CORBIE'S GAME BLOG

One of the more interesting Nintendo Wii launch titles, Konami's Elebits, has just been delayed a few weeks until December 13th. No official word has been given as to just why the game was bumped from the Wii's launch titles list, but maybe a little last minute tweaking was needed. The bonus plush that was to be included with the initial run of the games will still be included. For those of you that haven't yet checked out the videos of Elebits in action you can surf over to IGN or Gamespot and take a look. The game is not only looking fantastic, but word has it that the innovative control methods used in the game are put to really good use and this could be one of the stronger showings for just the type of play control that Nintendo is looking to bring to the table with their upcoming Wii system. Look for Elebits in stores on December 13th.

It may not be pretty, but it's my Mii. I didn't realize just how dorky looking I had gotten over the years. It seems that I got married just in the nick of time. Although the Nintendo Wii hasn't been released yet, a talented internet user named Yann has created an almost exact replica of the Mii interface using Flash. If you want to give it a try, click on my Mii to the left and create your own. I hope you don't get the rude awakening I did. I just wish I could use the excuse that I look better in real life. : )

If you've been on the Xbox 360 message boards over the past year, you've almost certainly seen the debate going on over whether or not HDTV is really better than SDTV and worth the higher price tag. Generally, if you've been lucky enough to see the two side by side, there really isn't much of a debate at all. Xbox 360 games on an HDTV look absolutely amazing and once you've played on an HDTV for awhile, there's honestly no going back to regular SDTV. And with HDTVs becoming cheaper every day, there's really no more excuses not to invest in one, especially if you own or plan to own an Xbox 360 or Playstation 3 system. Heck, you can even hook your Nintendo Wii up to your HDTV via component cables and make it look even better. I threw a couple of grand down on my Samsung 40" LCD HDTV and I'm loving it, but you can get a 23" HDTV for as little as $300 if you shop around the net a little. If you need any convincing, take a look at the comparison shots to the left that I snapped of both HD and SD shots. If that doesn't convince you, nothing will.

Due to an overwhelming response to the Nintendo Wii Questions and Answers FAQ, I've finally finished the Playstation 3 FAQ as well. If anyone has any additional questions or comments about the FAQ please feel free to post. I tried to be as thorough and accurate as possible.Click on the logo to head over to the Playstation 3 FAQ.

Let's face it - gone are the days of just walking into a store, purchasing a game console and then going home and connecting it to the family television and playing video games. That was a simpler time. Now when you purchase a next generation video game system, like the Xbox 360, Playstation 3, or Nintendo Wii, your expenses don't even come remotely close to ending with that purchase. In fact, in most cases, that's where the real expense actually begins.

For those that are confused right about this moment, let me ask you a question. Have you by any chance noticed all those neat little logos found on the backs of the game cases for these new console games? You know the ones I'm talking about. Dolby 5.1 Surround Sound, Xbox Live, or HDTV. Maybe you've seen 720p or 1080i written on these feature listings. What does it all mean, you might ask?Well to put it simply, it means you're about to have to spend even more money on that shiny new game console than you already have. If you thought the game system pinched your wallet, hold on to your trousers.

Okay, you've just purchased that brand new Xbox 360 along with a copy of Project Gotham Racing 3 and now you're ready for a few laps around the track. You even went the extra mile and purchased the Premium system. You're all set, right? Well not quite. If you take a look at the back of the PGR3 game case you'll see the words "HDTV 720p" in the list of game features. I'll avoid the long explanation of what that means exactly, but simply put, it means you're going to need an HDTV. If you want the true 720p, you're going to have to spring for something called an LCD HDTV. You know the cute little televisions that you can hang on the wall. You can grab a 23" model for about $600 if you shop around, but for those looking for the big guns, like maybe a 32" or 50" you're going to have to drop a thousand or two to get one. Ouch, that one hurt didn't it. Well we're not done either. If by some chance you purchased the Core Xbox 360 system, now you're going to need to purchase the $50 component cable. I know, it's the gift that keeps on giving. Now we've taken care of the video part, it's time to move on to audio.

Another cute logo you might notice is the "Dolby Digital" logo. That means this great new game you just purchased offers Dolby 5.1 Surround Sound. That also means that unless you have a state-of-the-art home theater setup, you're about to spend some more money. Logitech makes a great Dolby 5.1 setup called the Z-5500 and you can find it for around $400. It comes with the receiver and complete set of speakers, including an earth-pounding 10" subwoofer. Unfortunately, if you want true Dolby 5.1, you're going to have to pony up a little more cash for an optical audio cable. You can grab a decent optical cable for about $15, although I did splurge and grab the Monster optical audio cable for $40, more for piece of mind than anything. Now you can hear the cars in PGR3 whiz by you on either side, and in all honesty, that's when you'll know that your surround sound setup was worth every penny because it really is impressive to hear. So are we finished blowing money yet? Not quite.

You may also notice the sleek "Xbox Live" logo on the back of that game case as well. Maybe even the words "Online Multi-player" or "Content Download" also. What this means is that you're going to need the Xbox Live online service to take advantage of these features. The first thing you'll need is a broadband internet connection, which most of you should already have if you're reading this. If you purchased the Premium Xbox 360 system it comes with one month of Xbox Live Gold to try out. Xbox Live Silver is available for free to all Xbox owners, and it allows you to download updates, content, as well as Xbox Live Arcade games, but if you want to go head to head with other players around the world on Xbox Live, you'll need Gold to do that. Once your 1 month trial membership expires, it will cost you an additional $49.99 to renew it for one year. It's really a small price to pay for the solid reliability and speed Xbox Live offers.

Now that we've got everything we need to get the most out of the Xbox 360, let's tally it all up. We started out with the Xbox 360 Premium system for $400. We picked up a 23" HDTV for around $600 and the Logitech Z-5500 Dolby surround sound setup for $400. We had to spring for the optical audio cable for another $30 and then capped it all off with 1 year of Xbox Live Gold for $50. All told we spent $1500 for this gaming setup, and that's actually pretty low end considering we could have gone well into the thousands for a big screen HDTV or a top-of-the-line theater sound system. Let's face it, if you wanted to go crazy, you could easily spend in excess of $5000 for your Xbox 360 game setup and that's not even counting the cost of adding another system like the Playstation 3 or Nintendo Wii. It just proves that next generation gaming consoles aren't the only thing costing more money. Each new step up in technology comes with more expenses in order to take advantage of them. When will it all end? While no on really knows the answer to that question, the one thing we do know for certain is that if you want to continue to game over the next decade, a second or third job isn't out of the question.

Depending on which gaming board you frequent, you'll likely hear one of two responses when the mention of Playstation 3 is brought up. You'll either hear the mammoth praise being heaped upon what is easily the most advanced and powerful video game console on the face of the planet, or you'll hear the many people complaining of the system being grossly over-priced and how it's really not even as powerful as the Xbox 360. Either way some information being spouted out is accurate and some isn't. Let it be known that the cell graphics processor inside of that glossy black box is without a doubt, the most powerful peice of graphics hardware ever seen in the likes of a home gaming console, and most anywhere else in existence at that. Now does that mean it's going to blow the Xbox 360 away when it comes to gaming visuals? Not likely. The Xbox 360 sports quite a bit of graphical horsepower in its own right, but that still doesn't make it more powerful than the PS3. And you can sit there and list every excuse in the book about how developers feel the Xbox 360 is easier to develop for blah blah blah, but at the end of the day, that still doesn't change the fact that when it comes to pushing polygons, the PS3 is the king. And don't get me wrong, I love my Xbox 360 and considering that Microsoft got this console out almost a year sooner than Sony is launching their Playstation 3, you have to be impressed with the sheer power Microsoft was able to capture that early on. Couple that with the fact that the Xbox 360 already has a very impressive game lineup, with many more outstanding titles coming soon, and that might be what makes some gamers gravitate towards the Xbox 360 over the PS3 this holiday season. But all those PS3 doomsayers out there that think the Playstation 3 is just going to bomb are either insane, or need to take their medication. Because like it or not, the Playstation name carries a hell of a lot of weight around the gaming community, and not even a $500 or $600 price tag is going to change that. Will the Playstation 3 dominate in the way Playstation 2 did this past generation? I seriously doubt it, but it's still going to be in the thick of things, and one thing always holds true. You're still the king until someone dethrones you, and that just hasn't happened yet.

As most of you know, HD gaming is becoming quite popular with these next generation consoles, so if you want to get the best out of your Xbox 360, Playstation 3, or Nintendo Wii, then you're going to have to invest in one of these babies. I picked up the 32" model in white this morning and I have to tell you, the glossy white looks really nice next to my Xbox 360 system. And picture quality is superb. This is a Samsung, after all. With a super-fast 8ms response time, gaming has never been so good on an LCD HDTV. If you have the means, I strongly recommend one of these white Samsung LCD HDTVs. You can get them in sizes from 23 inch all the way up to 40 inch. And just imagine how great that Playstation 3 will look on it next month. : )

I got to my local Gamestop store this morning at 7:45am in the hopes of getting my hands on a Nintendo Wii preorder. I had called the day before and was told that this particular store would have 15 preorders available so I knew I needed to get there early to grab one. I timed it perfectly as I hadn't been standing first in line at the door to Gamestop more than 10 minutes when the steady flow of people began coming. By 9:30am, 30 minutes before the store opened, there were about 35 people in line at which time the store manager came out and handed out 15 tickets to the first 15 of us and basically told the remaining people that she was sorry but they would have to try a different store if they wanted a preorder. At 10:05am we got let into the store and I took my place at the head of the line and proceeded to preorder my Wii. Now if I can just wait until November 19th. When I got home I found out that every Gamestop and EB Games store had sold out of their Wii preorders within minutes. I guess Friday the 13th isn't a bad luck day for me after all!

It is now official. Gamestop and EB Games stores will be taking Nintend Wii preorders beginning Friday October 13th. You will be required to put down at least a $50 deposit that will count towards the purchase price of your Wii system. There is a limit of 1 console per household. Since we saw lines outside of these stores during the Playstation 3 preorders on Tuesday, it might be a good idea to get to your Gamestop or EB store before they open. So far, these stores are expected to get between 30 and 40 consoles for launch, but no word yet on how many preorders will be available on Friday. I'm getting there about 6am just to be on the safe side. Good luck to everyone in getting your Wii preorder.

Everyone can breath a little easier now knowing that Nintendo has promised at least 1 million Wii systems for the US launch on November 19th. So for all those gamers who got left out in the cold (literally) during the Playstation 2 and Xbox 360 launches, you can now relax a little knowing that it shouldn't be terribly difficult to land a Wii system on launch day as long as you play your cards right. Today we'll take a look at some key information regarding the Wii launch as well as some tips on how to make sure you're sitting at home on November 19th playing that brand new shiny Wii system.

So we know the day the Wii system will make it's worldwide debut (November 19th) but what exactly will be available in the way of accessories and games for the Wii on launch day? Below is a listing of all Wii accessories and game titles that will be available on launch day.

Accessories:
Extra Wii Remote - $39.99
Extra Wii Nunchuck - $19.99
Wii Component Cable -$49.99
2000 Wii Points Card - $19.99
Classic Controller - $19.99

Wii Game Titles: $49.99
Blazing Angels: Squadrons of WWII
Call of Duty 3
Elebits
Excite Truck
Far Cry: Vengeance
GT Pro Series
Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
Madden NFL 07
Marvel: Ultimate Alliance
Monster 4X4 World Circuit
Need for Speed: Carbon
Open Season
Rayman Raving Rabbids
Rapala Tournament Fishing
Red Steel
Super Monkey Ball: Banana Blitz
Splinter Cell: Double Agent
Tony Hawk's Downhill Jam
Trauma Center: Second Opinion
Wii Sports (Included)
World Series of Poker

GETTING YOUR HANDS ON A WII SYSTEM:

Now that we know what's going to be available, the main question on people's minds is, "When can we preorder a system and what stores are taking preorders?" So far, only the Nintendo World store in NYC and GameCrazy have taken Wii preorders, but EB Games and Gamestop are just waiting for their allocation numbers and then they've said they will also begin taking preorders. The rumor is that EB and Gamestop will begin taking in-store preorders on October 9, but that has not been confirmed as of yet. Might be a good day to check on it just the same.

Okay so you can't preorder, or no stores near you are taking them. Now what? Now comes what most gamers call "camping out." Since there is going to be a million systems at launch, this is probably not going to be a big necessity, but it can't hurt to be prepared just in case the demand for the Wii becomes rampant near launch day. And anyone that walked away empty-handed at the Playstation 2 and Xbox 360 launches knows what it feels like to not get a system on launch day.

Walmart should be your first stop as the SuperCenters normally put the new consoles on sale at midnight. A good rule of thumb is to hit the electronics department around 2 or 3pm in the afternoon to see if any lines are forming. Then if there are no lines, the best thing to do is keep coming back to the store every couple of hours if you have the means to. When/if you see a line of people forming, grab your spot in line and get ready for the wait.

If Walmart doesn't pan out, there's always Best Buy. What makes Best Buy such a great place for the launch is #1 the fact that they normally allow people to camp out in their parking lot during the night before a game console launch, and #2 they generally get much larger allotments of systems for a console launch. As with Walmart, the best thing you can do is just kind of start casing the place after closing time at around 9 or 10pm, and keep checking every so often to see if people begin to get in line outside the store. As I said before, since there are going to be plenty of Wii systems, not to mention that the Sony Playstation 3 system is launching just two short days before the Wii, there shouldn't be any major shortages, so all of this might end up being overkill. But if you want to make 100% sure you get a system, remember that there have been a lot of gamers over the years get burned on the PS2 and Xbox 360 launches, and they'll likely be looking to get in line early as well. Better safe than sorry.

Camping out is generally not the most fun thing in the world, and I should know since I spent my New Year's Eve sitting on the floor on the video game aisle at my local Walmart so I could get my hands on an Xbox 360 Premium system, but there are many ways to make things much more comfortable and to pass the time. Below are a few tips for those who are considering camping out for the Wii (or PS3) launch:

(TIP #1) - Take along your portable game system of choice, like the Nintendo DS or Sony PSP. Be sure you've got the battery fully charged, especially if the wait is going to be a long one. Walmart was kind and let me plug my PSP adapter in, but most places you won't have that option or the store might not be so nice about it. Nothing will pass the time better than playing a good game.

(TIP #2) - Food and drink is also a good thing to have, especially since many others will likely have them as well. Nothing is more excruciating than sitting in line watching other people guzzle refreshingly cool Mountain Dew and munching Doritoes right in front of you. Now you don't need to bring a four course meal, but just enough to keep you content during your wait.

(TIP #3) - Unless you like freezing your butt off, it might be a good idea to wear very warm clothing or bring a blanket of some kind, especially for those of you Best Buy campers who'll be outdoors near the end of November. While bringing a tent would be really cozy, remember you're there to wait on a game system, not set up camp for the week. I still remember the PS2 launch that I waited in line at the Best Buy near here, and most of the people who had tents either got them damaged in some way, or had people cutting in front of them in line while they were having their gaming sessions and sleeping inside the tent. Be practical and everything should be fine.

(TIP #4) - Above everything else, make sure you bring your money with you and please don't flash that money around. There was a kid at the Xbox 360 New Year's Eve sale at Walmart that managed to sit in line with us for over 8 hours only to make it to midnight and find that he had left his wallet at home. Make sure you have plenty of money for the console when you get in line. You can always come back for games another time. And keep that money put up, because someone who's looking to get an extra game or two might like to have it. : )

The best thing you can do is preorder a Wii system if you can. Then you can pretty much relax and wait for November 19th to get here. Check the gaming message boards in the week before launch and see how many people are talking about camping out and also check the gaming sites to see how demand seems to be shaping up. Chances are, you'll be able to just walk into a store on the 19th of November and pick up a system, but if this isn't a chance you're willing to take, performing the steps mentioned above might make things a lot easier and less worrisome.

I wish everyone all the luck in the world at landing a Nintendo Wii system on launch day, and feel free to post a comment if you have a tip or something that might add to what I've written up here.

I put this long list of the most frequently asked questions regarding the Nintendo Wii system several weeks ago, but do to family illness, I haven't had the chance to link to it from here. It covers just about everything you could ever want to know about Nintendo's upcoming Wii system. If you want to check it out, click on the Wii Faq logo to the left. And don't worry, the Wii Launch Survival Guide will be up on Tuesday. And trust me, you don't want to miss it! : )

To be perfectly honest, I'm not a big racing fan. I'm also not a big racing game fan either. But I have to admit, when I bought Project Gotham Racing 3 the day I got my Xbox 360 last year, nothing could quite prepare me for what an oustanding game it was going to be. Not only did it easily eclipse every other game I bought at launch as far as play time goes, it's also a game that I still play more than any other Xbox 360 game I own. Yes, even Oblivion! The game just has the perfect mix of realistic physics and arcade style play mechanics to form what is easily one of the best racing games ever made. If you haven't picked this gem up yet, do yourself a favor and grab it now that it's gone down to $29.99. It's worth every penny. And don't forget, Bizarre is also working on PGR4, so if you like PGR3, you now have something big to look forward to. PGR3 is still one of the best Xbox 360 games out there, and that's a real testament when you think of some of the fantastic games we've seen released for the 360 over this past year.