Gadgets and Video Games

In fairness, Metanet Software’s first video for Robotology (found after the break) is more physics demo than it is gameplay demo — or even proof of concept, for that matter. Though considering the pedigree behind the game (Metanet made N+ , this week’s Xbox Live deal !), we’re willing to overlook the less than thrilling minute-plus video in celebration of the sheer tenacity with which Metanet attacks its game development. In fact, according to the Metanet website , the action in the video represents, “almost 800 lines of code, painstakingly hand-transcribed from graph paper and Flash mockups” — oh my! Here’s hoping it all pays off when the game ships ..

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The first video of N+ dev’s ‘Robotology’

Those lovable scamps from Mega64 are at it again, bringing their own brand of humor to everyone’s favorite river-fording, axle-busting game, Oregon Trail . We won’t try to break down the comedy of this latest vignette, but will instead offer that everyone in this video is crazy for not trading bacon .

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Mega64 dies of dysentery in Oregon Trail

Microsoft released its Kodu Game Lab yesterday, giving gamers everywhere the opportunity to create their very own games. Just for you, we snapped up the tool and set to work creating the Next BIg Thing in video gaming. Well, either that or we created a dinky little 2D shooter. Still, it’s hard not to feel some pride after creating a real, honest-to-goodness, functioning game.

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Video Tour: Kodu, Microsoft’s DIY game builder

You know Techland , right? No no, not that weird Discovery Zone ripoff your Dad used to take you to when you were a little kid — the Polish developer! You know, the comany that makes Call of Juarez and … ummm … not much else

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Techland’s Dead Island still shambling about

Between OnLive and Gaikai , we’re not sure who to trust less . Both systems are clearly operating under some form of unknown dark magic , allowing the mysterious services to stream high-def gaming directly into your television and computer browser, respectively. Both services though — luckily and necessarily — have representatives willing to happily test our skepticism in OnLive’s Steve Perlman and Gaikai’s Dave Perry. The video (found after the break) has the latter demoing Gaikai, streaming games from Mario Kart 64 to Spore to EVE Online , all from his Vista-powered PC running Firefox on an 800-mile trip between the server and his home. He claims in the video to be streaming all of the games demoed from sub 1-megabit internet speeds and says that “even a NetBook” could run Gaikai with no problems.

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Dave Perry gives first video tour of Gaikai

Out of all of humanity’s social needs and desires, we all love the feeling of belonging the most. People just can’t get along without the comfort and support that can be provided by bowling leagues, church groups, family circles or bloodthirsty para-military contractors .

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Zipper dev diary reveals the three factions of MAG

Wedbush Morgan’s Michael Pachter already told us about the inevitable WiiHD (inevitable to him, anyway), and that he thinks this cycle will be the last , and in his massive 201-page report Wedbush Morgan sent out recently, he reiterates both, but pointed out that this console cycle will outlast any other in history’s past due to two things: HD displays and console SKUs. Pointing to the small adoption rates for HD displays, Pachter says that unless consumers start coming out in droves to pick up HD displays, these consumers aren’t going to feel compelled to pick up a HD-compatible console (or upgrade from their Wii).

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Pachter: Current console cycle to go on and on, expect lots of SKUs

Wedbush Morgan Securities’ 2009 industry report includes a list of the top thirty brands of 2008. The report notes that of the companies whose brands appear on the list, Nintendo, EA , and Activision were the only three with more than one brand to generate over $100 million at retail in the US last year. And boy , did they. The top brand of the year, Guitar Hero — perhaps you’ve heard of it — was responsible for $992 million in US sales in 2008. The next two brands, Mario Bros.

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Top brands of 2008 owned by Nintendo, EA, Activision, and not Sony

A visionary named Ivan Allen has broken ground in two ways: first, he has applied for a patent on an online multiplayer rock-paper-scissors game for Xbox Live Arcade and PlayStation Network, and second, he has put the application on eBay. He’s set up the eBay account “videogamepatentseller,” so it seems likely he’s planning to do this again.

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Own a patent application for a rock-paper-scissors video game for just $90,000

This video dropped earlier this month , so we offer our humblest apologies if you’ve already seen it — actually, scratch that. You could do with seeing it again. Watching a single man go all Ong-Bak on an unsuspecting sedan is damn near the most inspirational thing we’ve ever seen. Oh, and it closely resembles the bonus stage from Street Fighter II , which is why its relevant for our gaming-centric news establishment. Oh, and it features a song by Rage Against The Machine, which we understand is quite the popular band with the kids nowadays.

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Iron-fisted man recreates Street Fighter bonus stage