?”. Everything from questions from events years ago to things that happened the day before the event! You receive bonus points for answering questions quicker and for the number of contestants that got the answer wrong verses your right answer.
The game lets 3 other members on your friends list join in on the fun sharing the experience of your scores and stats while you chat it up. If you are apart of the mob the highest scoring oppenent will get a chance to be “THE ONE” who will face off against the mob. that person will get a chance to win actual Microsoft Points for use on Xbox marketplace items.
Now there are more scheduled entry’s that people will get to sign up for. This upcoming saturday June 6th in increments of 30 minutes but heres the weird part. When you go to sign up on the listed schedules they all say beta on them except the last entry which has a date for December 31, 2009 at 3:00 eastern. Could this actually be the release date for 1VS 100 ? we’ll just have to wait and see. All we know is that we’re actually looking forward to its release hopefully in the fall.
The long awaited rumor of Microsoft entering the motion scene is no longer just a rumor, it has finally made its debut. It was thought Microsoft would announce a motion like controller at last years E3 but with no mention those talks quickly fizzled into dust. Today at Microsoft’s Press conference we got a glimpse of it, not in the form of a motion wand controller however but of a new vision camera ? Yes you heard correct this camera code name “Project Natal” is able to detect full 3D movements within the game for a totally new experience.
A demo using your whole body was shown along with Peter Molyneux giving us a look at a young girl interacting with Milo a simulated game character. Other tech trailers were shown giving an impression of the possibility with the new camera .
 
 
