Xbox Live Arcade release, Street Fighter II HD

Apparently Capcom is trying to make the upcoming Xbox Live Arcade release, Street Fighter II HD, more appealing to the casual gamer. In an extensive entry on the company blog, designer and former Street Fighter tournament contender David Sirlin details how some of the moves have been made easier and how characters will be more balanced. Specifically, he talks a lot about how certain moves will now require fewer buttons to pull off, and “mash moves” (where you press a button repeatedly, like with E. Honda’s Hundred Hand Slap) will take fewer button presses. They’re also making an effort to boost the playability of weaker characters like Zangief and T. Hawk.

Purists might argue that they’re messing with a classic by doing this, but I remember the original game being incredibly unbalanced, rendering certain characters almost useless. I do recall the controls being exceptionally tricky for certain moves too, but I always thought that was the point. I had a friend who was ungodly with Fei Long mostly because he could pull of the more difficult moves.

Labels: capcom, david sirlin, street fighter, XBox, Xbox live

Halo 3 BioShock top Spike TV noms

Shooters from Bungie and 2K get most nods for testosterone-infused network's December 9 award show.

Even without the next two weeks' lineup of highly promising offerings, 2007 has seen more than its fair share of critically acclaimed games. Although the high quantity of high quality is unequivocally great for gamers, it's sure to create a massive headache for those looking to parse out the best of the best. Charged with the onus, Viacom-owned Spike TV unveiled its nominees for the 2007 Video Game Awards today through its official Web site.

This year, Spike has trimmed off a few of last year's more superfluous categories, such as Cyber Vixen of the Year (Half-Life 2's Alyx Vance in 2006, for those counting), by nominating games in 22 categories. Microsoft console-exclusives dominate the coveted game-of-the-year category, with noms this year being Halo 3 and Mass Effect, as well as BioShock and The Orange Box. 2K Games' dystopian shooter BioShock and Bungie Studios' sci-fi shooter Halo 3 received the most nominations with seven apiece. Valve Software's compilation The Orange Box semimatched that number with five overall, as well as solo nominations for Portal and Team Fortress 2.

To be eligible for nomination, a game's release date must fall between November 16, 2006 and December 1, 2007. The nominees were chosen by Spike TV's advisory panel, which is made of nearly two dozen game journalists, including editors from the San Jose Mercury News, EGM, Game Informer, and GameSpot. The category of most addictive game will be selected by online voters polled on the official VGA site.

Spike TV's Video Game Awards will air December 9 at 9 p.m. Eastern on Spike. Last year, Samuel L. Jackson emceed the event, which featured live performances from Jack Black's Tenacious D and rockers AFI. Spike has not yet announced the master of ceremonies or other entertainers for this year's event.

A complete list of nominees for Spike TV's 2007 Video Game Awards is listed below.

Game of the Year
BioShock
Halo 3
Mass Effect
The Orange Box

Empire Earth III Demo

Short Description
The demo is your first chance to play the new Earth-shattering World Domination mode. Build an enduring empire across an entire globe that is yours to conquer as you command your armies through the span of human history and beyond.

The demo is your first chance to play the new Earth-shattering World Domination mode. Build an enduring empire across an entire globe that is yours to conquer as you command your armies through the span of human history and beyond. Charge Through The Ages. Command Your Empire. Conquer The Earth. Empire Earth III your quest for world domination begins November 2007.

The demo includes:

-1st ever playable look at World Domination mode.
-Tutorial content for world domination mode
-3 single player skirmish maps
-Special note: Demo is single player only



Screenshots of Empire Earth III Demo

Nintendo turning on Check Mii Out

New free Wii Channel lets users share created avatars and enter themed contests beginning November 11.

Engendering Shigeru Miyamoto's wife to gaming has been a primary launching point for Nintendo's outreach to the nontraditional gamer. During his keynote address at this year's Game Developers Conference, Miyamoto referenced this benchmark as inspiration for several unique Wii Channels, such as Everybody Votes. On that occasion, the Mario mastermind also hinted at a new project involving Mii popularity contests, which he expected to score quite high on his proprietary "Wife-O-Meter."

At its press briefing at the E3 Media & Business Summit, Nintendo dubbed the channel Check Mii Out and set its launch for this year. As promised, Nintendo announced today that the service will launch on Sunday, November 11. And true to Miyamoto's concept, Check Mii Out lets Wii owners upload their created Miis and view others' submissions from around the world. The posting plaza lets users browse a random selection of shared Miis and tag their favorites or download them to their own consoles. Miis can also be browsed by creator or an avatar-specific number.

Nintendo will also host Mii-themed contests, in which Wii owners will be tasked with re-creating the likeness of a famous character or person. Similar to the Everybody Votes channel, Wii owners will then be able to vote on their favorites. Nintendo expects each contest to play out over a two-week period, with the first week allotted to creating the Mii and the second to voting.

Check Mii Out is a free channel and can be downloaded from the WiiWare portion of the Wii Shop channel.

The PC version of Gears of War is everything the 360 version was and more.

Released near the end of the Xbox 360's first year on the market, Gears of War was a defining moment for Microsoft's console. Its gameplay relied heavily on forcing you to take cover to avoid enemy shots, which meant that it required a healthy dose of patience as well as a steady trigger finger. It then beat that mechanic into your head over the course of its quality story mode, while also letting you team up with a friend online to take on the nefarious Locust forces together. Of course, it also had an amazing team-based multiplayer mode in which up to eight shooters could connect and go at it in a variety of different modes. Over time, more multiplayer maps and modes were added to the collection via the Xbox 360's download service. All of that great stuff is now available on the PC, on which the game looks better than it ever did on the Xbox 360, and without sacrificing anything in the process. If you've never played Gears of War, or if you just haven't played it in a while, do yourself a favor and try this new version of the game.

The Good
* Satisfying gameplay in story mode
* Very addictive online offering
* Really stellar graphics from both a technical and an artistic standpoint
* Fully-featured level editor included.

The Bad
* System requirements can be a little steep
* New chapters added to this version don't fit quite so well with the old ones
* Difficulty could have used some slight tuning.

Need for Speed ProStreet Demo

A new spin on the Need for Speed franchise, ProStreet thrusts players into a head-to-head competition against the best street racers in a multitude of racing showdowns. The game is a true taste of raw adrenaline and racing with consequences. Every dent, every scratch and every crumpled body panel is a battle scar, proof of your commitment and competitive mettle. With an aggressive and skilled AI system, you become immersed in an unmatched believable race experience. Add in a revolutionary online mode that will redefine the meaning of competitive social play, and Need for Speed ProStreet is the ultimate formula for an emotionally charged street racing showdown. It also pushes the "Autosculpt" technology to a new level, allowing you to directly impact your car's performance for the first time as well as personalize its appearance.
Click here to download the demo of Need for Speed ProStreet Demo

Pirates Game Sails Online

Disney Online announced that PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN ONLINE (www.PiratesOnline.com), an immersive massively multiplayer online game (MMOG) and virtual world inspired by the popular film franchise, has launched for the PC and Mac platforms. PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN ONLINE allows thousands of players to fully experience the adventures made famous in the films and explore beyond these boundaries in a quest to become the most legendary pirate on the high seas.

In PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN ONLINE, players create and customize their own pirate, captain their own ship, and assemble a crew of their fellow rogues in an effort to become the Caribbean's most legendary Pirate. Along the way, players will interact with characters made popular by the films, like Jack Sparrow, Will Turner and Elizabeth Swann, and will also encounter a host of new characters and enemies unique to the game. To become the most notorious pirate, players must forge alliances, hunt for buried treasure, battle evil undead forces, and use cunning and strategy to outwit their foes.

Game features include:

* Create your own Pirate character -- Players choose from over a million combinations to fully customize their own Pirate (body type, face, hair, clothing, names, etc.).
* Set sail on your own Pirate ship -- Captain your own ship then recruit a crew of fellow players to set sail for the adventure of a lifetime.
* Quest for adventure and treasure -- Embark on ship and land-based missions to locate buried treasure. Explore lush jungles, volcanic caves, and vast tropical islands but beware of traps, ambushes, and double-crosses which are an every day occurrence when keeping company with Pirates.
* Use advanced weaponry -- Players engage in epic battles using a variety of weapons such as cutlasses, grenades, pistols and cannons and can unlock more powerful weapons as they improve their reputation as a fighter to be reckoned with.
* Become a legend -- Master a variety of skills, including sword fighting, card playing, and treasure hunting to become the most notorious pirate in the world.
* Work your Voodoo Magic -- Voodoo magic is used to heal, travel and cast curses on enemies.
* Get some Booty -- Earn extra loot by competing in parlor games such as poker and blackjack.
* Build a notorious crew or guild -- Players band together with others for expanded adventures and added power, forming a crew for quick battles or joining a guild for longer-term strategy.
* Grow your wealth with money and rare items -- Hunt for buried treasure including gold, precious gems and mysterious artifacts.

PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN ONLINE, developed and published by Disney Online, is rated E10+ and features lower PC and Mac system requirements than most other games in this genre, allowing for easier access to a broader audience of players.

Players can download the game directly and access additional information at the game's website, www.PiratesOnline.com. A portion of the game is available for free and players can get unlimited access for a monthly subscription fee. At launch, Disney Online is offering new players subscriptions to Unlimited Access for a first-month fee of $4.95 and continuing with a $9.95 fee for following months.