CORBIE'S GAME BLOG

It seems that Nintendo isn't the only one bringing their portable game system out in the flashy pink color. In conjunction with pop and r&b artist P!nk, Sony Europe is releasing a pink PSP system onto UK gamers on October 27th that will contain some very exclusive P!nk material on not only a limited edition UMD disc, but also downloadable content for those willing to spring for the pink system. No word yet on whether or not this pink color will come to the US, but those wishing to import may end up paying a good chunk for one considering how expensive the PSP already is in Europe. But for the pink maniacs out there, it might be worth it.

Over the past two years I've gotten an enormous amount of email on my Macintosh web site regarding what products I generally use and promote for others to use. You know the questions: "What type of RAM is the best?" or "What hard drives are the most reliable?" I thought with all of these questions I'd take a moment to talk about some of the computer products I use and endorse, and these are what I consider to be the best of the best. Nothing mediocre here. With these products you might have to pay a little more, but considering what you're getting in return, it's a small price to pay for the peice of mind they bring with them. Here are my "best of" awards in all their glory.

Best Hard Drive - Seagate
Best RAM - Edge
Best CD and DVD Media - Sony
Best Laptop Carry Case - Targus
Best Laser Printers - Lexmark
Best InkJet Printers - HP
Best Operating System - Mac OS X Tiger
Best Laptop - Macbook
Best Computer Cables - Monster iCables
Best Routers and Hubs - LinkSys
Best Digital Camera - Sony Cybershot

And for those wondering, I do use all of the products listed above. I just recently purchased a 13" Macbook in the glossy white color and I installed a Seagate 7200rpm 100GB hard drive and 2GB of Edge RAM into it that's made it purr like a kitten. A lightning-fast kitten that is. I also use the Monster iCables both USB 2.0 and Category 6 Ethernet cabling. I decided to keep my old Lexmark E232 laser printer as it's still going like new and I didn't see a need to blow any more money than I already did. My LinkSys router connects both my Macbook and Xbox 360 to my broadband connection and works like a charm, even giving me OPEN NAT on my Xbox 360 for my online gaming and chatting. Last but certainly not least, my Targus carry case is also still going strong despite carrying it's second laptop in 3 years. Bottom line, if you want the best, these are the brand names I completely and wholeheartedly endorse and use.

It seems Nintendo isn't making US gamers wait any longer with the announcement that they will be releasing their DS Lite system in two new colors on September 12. Gamers can now choose between Onyx Black and Coral Pink, which are both the same colors as the Graphite and Noble Pink models in Japan. I guess Nintendo is getting a jump on the holiday shopping season, and could this possibly mean that we can look forward to a Pink Nintendo Wii at some point. One can only hope! : )

After spending a few years staring at the bare map that was included with the Sega CD RPG "Vay," I decided to take it upon myself to scan the map into my computer, edit out the fold lines, edit out the old water and added a much better color of blue water, and finally add in all the names of the various places throughout the game. For anyone that needs all the locations, click on the map logo to pull up the full-size map. You're welcome to post it on your web site or anywhere else for that matter, as long as you don't change it. Enjoy!

Don't forget to pick up the September 2006 issue of Nintendo Power magazine. This month features the upcoming Rayman Raving Rabbids game for the Nintendo Wii system. Not only does the issue have a terrific write-up about the game complete with comments from head designer Michel Ancel, it also features great articles on the upcoming Nintendo DS rpgs Children of Mana and Final Fantasy III.

** For those wondering, the poster in this month's issue is for Dragon Quest: Rocket Slime **

They're often referred to as the "Big Four" in many gaming circles. That would be referring to the four Working Design RPGs for the Sega CD system. Not only are these four RPGs among the best you'll ever play, they're also four of the few reasons to own a Sega CD system at all. We all know that there weren't a lot of hit titles for this often forgotten system, but if you're an RPG fan, there is absolutely no reason for you not to own a Sega CD system and these four games. Below is a quick summary of each game so get to reading and then go track down a Sega CD system and these games. And if you already have a Sega CD system and these games, now might be a good time to play through one of them again.

Lunar Silver Star Story - This was the first Working Designs release for the Sega CD, and the game that launched one of the most beloved RPG series in history. The game featured some fantastic anime sequences, tons of voiced dialog, and one of the most epic quests you could find at the time. The game was a simple turn-based rpg, but the memorable and lovable characters are what made this game such a time-honored classic.

Vay - If you like your rpgs with a side order of ass-kicking, then Vay is your game. Not only is the game extremely challenging, but you'll spend most of your time leveling up your characters. While this might seem difficult, the enormous number of random enemy encounters will help you along quite nicely. Vay features one of the best stories ever found in an RPG, and it's also got some terrific music to go along with it. Not for the faint of heart, Vay will give even the most veteran RPG player a run for their money.

Lunar Eternal Blue - The sequel to Silver Star Story, Lunar Eternal Blue took everything great about the first game and just made it all better. The graphics are better, the music is better, and even the story itself manages to one-up even the outstanding storyline found in the first Lunar game. But although I give Eternal Blue the slight nod for being the better game of the two, you should really play through the first game before you tackle this one just so you'll better appreciate the nuances of the characters and their storylines.

Popful Mail - Although Popful Mail is more of a side-scrolling platformer, the game does feature a large amount of RPG traits. Not only do you level your character up, but you are often put in charge of completing certain tasks in order to advance in the game. The game features some amazing anime and almost 3 full hours of spoken dialogue to really bring the story to life. Of the four games here, Popful Mail is still my favorite and is a game that will appeal to a wide gaming audience, even those who might not normally enjoy an RPG.

Nintendo is currently taking a survey of US gamers in an effort to decide whether or not to bring the off-beat Tingle RPG to the US or not. Now I know many of you don't particularly like Tingle. And that I completely understand as he is one annoying fellow. But we can use every RPG we can get out hands on here in the US so there's no reason to condemn an entire game just because of one annoying fruit loop. So click on the logo and take the Nintendo survey and let's see if we can't get this game localized for US release. Better Tingle than nothing. But just barely. : )

** Click on the Tingle logo to take the survey **