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| What's Hot This Week: December 29 |
| December 29, 2008 at 5:45pm |
No animators were harmed in the creation of this limited-edition Fire Emblem laser cel.
Limited-Edition Fire Emblem Laser Cel:
We just found out you can get a limited-edition laser cel when you
reserve Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon for DS. We weren't quite sure what a laser cel was,
and a preliminary internet search brought back dozens of sites advertising laser
cellulite removal, which we figured would be a really odd bonus item to give away with
a video game. But further research into animation cels proved to be
more fruitful. Back in the old days before computers,
animators would hand draw and paint each frame of animation onto a
sheet of clear celluloid, which would be placed over a background
and photographed in series to create the animated clip. We also have
it on good authority that these animators had to walk to the studio
five miles through the snow, uphill both ways, due to anomalies in
the earth's gravitational pull in those days. The work was so
demanding that, for every 24
seconds of animated film produced, an average of 12 animators either
went blind or had to retire because of carpal tunnel syndrome. We're
not sure where that statistic comes from, but we're fairly certain that
we either saw it on Jeopardy or somebody e-mailed it to us.
Every once
in a while, a studio might reproduce a limited number of these cels
to sell to collectors. Now that these images are produced digitally,
there's no need for a physical piece of celluloid, but collectors
still like to have something to collect, otherwise they wouldn't be
called "collectors" — they'd just be "ors."
So animators will produce a modern version, known as a laser cel.
It's usually a high-resolution image laser-printed onto a sheet of Mylar, a
durable, clear substance reverse-engineered from debris collected
at the UFO crash site at Roswell, New Mexico in 1947. We're not sure
about the origin of that fact, either.
However, we're certain we have the facts straight on this: if you reserve
Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon, you'll get a bonus 5x7-inch laser
cel, printed on specially treated Mylar and mounted on acid-free
matboard, which will ensure that it remains in mint condition for
years to come. Unlike our facts about Mylar and early animators,
you'll be able to authenticate the limited-edition status of your cel
with a certificate of authenticity. So it's a must-have for any Fire
Emblem fan. Remember to reserve yours now. |
| What's Hot This Week: December 22 |
| December 22, 2008 at 4:36pm |
Upload Your World of Warcraft alter ego
here.
There's still time to join the battle for
costume superiority: Part of the fun of gaming is being able to pretend you're someone you're not, and being able to
do things you don't normally do.
So when you're finished playing World of Warcraft for the day, it
doesn't hurt if you want to carry a little bit of that fun into the
real world, right? We're not suggesting that you claim your local
Circle K in the name of your guild, but sometimes it's good for the
soul to dress up like your WoW alter ego and feel a little more
powerful every once in a while. If you happen to have a picture of
yourself in costume, there's still time for you to submit it in the
World of Warcraft Ultimate Costume War. The Grand Prize Winner will receive an
Alienware Aurora quad-core desktop and a pre-paid World of Warcraft
time card good for 360 days of gameplay. We thought about making it
365 days, but everyone needs a break now and then. The
contest runs until January 12, but you should enter as soon as you
can because 25 winners are selected every week to receive a $50
GameStop Gift Card. You don't have to submit a picture to win, but
what fun is that? We'd love to see you in your Warcrafted best.
Check out our gallery of entrants here. |
| Which Handheld is Right for You? |
| December 12, 2008 at 11:06am |
DS Lite or PSP? It depends on your
preference.
In case you were wondering whether a handheld
gaming device is right for you, we've come up
with another highly scientific test to help you
decide. Please answer the following questions
with the choice that most closely resembles your
preference.
Do you like video games?
(A.) Yes
(B.) No
Do you go places?
(A.) Yes
(B.) No
If you answered "Yes" to these two questions,
then you'd probably enjoy having a handheld
gaming device. If you answered "No" to one or
more questions, then multiply the first number of
your age by 5. Then add 3.
Now double this figure.
Finally, add the second number of your age to the figure and deduct 6. Did you get
your age again? Good! You probably enjoyed that
more than you'd enjoy a handheld gaming device.
So if you've determined that you would enjoy a
handheld gaming device, or if you know someone
who wants one as a gift, then the next hurdle to
overcome is deciding which one to purchase.
The two heavy hitters in the lightweight
game-system league are the
Nintendo DS Lite and
the
Sony PSP. Although fans of each will
passionately tell you why theirs is the best, we'll just tell you about some of the
features of each one, and you can decide for
yourself.
Nintendo DS Lite: In keeping
with our theory that intentionally misspelling a
word in a product automatically makes it cooler,
the
DS Lite
is more than 20-percent lighter and
about two-thirds the size of the original
Nintendo DS. In keeping with the theory of the
late pioneer of modern architecture Ludwig Mies
Van der Rohe that "less is more," somehow
Nintendo managed to make the DS Lite smaller,
yet give it brighter screens, longer battery
life and a built-in microphone.
Speaking of
more, the Nintendo DS boasts a huge library of
games, ensuring that you'll be able to find a
few that appeal to a variety of tastes in all
age groups. Its stylus-guided controls on the
touch screen make it ideal for those types of
games that involve filling in a sudoku puzzle or
brushing down your pony after a vigorous ride,
but it's also suited for action games, like
Castlevania: Order of Ecclesia or
Call of Duty:
World at War. Because the DS is from Nintendo, this
is also where you'll find Mario and his crew in
games like
Mario Kart and
New Super Mario Brothers.
If you have a collection of old GameBoy Advance
games, you can still play those on your DS Lite,
as well.
The DS Lite is no slouch when it comes to
online connectivity, too. You can share games, chat
or even play multiplayer games on-line via the
Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection. It's also available
in a variety of colors, like
Metallic Silver,
Metallic Rose,
Crimson and Black,
Cobalt and
Black, and
Onyx. "Onyx" looks a lot like
"Black," but we assure you, it's "Onyx." A few
special editions, bundled with games, are also
available, like the
Nintendo DS Lite Super Mario
Bundle, and the
Nintendo DS Lite Brain Age
Bundle.
Other popular games for the Nintendo DS include
Guitar Hero: On Tour,
Pokémon Ranger:
Shadows of Almia,
Personal Trainer: Cooking,
Chrono Trigger
and Animal Crossing: Wild World.
Sony PSP: While
"less is more" rings true, sometimes "more is
more." Although the
Sony PSP does not offer
a game library quite as large as the DS, it does
offer more options in the way of non-game
features. Serving as both a gaming system and a
portable media device, you can save music,
photos, movies and more on an optional removable
memory stick and take them with you to play back
on your PSP. An entertainment library of UMD
(Universal Media Disc)
movies is also available for playback on your
PSP, or you can hook your PSP up to a TV for video
output. If you're within range of a Wi-Fi
network, you can also surf the web. You can even
text and make phone calls if you install the optional Skype software.
Oh, we almost forgot. You can play games on it, too! With its
console-quality graphics and a large,
high-contrast LCD screen the PSP is a popular
choice for racing, sports or action games, like
Need for Speed Undercover,
Madden NFL 09 or
Final Fantasy VII: Crisis Core.
You won't find as many games for the PSP that involve petting a puppy or
solving a crossword, but there are some
educational and simulation games out there, such
as
My Spanish Coach,
Petz Saddle Club or
Cake
Mania: Baker's Challenge.
The PSP's wireless capabilities will allow you to compete against other players on nearby
PSP systems, or you can play online with people across the globe, if you're within range of a Wi-Fi
hotspot. GameStop currently carries the PSP in two
different models. The PSP Slim, also known as
the PSP 2000, is available either
new or
refurbished. We also have the newly released PSP
3000, which is a bit "slimmer" than the slim and
features an improved screen and built-in
microphone. We now have it bundled with the
Ratchet and Clank Entertainment Pack, which includes
a Ratchet & Clank: Size Matters game,
a National Treasure 2 UMD movie, a 1GB Memory Stick Duo and
an Echochrome game download voucher.
These value-packed bundles are available with
either the
Mystic Silver or
Piano Black PS 3000.
Other popular PSP games include
WWE Smackdown vs. Raw 2009,
NBA 09: The Inside,
Star Wars: The Force Unleashed,
Shaun White Snowboarding and
Star Ocean: First Departure.
In the end, it comes down what types of games appeal to you the most
and what features you think you'd use the most.
Or perhaps it comes down to whether you prefer
your silver to be "Metallic" or "Mystic."
Whatever you decide, you're guaranteed hours of
unfettered fun. |
| Which Console is Right for You? Take
Our Personality Test |
| December 1, 2008 at 4:46pm |
Take our highly scientific gaming
personality test to find out which gaming system is right for
you.
Perhaps you know someone who's been really good this year, and you'd
like to reward that person with a gaming console. Perhaps you're the one who's been really good, and
you want to reward yourself. That's okay. You deserve it. You can
call it a "family gift." Unless you just want to buy one of each,
which, by the way, we're totally okay with, you may need some help
in determining which system is best for you. That's why we've
compiled this lab-proven personality test.
If you had to choose, would you rather have:
(A.) A head twice the normal size.
(B.) A head half the normal size.
(C.) A normal-sized head that bobs about on a spring.
If you had to choose one way to communicate, would you rather:
(A.) Only be able to communicate through song.
(B.) Only be able to communicate through charades.
(C.) Only be able to communicate by yelling at the top of your lungs.
For a vacation destination, would you prefer:
(A.) A rustic mountain cabin that you must share with a crazy prospector who
constantly tells stories about narrow escapes from bears.
(B.) A tropical beach cabana that you must share with someone
who incessantly sings "Kokomo" by the Beach Boys.
(C.) A four-star hotel room that is haunted by the ghost of a
crazy prospector who was killed by a bear and who appears
unexpectedly, singing
"Kokomo" by the Beach Boys.
If you've answered each of those questions, you must really want a new gaming system.
In the end, it really just boils down to personal preference. So
here's a list of some of the systems we offer, along with the
features of each.
Shown above is the Xbox 360
Elite Holiday Bundle, with Lego Indiana Jones and Kung Fu Panda.
Microsoft Xbox 360
Although the other consoles are catching up
quickly, the Xbox 360
remains the most commonly used console with the
largest game library, as well as the largest online
gaming community. An adaptable workhorse, it can handle the
demands of high-resolution gaming graphics. Plus, if you choose a
model with a hard drive, you can download entire
games from Xbox LIVE Marketplace or download and
watch HD TV and movies from Xbox LIVE
Marketplace. It's also available in three
different models to fit your needs and your
finances. The classic black
Xbox 360 Elite is
the top-of-the-line model, featuring a 120GB
hard drive and an HDMI cable for high-definition
audio and video. You'll also get a matching
wireless controller, headset, network cable and
a standard/HD AV cable. For the holidays it also
comes bundled with Lego Indiana Jones and
Kung
Fu Panda. The white
Xbox Pro runs a close
second, with a smaller 60GB hard drive, and, if
you want HDMI output, you'll have to buy that
cable separately. It's also available as a
holiday bundle, with Lego Indiana Jones and
Kung
Fu Panda. If you're on a tight budget, the
bare-bones
Xbox 360 Arcade is the cheapest of
all of the consoles. It comes without a hard
drive, which you'll need to buy separately if
you want to download games or movies, but it
includes a 256mb flash card for saving game
data. The only cable you'll find in the box is a
standard AV cable. It comes with five full
arcade-style games, and Sega Superstars Tennis
is bundled in for the holidays, as well. Popular
Xbox 360 titles include
Halo 3,
Left 4 Dead,
Gears of War 2,
Fable 2
and
Banjo Kazooie: Nuts and
Bolts.
Here is the 160GB PS3, bundled
with Uncharted: Drake's Fortune and a voucher to download
PAIN.
Sony PlayStation 3
Although the PS3 is the priciest console, with
Blu-ray winning the high-definition disc wars, the PS3
can double as a movie-quality game console and a high-definition movie player.
In fact, many of the most popular PS3-exclusive
titles feature animated cut scenes that rival
the CGI in any blockbuster movie. Besides the built-in Blu-ray player, it's packed
with extras, like a Dual Shock 3 wireless,
motion-sensitive controller, an HDMI cable and
built-in wireless internet connectivity. The PS3
is Bluetooth compatible, which means it works
with a variety of Bluetooth headsets and other
accessories. Like the Xbox 360, the PS3's hard
drive will allow for storage of games, music,
photos and more. We have two new PS3 consoles,
available in either the
80GB model
or the 160GB
model,
which is bundled for the holidays with Uncharted:
Drake's Fortune and a voucher to download a free
version of PAIN from the PlayStation Network.
Our refurbished
60GB model
is the only PS3
console that is backwards compatible with many
PS2 games, making it a popular console for those
who already have a collection of PS2
titles. Popular PS3 titles
include
Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the
Patriots,
LittleBigPlanet,
Gran Turismo 5:
Prologue and
Resistance 2.
The Wii remains a popular
console, and you might even be able to find one this year.
Nintendo Wii
Although the
Wii
does not display video in the
same high definition as the Xbox 360 and
PS3, it makes up for it in its unique approach to game control.
It's not the only console with motion-sensing capabilities, but the Wii's focus on motion-sensing technology
makes it popular for a wide range of games. And the release of the
Wii Fit Balance Board
this year has opened up
another realm of motion-controlled
possibilities. These intuitive controls, paired
with the playful variety of Wii Channels you can
access through the Wii's built-in Wi-Fi, make it
popular for a party, casual and fitness games. However,
it would be wrong to think of the Wii as merely a party toy, as dark, gritty games like
House of the Dead 2 and
3 Returns and the upcoming
Madworld
indicate. The Wii remains a popular gift for the
second year in a row, and, unfortunately, our online supply is
currently depleted, with next allotment due to
come in after the holidays. So if you're lucky
enough to find one at one of our stores this
season, the standard
Wii console includes everything you need for
one player to get up and running, such as a Wii Remote, Nunchuck,
sensor bar and a copy of Wii Sports. Popular games
for the Wii include
Mario Kart,
Animal Crossing:
City Folk,
Castelvania:Judgment,
Jillian
Michaels Fitness Ultimatum 2009 and
Star Wars
Clone Wars: Lightsaber Duels.
If you're still having trouble making up your mind, just sing these
lyrics to the tune of "Kokomo" by the Beach
Boys, and head down to your local GameStop to try each one out.
Make sure you keep a sharp eye out for bears
along your way.
Xbox 360, that would really
please me.
PlayStation, the third one, ooh, I
really need one.
A Wii from Nintendo, baby why
don't we go down to our local GameStop.
We'll
get there fast, but not so fast that we get pulled over by a
cop.
That's where I wanna shop. My neighborhood
GameStop.
Okay, that line about getting there
fast doesn't fit very well, but you get the
idea. We're glad we could help. |
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