Gamecube Games Best Price!

   

Namco Museum
From Namco

MODEL- 02122 VENDOR- NAMCO FEATURES- Namco Museum Like the 57 Thunderbird some video games get better with age and now you can be a vintage video game connoisseur with Namco Museum on the Nintendo GameCube. Featuring 12 different arcade games Namco Museum doles out heaping portions of classic action. These nostalgic titles have been faithfully reproduced with all the sights and sounds of an arcade cabinet. Now you can save your coins for the Laundromat and still play your favorite retro-games. Pac-Man and Ms. Pac-Man both deliver every bit of the originals ghost-gobbling goodness. Enjoy an old-fashioned space shoot-out with Galaga and Galaxian. Satisfy your need for speed with Pole Position and Pole Position II. And inflate all sorts of subterranean baddies while searching for treasure in Dig Dug. In addition to these familiar classics there are a few hidden surprises to keep things fresh. You can unlock Pac Attack a Pac- Man-themed Tetris clone and Pac-Mania a 3-D maze game. There are also three revamped classics Pac-Man Arrangement Galaga Arrangement and Dig Dug Arrangement. Each one of these new variations throws a unique twist on the originals such as power-ups and multiplayer support. Now you can double-team ghosts with a friend in Pac-Man enjoy twice the firepower in Galaga or burrow for miles in co-op Dig Dug. Namco Museum for the Nintendo GameCube is a must-have for fans of old-school games. These games are so faithfully reproduced that the aspect ratio of the arcade displays are maintained resulting in large borders on the TV screen. The new variations like multiplayer cooperative support breathe new life into these traditionally solo games. ESRB Rating : E for EveryoneGenre/Category : ClassicSystem : Nintendo GameCubeNumber of Players : 12Compatible Peripheral Features: MANUFACTURER WARRANTY: 90 DAYS

• Amazon Sales Rank: #4471 in Video Games
• Brand: Mass Media
• Released on: 2002-10-08
• ESRB Rating: Everyone
• Number of discs: 1
• Platform: GameCube
• Number of items: 1
• Dimensions: .75" h x 5.25" w x 7.50" l, .34 pounds

This title includes six classic arcade hits: Pac-Man, Ms. Pac-Man, Galaga, Galaxian, Dig Dug, and Pole Position. Also included are all-new arrangement modes plus other hidden games.

A great collection of classic Namco games
This collection is pretty much identical to the Namco arcade collection that I've seen in several video arcades, except that it replaces Rally-X (a real dog) with Pole Position I/II. Frankly, for the price they're selling it for these days, you can't go wrong.

You get:

Pac-Man
Ms. Pac-Man
Pac-Man Arrangement (a modern version with more ghosts, more mazes, and new items)

Galaga
Galaxian
Galaga Arrangement (again, a modern version with better graphics and more powerups)

Pole Position
Pole Position II

Dig-Dug
Dig-Dug Arrangement (better graphics, more enemies, a few new features)

And there are two hidden games you can unlock by getting decent scores in Pac-Man and Ms. Pac-Man:

Pac-Attack (Pac-man tetris? Weird...)
Pac-World (a 3-D pacman where you can jump -- kinda strange, but seen it in arcades before)

That's 12 games for $20. Do the math.

The only thing I wish is that they provided you with more information on the games' history (it is called Namco *Museum*, after all); however, the emulation is perfect, and they even included the original arcade cabinet artwork around the game screens. I can't complain. I grew up playing games like these on the Atari and in the arcades (my father actually owned a Dig-Dug upright cabinet), and this is a great compilation. Heartily recommended for any video game collector or fan.

classics revisited but missing something
I recieved this item for Christmas and was satisified with it. Games like Pacman and Pole Position bring back fond memories of my childhood. The games included are: Pacman, Ms. Pacman, Pole Position, Pole Position 2, Galaga, Galaxiga- as well as revamped versions of Dig Dug and Galaga. You can also unlock several games. The downside to this compilation is 1. the number of games- all in all theres really only 4-5 games to choose from. 2. the revamped version of Dig Dug is poor. Not that its poor in quality but the screen size is TINY and graphics are difficult to see. 3. All the game screens again are TINY, Pole Position and Pole Position 2 are exceptions- since they are full screen. All the other games have huge borders- I wish they were all full screen. Other than that its a decent compilation, but it left me wanting more (more games and full screen views). I recommend this if you are a big 80s game fan, only because if you've never played Pacman or Galaga you might be let down. Also the controls are difficult. For instance using the gamecube controller in pacman is just.. hard. You want to go straight but instead take a left= they're just very sensitive.

80's has it all, but I'm 9 years old.
I wasn't alive in the 80's, so I still get to play Pac-Man! My mom is a Pac-Man expert, and I love Pac-Man, and I bet that you have already guessed that this game has Pac-Man!(I like Ms.Pac-Man better if you ask me and so does my mom)My mom's wrist on the joystick is faster than....well....something REALY fast!!
This game also has Pole Position,(which my dad is good at) Dig Dug,(which I don't know anything about exept that you are supposed to dig) and Galaga.(which is a space game that I like)

and much,much more!(that I forgot about)And the good thing is, I have a GameCube! I've only rented this, but I want it for Christmas. My mom always complained about having to be lucky to find a Pac-Man or Ms.Pac-Man machine. Not anymore!

   

Hunter: The Reckoning
From Interplay

MODEL- 71866 VENDOR- VIVENDI FEATURES- Hunter: The Reckoning Set in White Wolfs World of Darkness Hunter: The Reckoning is a third-person action-shooter where players take the role of one of four unique hunters - Deuce a biker ex-con Father Cortez a prison chaplain Kassandra a raver chick and Samantha a tough ex-cop. Armed with a variety of fearsome weaponry players will battle it out with a plethora of supernatural enemies. Non-stop heart-pumping action combined with outstanding graphics bring the true spirit of Hunter: The Reckoning to life and give players a taste of the World of Darkness. * Single or multiplayer madness! 1 - 4 Hunters battle evil - all on the same screen. * Unload both barrels on 20 types of monsters from zombies to werewolves tovampires including 7 insane boss characters. * Deal out the damage with over 20 melee ranged and spell weapons including axes shotguns swords and flamethrowers. * Take apart your enemies piece-by-piece by dismembering heads arms and legs. * Movement Independent Targeting technology makes use of both analog sticks to allow the player to simultaneously move and shoot in different directions. ESRB Rating : M for Mature Genre/Category : Action System : Nintendo GameCube Number of Players : 14 Compatible Peripheral Features: MANUFACTURER WARRANTY: 90 DAYS

• Amazon Sales Rank: #17232 in Video Games
• Brand: High Voltage Software
• Released on: 2002-11-19
• ESRB Rating: Mature
• Platform: GameCube
• Number of items: 1
• Dimensions: 1.00 pounds

Who thought this was fun?
The developers of this game dropped the ball like a ton of bricks. Don't get me wrong. The idea was cool: Four characters, each with their own technique and weapons, trying to rid the world of zombies and other possessed creatures. But, believe me, that's where the excitement ends.

From what I hear, playing this with 3 friends is where the fun lies, but if you're going alone, the only reasonable character choice is Duece. He is the strongest and has the most reach with his axe. You'll find that he is the ONLY one capable of handling the endless amount of enemies that appear out of nowhere, which is one of the game's biggest problems.

The enemies keep respawning. What's the point of killing tens of monsters, if they're only going to respawn seconds later? It's repetative and pointless. There's almost nothing worse than fighting through an area only to find that the same people you killed a moment ago keep coming back.

Another HUGE problem with this game is the camera angles. You have zero control over it. All this game allows you is a zoom in feature, which only serves to make your experience worse. Countless times I found myself turning a blind corner and having to actually walk a few seconds before the camera allowed me to see down that path. That's the kind of thing that gets you needlessly killed.

Next, we have the bosses. Okay, so who's bright idea was it to make bosses so cheasy? The first boss I fought had a horde of monsters helping him kill me, and none of them were moving slow enough for me to think too hard. The second one, a Teddy Bear, wouldn't stop chasing me. I had to literally run around in circles, avoiding killer spirits, while occasionally jumping to avoid Teddy Bear induced earth quakes and vomit, all the while trying to get a shot with my special weapon. You literally only have seconds to get that one shot off. By the way, if you run out of ammo for that special weapon, just restart, because you will not defeat that leader with anything else. Sound like fun? I didn't think so.

The next problem is the cycling of the weapons. During the game, I found that it takes certain weapons to destroy certain creatures. For example, the spirits and gargoyles cannot be killed with guns and the spiders and alligators cannot be killed with blunt strikes, unless you want to die, of course. I've tried and it resulted in either my death or a huge loss of energy. It's a nice concept, but you'll find yourself running back and forth as you try to cycle from one weapon to another as you attempt to rid yourself of deadly spiders as the spirits are coming at you simultaneously.

The final problem is the need to reload your special weapon. Okay, I understand this concept, but then ammo is not easy to come by. Why couldn't they just make this like Blood Rayne and give you the chance to reload when you kill someone who has a gun? Also, why does the chainsaw have such a short limit? It's not like it does any more damage than your regular weapon.

So basically, the game sucks.

One more thing. The guy that does the voice for the mysterious dark creature that tells you why this happened sounds like the Mayor of Grant City in Dead to Rights. They sound exactly the same, in fact, only this character is overly melodramatic.

multiplayer fun...!
Hunter The Reckoning ... the only strong point is its multiplayer capability (very addictive), but even with that, there are still flaws.

The storyline seems pretty obscure and silly. I won't go into it. Just know that along the way, you have to kill tons of zombies and other monsters, and save innocents while you're at it...

There are 4 characters, two guys and two girls - choose wisely, especially when doing single player. You vs. 23974238 zombies = one frustrated you. However, you can't really note anything special about these characters (or the bad guys, except for the bosses) because the graphics TOTALLY SUCK during gameplay. As someone else noted earlier, they do look like something from N64 - and we're already on a Gamecube here. The graphics aren't very smooth, you can't really see much detail, and not a good use of colors, except... well, grey/black.

Also, there is no changing in camera angle, and at one point, freakin LEAVES were blocking our view as we were about to be slaughtered by zombies. I'm sure other things can block your view as well, but I haven't played very far in the game.

Your character automatically comes with an unlimited ammo. weapon (yay!) but reloading on the battlefield takes awhile - it could cost you lots of health if you're not careful. I found it a little of a hassle; that and switching from weapon to the other countrols. I kept on hitting the wrong thing; too many icons to choose from and the zombies are closing in on us!!

Really, the only strong point is the multiplayer part. It's always fun in groups, yes? You'll have fun screaming at your friends to protect Kayleigh (the little girl) from mass hoards of zombies; screaming at your friends to move so that you can get out, and so on. There's something thrilling about running around pressing R and blowing the brains out of monsters with your friends.

If you have three friends who are up for some button mashing and joystick manuevering while killing zombies and other foul creatures, yes, by all means, play Hunter The Reckoning. It's quite addictive. If not, then I suggest you pass this one and find a better game.

Good quality game
This game was very mindless but addictive, especially in multiplayer. The gore wasn't too bad since you have a faraway view, but the boss monsters were very gruesome. It still doesn't matter much since it is not much of a horror game, like Resident Evil, where it is very tense and disturbing. This game is more of a fun party game to play with your friends. The characters were cool, each with their own magic, ranged, and melee moves. I like Martyr the best with her cool knives and duel pistols. The hordes of zombies are much more fun to kill with friends. Not much of a single player game.

   

Zoids: Battle Legends
From Atari

Take on the role of your favorite character and join the battle forplanet Zi. Create and customize gargantuan Zoids. Carry out dangerous missions. Unleash devastating firepower and destroy enemy forces.Welcome to the world of Zoids! Take on the role of your favorite character and join the battle for planet Zi. Create and customize gargantuan Zoids. Carry out dangerous missions. Unleash devastatingfirepower and destroy enemy forces. Welcome to the world of Zoids! -- SPECIFICATIONS ---------------------------------------ESRB Rating : T for TeenGenre/Category : Action/AdventureSystem : Nintendo GameCubeNumber of Players : On-Line Compatible :www.atari.com

• Amazon Sales Rank: #10559 in Video Games
• Brand: Atari
• Released on: 2004-09-07
• ESRB Rating: Teen
• Platform: GameCube
• Number of items: 1
• Dimensions: .75" h x 5.50" w x 7.75" l, .30 pounds

Fun but much too hard
I bought this game and cruised past the first 11 levels of mission mode as the republic and then once I got to the 12th...It wasn't pretty. Same goes for the battle mode. I got past the first 9 levels and then I had to face an ultra saurus pretty much alone because the "Partner" that you are forced to join with is incredibly stupid. The Ultra saurus can't be physically attacked because it has some electric force field on it so you get shocked if you actually make contact with it. Then your partner (being the dumbass that he is) just keeps on jumping right into him. Fortunately you can stop him from doing that by telling him to bombard the enemy but it's still very, very, very hard. Two player mode is really fun too because you can load customized zoids from your memory card into the game so that you and your friend can use your own zoids. Facing the computer is a joke though. Fists mode is alright, it's just VS. mode with a harder level that may have a hole in the middle or be on a plat form etc. I recommend this game to any zoids fan.

this is awesome a good zoids game
this is cool,this is the best game in japan and i liked it so any body who likes zoids. here are the list of the zoids in the japanese version of zoids vs 2 i hope they have more in the us.i also put cheats
Playable Zoids (so far)
Sinker
Space Sinker
Cannon Tortoise
Cannon Tortoise BC
Cannon Tortoise old type
Buster Tortoise
Molga
Molga Rokurou
Cannory Molga
Hellcat
Hellcat Nowal
Command Wolf
Command Wolf New
Command Wolf AC
Command Wolf AU
Command Wolf EM
Command Wolf Irvine
Rev Raptor
Rev Raptor PB
Rev Raptor WPB
Raven Raptor
Gun Sniper
Gun Sniper WW
Gun Sniper Naomi
Gun Sniper LS
Snipe Master
Snipe Master Red
Snipe Master FB
Snipe Master AS
Snipe Master MU
Snipe Master BU
Sabre Tiger
Saber Tiger
Sabre Tiger AT
Great Sabre
Sabre Tiger SS
Sabre Tiger TS
Sabre Tiger RT
Sabre Tiger RV
Sabre Tiger TD
Shield Liger
Desert Liger
Shield Liger LM
Shield Liger LM B
Liger Aero
Proto Sabre
Red Horn
Red Horn Old Type
Red Horn BG
Green Horn
Dark Horn
Dark Horn WB
Dark Horn Harry
Dibison
Dibison Old Type
Dibison LS
Shadow Fox
Shadow Fox S
Lightning Saix
Lightning Saix BS
Lightning Saix TS
Blade Liger
Blade Liger KS
Blade Liger AB
Blade Liger Leon
Blade Liger MJ
Elephander
Elephander AG
Elephander SS
Iron Kong
Iron Kong Old Type
Iron Kong Mk II
Iron Kong Yeti
Iron Kong SS
Iron Kong PK
Iron Kong PK Mk II
Iron Kong PK Mary
Gojulas
Gojulas Mk II
Gojulas Mariner
Gojulas Irvine
Gojulas The Ogre Gojulas The Ogre Mk II
Gojulas Giga
Geno Saurer
Geno Saurer R
Geno Saurer RT
Psycho Geno Saurer
Geno Breaket
Geno Breaker Jet
Geno Breaker R
Liger Zero
Liger Zero EM
Liger Zero S
Liger Zero Jager
Liger Zero Schneider
Liger Zero Panzer
Liger Zero X, Liger Zero Phoenix
Berserk Fury
Berserk Fury Storm
Sturm Tyrann
Konig Wolf
Dark Spiner
Dark Spiner KD
Geno Hydra
Trinity Liger
Diablo Tiger Alpha
Diablo Tiger Beta
Cyclops Type One
Cyclops Type Two
Gryphon
Chimera Dragon
Double Arm Lizard
Lord Gale
Matirx Dragon
Salamander
Death Stinger
Seismosaurus
Mad Thunder
Death Saurer
Ultrasaurus
Gustav
Blitz Tiger


Cheats
Unlock the Liger Zero Pheonix: In the CONFIG menu, in the VOICES section, type:
021,001,018,006,023. Thanks to ZGX for finding it for us!
Secrets
Zoids Saga/Vs Battle Mode: To unlock the third version of Battle Mode, either complete Mission mode on Republic or Empire to access it. You have to choose a character from that timeline; the first ones that appear are two soldiers in helmets.
Unlocking the Seismosaurus: Complete Mission Mode, Republic side (Vs. Mode Only)
Unlocking the Death Stinger: Complete Mission Mode, Republic side (Vs. Mode Only)
Unlocking the Mad Thunder: Complete Mission Mode, Republic side (Vs. Mode Only)
Unlocking the Salamander: Complete Mission Mode, Republic side (Vs. Mode Only)
Unlocking the Ultrasaurus: Complete Mission Mode, Empire side (Vs. Mode Only)
Unlocking the Deathsaurer: Complete Mission Mode, Empire side (Vs. Mode Only)
Unlocking the Bloody Deathsaurer: Complete Mission Mode, Empire side (Vs. Mode Only)
Unlocking the Diablo Tiger Alpha: Complete everything (available in Battle/Vs/Fist modes)
Unlocking the Diablo Tiger Beta: Complete everything (available in Battle/Vs/Fist modes)
Unlocking the Cyclops 1: Complete everything (available in Battle/Vs/Fist modes)
Unlocking the Cyclops 2: Complete everything (available in Battle/Vs/Fist modes)
Unlocking the Liger Aero: Complete Mission Mode, Republic side (for in Battle/Vs/Fist)
Unlocking the Proto Sabre: Complete Mission Mode, Empire side (for in Battle/Vs/Fist)
Unlocking the Elephander SS: Complete Battle Mode, NCO timeline (for in Battle/Vs/Fist)
Unlocking the Iron Kong PK Mary: Complete Battle Mode, NCO timeline (for Battle/Vs/Fist)
Unlocking theGun Sniper Naomi: Complete Battle Mode, NCO timeline (for in Battle/Vs/Fist)
Unlocking the Shield Liger DC-J: Have a Zoids Vs 1 save file on your memory card.
Unlocking the Blade Liger Leon: Complete Battle Mode, NCO timeline (for in Battle/Vs/Fist)
Unlocking the Gojulas Irvine: Complete Battle Mode, CC/GF timeline (for in Battle/Vs/Fist)
Unlocking the Liger Zero Jager: Complete Battle Mode, NCO timeline (for in Battle/Vs/Fist)
Unlocking the Liger Zero Schnieder: Complete Battle Mode, NCO timeline (forBattle/Vs/Fist)
Unlocking the Liger Zero Panzer: Complete Battle Mode, NCO timeline (for in Battle/Vs/Fist)
Unlocking the Liger Zero X: Complete Mission Mode, Republic side (for in Battle/Vs/Fist)
Unlocking the Geno Hydra: Complete Battle Mode, 3rd timeline (for in Battle/Vs/Fist)
Unlocking the Trinity Liger: Complete Battle Mode, 3rd timeline (for in Battle/Vs/Fist)
Unlocking the Gryphon: Complete Mission Mode, Republic side (for in Battle/Vs/Fist)
Unlocking the Chimera Dragon: Complete Mission Mode, Republic side (for in Battle/Vs/Fist)
Unlocking the Double Arm Lizard: Complete any Battle Mode (for in Battle/Vs/Fist)
Unlocking the Lord Gale: Complete Mission Mode, Republic side (for in Battle/Vs/Fist)
Unlocking the Matirx Dragon: Complete Mission Mode, Republic side (for in Battle/Vs/Fist)
Unlocking the Gustav: Complete Battle Mode, CC/GF timeline (for in Battle/Vs/Fist)
Unlocking the Blitz Tiger: Complete Battle Mode, CC/GF timeline (for in Battle/Vs/Fist)
Start Battle Mode with 100000BP: Have a Zoids Vs 1 save file on your memory card.

Zoids: Battle Legands
FINIALLY!!!! The first Zoids Game to hit America. It should be exactly like the japanese game Zoids Versus. I think It will awsome I was thinking when I get the money to pay my mom to pre order it here in case it was going to be a big hit and be sold out everywhere. A basic layout of the game is in mission mode you do missions on the side of the republic or empire. Versus you battle a friend and the other mode is like Gran Turismo you get money for winning battles and purchase new Zoids and/or weapons and custom parts. You can 40 or more Zoids and change the color to make different Zoids. You also get to choose any pilot on the show even from the Chiaotic Century an New Century Zero.

   

Nickelodeon Party Blast
From Atari Inc.

Good as long as your don�t expect too much.
Nickelodeon Party Blast is a fun and simple game for younger children. Kids can pick their favorite cartoon characters (including Sponge Bob) to compete in a number of mini-games. The games are rather simple, such as throwing food on each other, squirting players with water, or rafting down a river. As you collect tokens, you unlock different levels and challenges.

Here are some things to keep in mind when buying this game:

1) It will be fun for those between 4-11. Older kids will get bored of the game fast. For the younger kids, there are some aspects of the game they might find difficult. For example, during gameplay your character can get covered with green ooze and slows down. The only way to shake it off is by rapidly moving the thumb stick back and forth. The younger kids often struggle getting this movement down.

2) The graphics are primitive by any standard. Do not expect much.

If you buy the game with these things in mind, you should not be disappointed. The game WILL keep the kids entertained.

Save your hard earned money....don't buy this one.
What a disappointment. This game just isn't what you expect. I purchased this game for my young daughter, thinking that she would enjoy playing a game that included all of the characters she enjoys watching on the Nick channel. Guess what? She played it for all of ten minutes, found that she couldn't control her character becuase she couldn't follow the action and hasn't touched it sense. That was worth forty dollars!

Simply put, the game has too much activity for younger children...heck who am I kidding, even I had a hard time trying to figure out who I was, where I was, and what I was doing.

If your looking for something enjoyable for your youngster, try the Rugrats Royal Ransom game. That's much better for little hands!

Bottom line: D-

Worst Game Ever
I was so disappointed with this game. My 8 year old does not have enough patience to sit through the 'loading screens' which pop up before each game. If you think this is going to be anything like Mario Party, you will hate yourself for putting forty bucks down for this. I am surprised that Nickelodeon put their name on it.

The characters are badly drawn, have no voices or sound clips or anything from the shows! I want my money back. Too bad, no refunds.

I suggest, if you are still wanting this game, to go rent it first, then decide not to buy it.

   

The Chess Artist: Genius, Obsession, and the World's Oldest Game
By J. C. Hallman

In the tiny Russian province of Kalmykia, obsession with chess has reached new heights. Its leader, a charismatic and eccentric millionaire/ex--car salesman named Kirsan Ilyumzhinov, is a former chess prodigy and the most recent president of FIDE, the world's controlling chess body. Despite credible allegations of his involvement in drug running, embezzlement, and murder, the impoverished Kalmykian people have rallied around their leader's obsession---chess is played on Kalmykian prime-time television and is compulsory in Kalmykian schools. In addition, Kalmyk women have been known to alter their traditional costumes of pillbox hats and satin gowns to include chessboard-patterned sashes.

From Publishers Weekly
During a postcollege stint as a blackjack dealer in Atlantic City, freelance writer Hallman discovered the chess community that thrives in dealer lounges. There he met 39-year-old chess master Glenn Umstead, who performed exhibitions while blindfolded and had "hoped to become the world's first black grandmaster." The two became friends and embarked on an exploration of the chess subculture, a grand tour that took them from Princeton to prisons, from windowless rooms to the "giant electronic chess room" of the Internet Chess Club (ICC). At his first tournament, in Philadelphia, Hallman found "watered-down machismo and bent personalities." He visits the chess-obsessed characters of Manhattan's Washington Square Park: "In winter chess players could be found in the park dressed in huge down jackets, the only problem presented by the cold being the difficulty of moving pieces while so encumbered." He interviews Claude Bloodgood, a high-ranking chess player serving a life sentence for murdering his mother who once reputedly tried to use chess to escape from prison (he denies it). Much of the book is devoted to a fascinating visit to Kalmykia, an impoverished Russian province, whose president, Kirsan Ilyumzhinov, is "a not entirely unsympathetic supervillain with a kooky plan to dominate the chess world," evident in his 1998 construction of Chess City with its centerpiece, the Chess Palace, a five- story glass pavilion. Interweaving art and literary references along with the game's 1,200-year history, Hallman summarizes the many meanings and metaphors of chess in the final chapter: "Chess had come to represent intimacy, economics, politics, theories bleeding from rhetoric to outrageous science." Chess enthusiasts will enjoy this delightful tour.
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist
This is a book that chess players should not be without. Not only is it a voyage through the subculture of chess; not only is it a portrait of two men, an American chess master and a Russian dictator, obsessed with the game; not only is it a history of the game whose origins stretch back nearly a millennium and a half; not only is it all that, it's also an exploration of the complex psychology and philosophy of chess. Traveling with his friend, a rather eccentric chess master (eccentricity and a unique kind of intelligence seem to be vital components of the successful chess player's mind), the author samples many aspects of the subculture: chess clubs, theme parties, even a match played against a prison inmate. But the most fascinating part of the book, the part that demonstrates just how powerful a hold chess can have over a person, is the author's trip to Kalmykia, a small province in Russia where the dictator is also a suspected murderer and a bona fide chess prodigy. In Kalmykia, chess is compulsory in school, and here the author finds "Chess City," a self-contained mini-metropolis dedicated to the game. Educational, fanciful, entertaining, this is a book that will make every reader see the game of chess in an entirely new--if slightly weird--light. David Pitt
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Review
...vivid journeys through the territories of friendship, passion for a game, and chess history. -- Boston Globe, November 28, 2003

Hallman's first has echoes of the new journalism espoused by the likes of Tom Wolfe and Hunter S. Thompson.... -- London Financial Times, October 4, 2003

[Mr. Hallman] has a flair for travelogue, reminiscient of Bruce Chatwin....a worthy and readable treatise of the chess scene. -- The Wall Street Journal, September 19, 2003

Beautiful Storytelling
"The train was all lullaby, the gyroscopic jostle of the tracks, the steady click of the wheels like the eighth notes of some slower melody, the stars stationary out the small window, all of it a lull of travel nostalgia, a cradle or warm womb, Glenn and I like twins incubating in that cramped space."

The Chess Artist is its own lullaby, a beautifully told story with the game of chess playing the role of train, cradling author Hallman and cohort Glenn in its ample belly as it propels them from the break room of an Atlantic City casino to the surreal backdrop of the Kalmykian steppe, "its beauty Martian, the chalky dirt solid on the ground but rising as dust as though evaporating".

I was captivated by the characters, sub-plots, and settings, with chess history weaving its way through the story like a consistent and traceable thread in a larger tapestry. Chess is a metaphor for obsession, but also for the complexity of human relationships and motivations. The friendship between Hallman and Glenn is its own civilized but at times antagonistic chess game, and it plays itself across the pages like chess pieces leaping across history and cultures.

Skillfully rendered (at times poetic, at times insightful and wry) The Chess Artist is a book for chess players and non-chess players alike!

Fear and Loathing in Kalmykia
This book is an interesting melange of chess history, personality, relationships and politics. Unfortunately the mix doesn't quite work out as well as you'd hope.

The main portion of the book is the trip the author takes to Russia, and then Kalmykia to investigate Kalmykian president/dictator and FIDE president/dictator Kirsan Ilyumzhinov. As in Heart of Darkness, things get more and more chaotic as they grow closer to their goal with the chess master falling apart from the stresses of being in an unfamiliar environment. The squalor of both Russia, and more so Kalmykia is well described and heart-breaking.

Really though nothing much comes of the trip despite the author's somewhat Don Quixotish quest to find something about a murdered Kalmykian journalist. The total surreality of Chess City just overwhelms everything else.

The interludes the author provides on the history and development of the game of chess are particularly well done.

The other portion of the book, modern chess in the USA is more about Hallman's relationship with both Glenn the chess master, and chess itself. Hallman becomes infatuated with chess, just as becoming infatuated with a girl but never really gets to know chess first-hand. Like admiring the girl from afar he gets his chess impressions through the characters found in the chess world particularly his friend Glenn.

Realizing he will never win the attentions of his new infatuation he becomes ambivalent, even hostile to both chess and Glenn, his attitude swings back and forth as he ponders the useful, or uselessness of chess while seeing what it has done to some people. This was quite interesting, his internalized love/hate relationship with both the game of chess and the chess world is familiar to many chess players.

The chess world is full of great characters and stories, and I think the book would have been stronger if he had followed Glenn throughout a few more tournaments rather than devoting so much to a fruitless quest ending in a very brief, but very scary, interview with Kirsan Ilyumzhinov.

The prose is quite readable, though at times a bit over the top. Hallman is even-handed, though not altogether sympathetic to his friend Glenn, and the world of chess and chess players.

On the whole, this work is very interesting, but very flawed. Like a chess game it was as interesting for what might have happened as for what was put down on paper. It is worth a look for the personal interrelationships on the dysfunctional Kalmykia road trip and the sequences about chess history as well as the US tournament scenes. Similar to Searching for Bobby Fischer the book is strongest when in the midst of the tension of a tournament and shows weakness when going overseas.

An overly dramatized mishmash
I was eager to read this book, but it fell far short of my hopes and expectations.

Hallman uses a writing style I find grating, in which nearly everyone and everything is described with exaggerated importance and strained analogies. As a graduate of some big-time writing programs, he probably feels he needs to use grand statements and highfalutin language to show his skills as a wordsmith. But there needs to be a contrast; if everything sounds important, then nothing does. It's like music at a constant crescendo.

Here's an example:

"Like an idea of God, chess would not fully succumb to the petty influence of organized veneration. Its purity would occasionally resurface, like statues crying or bleeding in odd corners of the world, a school, a monastery, a throne room, a prison. Its grand metaphor was something beyond politics and certainly beyond war or simple melee, but it was also beyond that which language was yet able to describe, and it was malleable, immune, and immortal."

This type of florid prose might work in a brief essay, but a reader faced with page after page of it will soon tire.

I'm a chess master (as is at least one previous reviewer); I know the game well, and I'm acquainted with many of the chessplayers mentioned in this book. (I've even played Glenn, the protagonist, in a rated tournament.) Those are reasons for me to like The Chess Artist. However, the prose is too thick; odd sequencing of events seems unjustified; and I fail to see the value of many of Hallman's actions or conclusions.

If there was some grand point being made, I've missed it.

   

Killer 7
From Capcom

Killer7 is the action adventure game of a hard-boiled taste. A player makes full use of small arms or special capability, making the character of seven "the professional killers with seven character" whom become hero Harman Smith and he has change, and confronts "man with hand of God" Kun Laon which aims at a national overthrow. They are the man who plans the world into fear of indiscriminate terrorism, the man who is going to stop the wave, and the revenge tragedy with which the life of two persons becomes entangled intricately. A view of the world thrilling at DAKU which the visual and individual character of art by cell shading performs, and the game style which was not until now are the new games of charm.

• Amazon Sales Rank: #11081 in Video Games
• Brand: Capcom
• Model: 13388200139
• Released on: 2006-03-15
• ESRB Rating: Mature
• Platform: GameCube
• Number of items: 1
• Dimensions: .75" h x 5.50" w x 7.50" l, .34 pounds

An Art House Game?
Games have been described as art in the past. A game that comes immediately to mind is Ico, which oozed personality and landscapes that were both etheral and were just like a painting. Not until this game have I ever played a game that was almost like interactive art.

As far as I can see, if there was ever a game that was pretending to be an art house film, Killer 7 would be it. From the stylized, psuedo-noir/comic book/anime inspired graphics to the dark, brooding, and sex-laden story and the weird gameplay, you have the makings of an art house video game, as strange as that sounds. But does it work? In a word, mostly.

Going back to the art comment, each level in this game and each presentation of idea screams art. It's like passing surreal paintings in a museum. You pass one and go "whoa, that's weird." And you might pass another one that makes you want to tilt your head so you can maybe understand it better. And yet, you come up with a hint but nothing concrete. This game is like that, except that each level, each character each piece of dialogue is connected in a way a wall full of paintings usually isn't.

Normally, when a game puts style and story over gameplay, bad juju occurs. For instance, Xenosaga II was a great movie, but as a game it was horrible. In this case, I've known from the beginning that the gameplay would be as equally weird as the storyline. Suda 51, the game's creator, had been asked when Killer 7 was first introduced via some strange cut scenes how it would play. His answer was he didn't know. They had spent so much time and effort getting the feel and story of the game down, that they had no clue how it would ultimately play like.

Truthfully, I shouldn't like this game. And yet, somehow I do. So, how does it play? In a move that is a throw back to some of the early Sega CD games I played, you push the A button to move forward. If you want to turn around, you push B to do a 180. When you get to a specific junction that allows you do something other than move (i.e. an object or different hallways or rooms), you tilt the controller in the direction you want to go and push A. When you hear the satanic laughter of the Heaven's Smiles, you pull the R trigger and enter a FPS mode when you aim and shoot at the approaching time bombs. Hitting them in a yellow weak area is an instant kill that gives you the most blood.

Yes, blood. In fact, an interesting strategy system for leveling up involves collecting blood from fallen enemies. As you kill enemies, you collect blood which can be used to level up each of your personalities in areas of power, aim control, speed, criticals etc. So, you want to hit the yellow areas for an instant kill and for the most blood.

Basically, that's the gameplay in a nutshell. You move around incredibly linear levels, on a rail, set path and blast any and all enemies you find. Along the way, you'll come across various puzzles that require you to use your brain and sometimes a lot of luck to figure out. Since this is a Capcom game, expect some Resident Evil (the earlier ones, not the new one) type puzzles.

The game can be difficult in places both for your brain and for your trigger finger. There are some enemies, the giant Heaven Smiles for one, who are difficult to kill. Other enemies have to be shot in specific places or its exploding time. Remembering the various enemy types and how to confront them adds an exciting and sometimes difficult strategy to the game. When one of the personalities die, their head is left at the scene. You then have to play as Garcian Smith to collect the head to bring it back to life. This makes the game pretty "easy" in that it's hard to truly have a game over. However, this adds to the backtracking/repetitiveness as you have to watch a cutscene of your character's head, then you're back in Harman's Room, you choose Garcian, run back to the body, another cutscene, then you're back at Harman's room again to choose your personality and then you're free to go play again.

Honestly, though, the gameplay is just there to differentiate this from being a movie. The best part is the incredibly bizarre and truly disturbing story. In a (dis?)Utopian society where the world has reached peace and missles are shot off into the sky at each other in a sort of celebration that missles are no longer shot at each other, a new terrorist organization has taken hold. The Heaven's Smile has members who seem perfectly normal until they explode. Only the group Killer 7 can truly see them for the evil they are and annihilate them.

What is the Killer 7? They are the personalities of a Mr. Harman Smith, a wheelchair bound guy who seems to enjoy rough sex. Each of the 7 personalities have their own strengths, weaknesses and special abilities that make them absolutely invaluable to the missions. For instance, Kaede (the sole female) slits her wrists and baths barracades in blood in order to destroy them. Mask De Smith performs wrestling moves on plywood blocking a door. Kevin Smith can become invisible and invincible. Coyote Smith can jump to high areas and open any lock. Did I mention Kaede who slits her wrists?

If the last paragraph didn't clue you in, this is a rated M game. Which means it was created for those over 17. Unlike games like Conker (a game I love by the way) that use their M rating for South Park style humor, Killer 7 has many disturbing moments. Running into talking heads in dryers and other assorted places is just the beginning. As the game progresses, you will see and hear many weird things, from the nurse/sex slave? Samantha and her sexcapades with Harman to a blinded kid to the head that tells of its former, death filled life involving the cutting off of certain body parts to a rainstorm of blood. And then there's the cursing, the countless uses of the F word and various other four letter words. This is not a game for children.

There are some genuine problems with the game, however. Yet again, Nintendo hasn't supported those of us who have High Def, a wide screen or surround sound. The game isn't presented in HD or in Wide Screen format. It isn't even Dobly Pro Logic II like some Nintendo games released. And it shows. If you have a receiver, it will be odd hearing sounds coming out of far spaced left and right speakers. The quality of the sound isn't too great. The voice acting is genuinely good, but sometimes it's set at a tone that is much quieter than the music. Add to the fact that there aren't any subtitle options (except the scene specific ones where the characters speak in semi-gibberish) and you have a problem; especially since it's such a story heavy game. Speaking of dialogue, another sore spot is the fact that some of the characters constantly repeat things. There are three main characters you see in every mission, a red dressed thing (can't remember it's name), Travis and the information seller. Each time you talk to them, they start off with the same dialogue. For instance, the red dressed thing always says "Master. We're in Trouble. Big Trouble." or "Master. We're in a tight spot. A very tight spot. I don't want to say what type of tight spot." Dialogue like that. The first few times, it's okay but when you're done with the 15 hour game you will really wish you could hit A or something to skip through some of the dialogue. As is, you can hit start and skip ALL of the dialogue but since puzzle pieces, story and boss strategies are given, it's not recommended.

There are only 3 options in the Options menu, rumble, invert aiming and stereo/mono (do people even play games in Mono any more??). The problem is, everytime I continue the game, I have to change the invert aiming for some reason. Mighty annoying.

Overall, I'm having a hard time explaining this game. I hope I gave enough to give readers an idea of what to expect if they decide to rent/purchase this unique game. It's hard to qualify it as anything but an artistic expression. One does not play art usually. One views it, tries to gather some meaning from it, and moves on either changed or unchanged. This game is like that. It's very difficult (impossible?) to fully explain in any lucid way what this is. Besides what I've written above, my best recommendation is to play it. You can't get a feeling for it without trying it. This isn't Halo nor Final Fantasy where I can say it's this or it's that. This is something completely and utterly different, comprehensible and yet totally the opposite.

This is a game that will go down as a love it or hate it experiment. If the mainstream video game audience even hear about the game, I will be surprised. The Electronics Boutique I got mine from only ordered two copies, both preordered. And, those who actually do play it will either love it for the chances it takes, or will hate it for having the stiff gameplay. I happen to love it and I can't tell you exactly why. The story is interesting and very post-modern which is partly why I like it. And, for some reason, the gameplay that is so stiff is also an addictive situation. Either way you look at it, though, Kudos to Capcom for taking the chance and creating this dark masterpiece and experiment. In an environment filled with sequels and movie to game licenses, I have to applaud Capcom for releasing such a different, yet enthralling piece of art. Yes, art.

In the name of Harman... this game is great!
I'm not new to writing reviews. I've done quite a few, on Amazon and elsewhere. Usually it's pretty easy, but this Killer 7 review was actually very difficult, and took me a great deal of time to complete. There are NO WORDS that can adequately describe the Killer7 experience, and any real attempt to do so is doomed to become a rambling stream of metaphors and descriptions.
I can't in good conscience say "Buy this game right now", only in part because of the intense content. Most people I've talked to are pretty polarized about Killer7: they either love it to death or hate it intensely. I'm one of the former, so of course they're the correct group.

Killer7 is one of the strangest, darkest, most controversial (or it would be, if more people knew about it) and overall great games I've ever played.

STORY: Wow. Just... wow. Where do I begin? What can I possibly say? I can't pretend to even understand half of the story, but that doesn't necessarily mean it's incomprehensible. It's like Neon Genesis Evangelion, in that way; you sort of have to find your own meaning. What starts as the Smiths on just another mission to wipe out some Heaven Smile takes a turn for the (even more) bizarre, and... well, I'd have to start going into tedious details to elaborate any further. As you play through various missions, you realize that there is much more going on than simple terrorism. God-like beings, political scandals of global proportions, child organ trafficking and the true nature of the United States all have places in the story, as well as the twisted past of the Killer 7 and their entourage of Remnant Psyches (ghosts, for lack of a better description, who show up and talk to/aid/abuse you every so often.)
Though only two of the main characters have much of their pasts revealed, you will quickly come to know each of the 7 like family, albeit really scary and abusive family. Even the minor characters are unforgettable, though not necessarily in good ways. From the bipolar nurse Samantha to postal-worker-turned-cult-leader Ulmeyda to ever-present bungie-lovin' bondage fan Iwazaru, whose repetitive and eventually annoying monologues read quite a lot like those from the King of All Cosmos in Katamari Damacy. Except, you know, twisted and evil.

GRAPHICS: Stylin!
You might think that cel-shading would ruin the depth and seriousness of this game, but you'd be quite mistaken. These aren't disproportionate cartoon killers. The cel-shading simply helps add to the surreal feeling of the game. Sometimes it's a little hard to tell exactly what something's supposed to be, but that's not always a bad thing. Are you walking up a stairway in a narrow corridor, or over an empty space illuminated by a reddish-brown glow? Is there a difference? Does it matter?
And honestly, if this game were more realistic, it would cause vomiting. See "VIOLENCE"

MUSIC: Awesome!
I got the soundtrack. Need I say more? It's mostly techno, though there are some slower beats and jazz tunes thrown in.


GAMEPLAY: Also weird.
Killer7 combines elements of rail shooters, 3rd-person shooters and First-person shooters. Normally, your character runs at a set speed along a fixed path, you only determine the direction he runs in (forward or back) and whether or not he's actually running. Every so often you'll hit a junction where you get to choose a path. When you want to shoot something, you hold down R to ready your weapon and go into 1st-person mode. Hitting L "scans" for enemies, making them visible and vulnerable.
While the variety of characters and enemies spices things up, the gameplay can get rather repetitive at times. Run, listen for an evil laugh, scan, kill, repeat. It doesn't help that each character has a single line they say when hitting an enemy's weak point, so you'll probably hear Con Smith say "F*** you!" about a thousand times before you're done. There's a scattering of puzzles, but most are extremely easy and consist largely of having the right Smith active or item equipped.

Throughout most of the game, you'll have six characters available at all times. The seventh, Garcian, is the most important and can only be called from certain places. You won't want to use him much anyway; his weapon's a joke and if he dies, it's Game Over. Why? He's the only one who can bring the others back to life. Sometimes annoying if a Smith dies immediately after a tough foe that Garcian can't possibly beat.

Two other minor issues: Loading screens are frequent and about three seconds long each, and you can't fast-forward through conversations (though you can skip them.)

VIOLENCE: EXTREME
I know I probably don't have to say this, but Killer 7 is NOT FOR KIDS. I'm no Jack Thompson - indeed, I loathe the man - but the simple fact remains that this game is probably the most violent and twisted one I have ever played.
I don't think this game warrants an AO rating, but it's about as close as you can get.
Blood is a central part of the game. You collect it, use it, trade it. It leaks from monsters in far-flying ribbons and bursts from their bodies. You can shoot off heads, arms, legs, whatever. Worst of all are the cutscenes. Samantha abuses Harman in some pretty serious ways, people are blown to pieces, everybody cusses out everybody else. You may have heard of a "full-blown sex scene" in the game. That's actually a bit of an exaggeration; the scene in question contains no nudity or explicit depictions of sex, though it's fairly obvious what's going on, and I'm not sure I would really call the event in question sex.
The above "F*** you!" was only censored because this is a public site; nothing gets bleeped out in Killer 7.
Besides, the story is deep and complicated, politically charged, and not the kind of thing children are likely to comprehend or appreciate anyway.
If you DO buy this game for your preteen, that's either one freakishly smart, mature kid or someone needs to call the Smiths on YOU.

VERDICT: YES... Maybe?
I know this line is clichéd, but Killer7 really is more of an experience than a game. If you've got the brains to follow the story, the stomach to handle the violence and the right level of aesthetic sense and/or psychosis, you will adore this game to all kinds of pieces. You'll spend hours picking apart the nuances of the complex story and going over especially awesome scenes in your head.
If not? Well, I've done everything I can for you.

Brilliance. Pure Brilliance.
When I first saw this game on a gaming televsision program, I knew it was for me. The graphics are completely stylized. It's all pure cel-shading and Sin City style black and white. Like a western comic or graphic novel. The sound is haunting and blends perfectly with the eerie feeling of the atmosphere. The seven Smiths are all unique and free of game cliches. There's knife mastering albino, a magnum toting guy in a black suit, a blind man with duala fully-automatic pistols, a masachist girl with a powerful handgun, a masked wrestler with dual grenade-launcher handguns, a South American thief, and the man in the white suit with the silenced handgun. All the characters are fun to use and everyone will be able to find a favorite. Note that the game IS graphic and isn't for the kiddies. Wether or not a parent would buy it for their child is what they think of the child's maturity and ability to understand and handle these things. The story is rich with interesting plot twists and a great political feel. The thinkers will love this game. The "kill-everything-that-moves-without-any-thought" gamers will hate it. The rail system may seem to limit freedom, but it is easy to get used to it with a bit of playing. The true artistic minds and innovation lovers will adore this. Casual gamers may find it a bit unplayable. Still this is a wonderful game. As the tittle says, one word describes this game: Brilliance.

   

Bratz Forever Diamondz
From THQ

Bratz: Diamondz GC

• Amazon Sales Rank: #7203 in Video Games
• Brand: THQ
• Model: 785138380636
• Released on: 2006-09-20
• ESRB Rating: Everyone
• Platform: GameCube
• Number of items: 1
• Dimensions: .50" h x 5.25" w x 7.75" l, .24 pounds

bratz game is great for kids
Bratz is a great game for kids. You will need a new memory card or at least alot of space on the old one. It helps kids to listen to directions and perform specific tasks.

I think BRATZ THE MOVIE was better
I got this from my aunt and uncle Christmas of '06. I have erased and made 101 games.

PROS: It's cool that the girls compete in the reality show, America Rocks Fashion. You start at Stylesville, then Florida, and finally New York. People make funny comments like, "OH NO! I CAN'T FEEL MY TOES!" You make shirts and get a good fashion designer Mandy. (Good, people who played the game say? I'm saying that for people that haven't played.)

CONS: It is very rude that the Tweevils would do such a thing to the girls-WARNING: SPOILER ALERT-like taking their car keys, putting pink dresses in their wardrobe and more.
I think BRATZ: THE MOVIE was better.

Love it
Another great game to build memory, for a child who is challenged in that area. It is fun and yet requires map reading and task completion.

   

Mario Superstar Baseball
From Nintendo

Mario Superstar Baseball GC

• Amazon Sales Rank: #7230 in Video Games
• Brand: Nintendo
• Model: 45496962975
• Released on: 2005-08-30
• ESRB Rating: Everyone
• Platform: GameCube
• Number of items: 1
• Dimensions: .75" h x 5.50" w x 7.50" l, .34 pounds

Batter Up!
Arguably, Nintendo really knows exactly how to put the Mario franchise within the worlds of sports extraordinarily well. It first started with the status of the fast and furious Mario Kart series. Then, it was more laid back towards the putters with the wild and wacky Mario Golf series. After that, it took a turn towards aces with the Mario Tennis games for the Nintendo 64, and last year with the Gamecube. Still, there are a few other sports that are going to have the Mario bandwagon soon. Within the next year, there will be the European football, or soccer hyped Super Mario Strikers. But in the meantime, a Spring and Boys Of Summer tradition called baseball.

Mario Superstar Baseball for the Nintendo Gamecube, is a fast paced and eclectic gamers paradise through the world of baseball. The game really goes a lot deeper from the Super Mario Briothers series past and present with so many characters like Yoshi, Luigi, Mario, Peach. Also, some old favorites like the flying goombas, and dry bones from Super Mario Brothers 3, Koopa Troopa, and so many others. Arguably, the graphics are just delightful, and the gameplay and control is very easy to learn for some characfters, whether it is in the pitching, or the batting, and simply within the outfield. The fields also blend within each unique feeling of the Mario worlds with courses from the Princess Castle, and even the wild and wooly jungle worlds of Donkey Kong. The musical score is as cutesy, but not over the top for the game, but that arguably doesn't matter at all.

Mario Superstar baseball is a great addition for any fan of Mario, and baseball alone. While, there have been so few baseball games for the Nintendo Gamecube, this happens to really be one of the very few that does stand alone. This is a great sports game, and one of the few that really does hit a home run.

Graphics: B+

Sound: B-

Control: B+

Fun & Enjoyment: B- if you're playing solo; A- if you're playing with others

Overall: B

Fun at First
Mario Baseball is a entertaning game that is tons of fun at first. Anyone who buys the game will love so many of the intresting features like powerups mini-games, and fields. However you will find yourself very frustrated at times with the fact that you did not make the right play because the feilding controls are herd to master. Also after a while the game is not fun ro play for many then about 1/2 hour at atime.
Pros
*So many diffrent charcters to make up your team with
*Mini-games help to master some of your playing skills and are also fun
*Graphics and Sounds are good as always
*More characters can be unlocked
*Each character has a special ability that can be used when pitching or hiting

Cons
*Can get boring after a while
*The controls while on the feild can be hard to master

Overall
If you are a Mario sports fan it is exactly what you would expect. If you are a baseball fan this game might be alittle to crazy for you. However I think that it is worth a purchase because the game is entertaining even though it is not one of the best Mario sports games on the market.

Everyone Makes a Mistake
I am a Mario fanboy. I admit it! But I'm not obsessed enough to think that everyone that pertains to Mario is the best thing since sliced bread. Mario Superstar Baseball is a fluke. Hey, everyone makes mistakes once in a while!
The graphics of this game are quite good. Mario, Luigi, Peach, Daisy, Yoshi, Bowser, DK, Wario, and the rest of the gang are all present, along with many others, including the newly playable Toadsworth, Magikoopa, Goomba, and others. They look as realistic as ever. The baseball diamonds flourish with nice landscapes and backgrounds.
The sound is anything you'd expect in a Mario game. Since the gang isn't too chatty, you usually only hear grunts or sounds of celebration. BGut, i absolutely HATE the umpire's voice. That annoying, high-pitched, "Strike!" gets on anybody nerves. I want to strangle whoever did that voiceover.
Pitching is perfect. Namco put a lot of depth into the pitching, and I'm pleased with the result. I also love the star shots concerning each of the 12 captains' personalities.
Batting an be a challenge at first, but batting is simple, but not too easy that an experienced player will never strike out. I also like the different bats for each character.
Fielding is flawed. The controls are clumsy, and you can sometimes accidentally push the analog stick in the wrong direction, causing it to go to the wrong base.
Baserunning is HORRIBLE! I. Hate. IT!!! Every time a ball flies in the air, the idiotic AI on your team tries to run to the next base. When someone catches the ball, they almost ALWAYS get out while trying to get back to the base. Also, the diagram of the diamond in the upper right-hand corner is a poor reprenstative of how close or far you are from the base.
It seems that Namco put so much depth and fun challenge into pitching and batting, they skimpily added controls for baserunning and fielding.
Let's get this straight. I can honestly say that this is one of the worst Mario spin-off games in recent years. Seriously, some of the minigames in Mario Party 5 (the only Mario Party I dislike) are more entertaining and satisfying than getting a homerun in Mario Superstar Baseball.
I AM a Mario fanboy. But, all of fellow fanboys out there, please don't push the "unhelpful" button just because I'm giving this a negative review.
For you Mario newbies, don't start your Mario collection with a mistake. Try Mario Golf: Toadstool Tour or Mario Power Tennis by the superior-to-Namco Camelot Ltd. Or maybe even try the surprisingly good Mario Party 6.
Leave Mario Superstar Baseball to collect dust on the game racks.

   

Zoombox DVD Entertainment Projector
From Hasbro

Thats all you need for big, huge, larger-than-life movies and video games. The Zoombox is part TFT LCD projector and part DVD and CD player. It projects the big picture 5 diagonal sizeat a clean 557x234 resolution and, with built-in speakers, puts the power of home theater in a portable package. An external hook-up renders it compatible and connectible with most gaming consoles, as well as video cameras, digital cameras, cable boxes, VCRs and more. A built-in headphone jack makes it compatible with most roommates. It works best in dark rooms or backyard summer cinema parties, anyone, and projected onto a light-colored wall or ceiling. Also, it includes a lamp bulb, 12V AC adaptor and instructions. It has an adjustable handle for carrying and adjusting the picture height and it measures 8Lx15Wx14H".

• Amazon Sales Rank: #76575 in Toys & Games
• Brand: Hasbro
• Model: 75052
• Released on: 2006-06-12

Let's face it, when it comes to entertainment, bigger is definitely better! Turn almost any room into a theater with ZOOMBOX¿. Project video games on the ceiling! Show a movie on the wall! At home or on the go, ZOOMBOX creates a 60-inch diagonal picture when placed eight feet from the wall or ceiling! A DVD/CD player and speakers are built right in, so you can watch ¿ and listen to - your favorite movies, music and videos, digital pictures and more at the touch of a button. An external hook-up makes it easy to connect most gaming consoles, video cameras, digital cameras, cable boxes, VCRs and more! And a built-in headphone jack means you can listen when others don't want to!

Why should toy be compared to real thing?
I bought Zoombox for my little 4 and 11 year-old daughters. After dinner time, we usually get their DVDs played in their room, and the kids seem to be quite happy with it.

They already had watched those DVDs hundred times so they don't care about quality of projected image. They sometimes don't concentrate on the movies and do other things while the movie is going. BUT the point is that my kids are just happy with the big screen which they can watch whenever they want.

I have a 'real' projector in our living room, but I don't want to use it in kids' room because: (1)it's very delicate and HOT device; (2)DVD player and speaker set should be connected separately; (3)we simply can't afford $400 bulb replacement three times a year; (4)it's too bright to watch for a long time in a small bedroom, especially for kids' eyes.

It uses a typical halogen bulb which can be purchased from any local home improvement store for around $5~7. It consumes less than 50watts per hour. I use it without worrying about maintenance cost, and thanks to the economical fact, this little toy can be utilized in many creative ways which hasn't been reasonable with 'real' projectors. For example, when I have party with friends I sometimes use Zoombox in living room to play concert DVDs or music video clips purchased from Apple iTunes music store as BGM. My 'real' epson projector costs too much to be used in those kind of ways.


Regarding its resolution, Zoombox is definitely not for serious movie watchers. You have to make your room dark as possible to get decent picture from it. It doesn't have keystone distortion adjustment function, which means you have to place the unit at the right angle to get completely rectangular picture. So, if you expect home theater, just forget about this toy and spend at least $400 more to buy low-end DLP projectors and another $200 for decent 5.1channel speaker set.

But in the other hand, if you want some extra entertainment in bedrooms after dinner time, or need additional projector for more casual occasions, Zoombox can become affordable and satisfactory solution. I think it's unfair to compare toy to real thing.

Fun purchase
I have been looking at purchasing a projector for some time, but because of the cost I have been hesistant; when I saw the zoombox for $250 I decided it was worth a try. Now I didn't expect much at that price, so I wasn't disappointed. At first, I didn't like the resolution, the picture seemed grainy, but the farther away I am the less noticeable it is. The zoombox is very easy to use, and has many uses. It easily hooks up to games, digital cameras and computer speakers. The built in DVD player makes it simple and easy to watch a movie, the image may not be as crystal clear as an TV but I don't mind, since it is so much bigger. Since the replacement bulb is so much cheaper than an expensive projector bulb, I don't mind using it all the time.The visiblity is the best the darker the room, however, I used the projector in the middle of the afternoon with the blinds closed and the picture was fine.

This is not the projector for you if you want to create the home theater effect, but if you just want to make some things bigger with ease, this projector is for you. I won't be entertaining with the zoombox, but it works fine in my bedroom.

fairly decent relax and enjoy
i am 21 years old, turning 22 soon. I asked my parents for the zoombox thinking for 300$ it would be nice in my college apt to have a 60 screen to watch some movie, some boxing matches, etc...and it is. Granted it is true, you must use this in a pretty dark room. the projector puts out a low ansi lumen count, so using it in a dark room is a must. It sucks you have to use it in a dark room, but the lamp for this can be bought at a local hardware store for pretty cheap, the lamps for serious projectors cost hundreds and have to be ordered. The speakers are fairly decent, no you won't have pounding base but they r clear, and get quite loud. The dvd player is just a basic player inside it and it preforms well. It has rca aduio and video jacks so you can hook a vcr, dvd player, game system up to it, and even a computer if you have a scan converter, as the zoombox does not have a serial hookup installed. Now to the image, as stated in many reviews, the resolution is less than a standard tv of 640 by 480, its something like 527 by 2 hundred and something, i can't remember. Contrary to what people believe, the image is not going to be pixelated, thats due to poor video quality and encoding. In lamens terms the effect of the resolution is this. The higher the resolution the more dots that make up the screen and the smaller they are, so the image looks crisp and colorful, the poorer the resolution, means that there is less dots and they are bigger, so you have more of the image on less of the dot matrix, making it less clear and sharp. The image on the zoombox is not crystal clear like on a tv, it seems a little hard to focus the picture and even with tweaking the manual focus lens it tends to never as sharp as you want it. But watching things on it when sitting a distance back of like 8-10 (average usual for distance between couch and tv) is quite watchable, and especially for boxing matches, seeing figures at 50 inches on a 60 inch screen compared to like 20 inches in hight on a 27 inch screen is quite better. The key thing is knowing what you are going ot use this for. It its for causal viewing or video game playing, go for it, its cool. for serious moving viewing, its not the greatest buy, if you spend a couple hundred dollars more you can get a projector light years ahead of this one in every category. I would have much rather they pumped up the resolution to 640by480 with a brighter lamp, and ditched the dvd player and speaks. Overall, is it fun....yes, Is it amazing....no, is it worth it.....depends.

   

LittleBigPlanet
From Sony Computer Entertainment

Imagine a world that's yours to shape, build and explore. LittleBigPlanet puts the power of absolute creation into your own hands. If you can see it, you can enhance it. If you can't see it, you can invent it. Start by learning about your character's powers to interact physically with the environment. There are places to explore, creative resources to collect and puzzles to solve - all requiring a combination of brains and collaborative teamwork. Characters have the power to move anything in this glued and stitched-together 3D landscape; they have the power to design, shape and build both objects and entire locations for others to view and play. There's no complicated level editor; all of these skills can be learned by simply playing the game. Immerse yourself in an organic world that's just waiting to be personalized. Make your world as open or as secretive to explore as you like. When it's ready, you can invite anyone within the LittleBigPlanet community to come and explore your patch - or you can go and explore everybody else's.

• Amazon Sales Rank: #693 in Video Games
• Brand: Sony
• Model: 711719819929
• Published on: 2008-10
• Released on: 2008-10-28
• ESRB Rating: Everyone
• Platform: PLAYSTATION 3
• Number of items: 1
• Dimensions: .57" h x 5.44" w x 6.73" l, .30 pounds

Imagine a World with no Limits

Imagine a world that's yours to shape, build and explore. Imagine the possibilities, then jump head first into the reality. LittleBigPlanet puts the power of absolute creation into your own hands. If you can see it, you can enhance it. If you can't see it, you can invent it.

The LittleBigPlanet experience starts with players learning about their character's powers to interact physically with the environment. There are places to explore, creative resources to collect and puzzles to solve - all requiring a combination of brains and collaborative teamwork. As soon as players begin, their creative skills will grow and they will soon be ready to start creating and modifying their surroundings - the first step to sharing them with the whole community.

Characters have the power to move anything in this glued and stitched-together 3D landscape; they have the power to design, shape and build both objects and entire locations for others to view and play. There's no complicated level editor; all of these skills can be learned by simply playing the game. Creativity is part of the game play experience and playing is part of the creative experience.

Fathom out ways to overcome tricky obstacles as you interact with the surrounding environment, or compose inspirational locations and objects that are totally unique to you. Immerse yourself in an organic world that's just waiting to be personalized.

Players can make their world as open or as secretive to explore as they like. When it's ready, they can invite anyone within the LittleBigPlanet community to come and explore their patch - or can go and explore everybody else's.

Key Features Meet Sackboy, an iconic new character that you can customize to reflect your own personality Dive into a brand new gaming genre that unleashes the creativity in everyone Explore over 50 awesome levels which will inspire and teach you the skills to build your own content Share your creations and enjoy access to unlimited content - a new experience is waiting to happen every single time you go online There’s not just one way to play. Players craft their own individual experience based on their own creativity Unlimited possibilities for user-created content - players can customize everything: their characters, the landscape around them and their own patch on LittleBigPlanet Online and offline multiplayer modes - play alone, work as a team or get competitive. LittleBigPlanet global community for players to get involved with: includes player comments, rankings and easy communication with new and existing friends

Create Your World View larger image Customize Everything View larger image

Family guy gives his two cents
I'm a 41 year old step-dad that doesn't play video games much. When I do play, it's typically a first person shooter game and the last gaming title that I played all the way through was "Half-Life." Feel free to start the "old guy" cracks/comments now. I bought the PS3 for two reasons: 1. Gaming entertainment for my step-son (15 yrs old) and for the huge group of nephews and neices that visit our home periodically. 2. My first Blu-ray player.
I bought "LittleBigPlanet recently to add to the home gaming collection and last night played for the first time with my step-son. After 2+ hours of excellent gaming and good times...we both came away with huge smiles on our faces. It's been quite awhile since I laughed so much doing an activity and sharing the moment with my step-son was very cool. So, what's entertaining about this game that looks on the surface to be for small children?
1. Funny look, funny sounds, oh yeah...a crapload of FUN! This game has the most unique, interesting look to it that I've ever seen for a game. Seeing what would be next really kept us guessing. Also, we were big fans of the "sounds of death," whenever our characters would perish. Whether by smoldering fire, cackling electricity, falling onto spikes, or getting squashed...my step-son and I laughed alot when one of us died in the gaming environment. The costume options are worthy of an entire paragraph by themselves, but I don't want to bore you.
2. Challenging games. I thought this game would be easy....WRONG. Even though the controls are easy to master (really easy!), the gaming situations cost us many lives to play and finally master.
3. Creativity of creating own gaming scenarios. I was blown away by what other players across the globe were creating and posting for folks to come and play. My step-son and I played a game created by someone from Japan, then another from someone that lived in London. Loved the experience and game play.
4. Allowing multiple players to play at the same time, on the same game board. Instead of the boring, play and then sit out, rotate, rotate rotate (Ugh)....this game allows 1-4 players to play the same game board at the same time. This makes for crazy, unorganized, hilarious game play. I blamed my step-son soooooo many times for killing me and vice versa. Whenever we completed a section successfully, we would high five each other and have huge grins of accomplishment on our faces. More games should allow for this kind of game play.
In summary...this game was a HUGE homerun, in regards to entertainment impact and fun times for 2 or more people. I strongly recommend this game to any family looking for a game that is family friendly, or for gamers that are just looking for something new, hilarious, and creative. I don't think you'll be disappointed.

Whoa, there Sack Boy...are you sure you should be so much fun? Some of us have to work...
To say that there has been some hype surrounding this title would be a bit of an understatement. I'm here to tell you that they Totally Pulled It Off. I was very nervous, concerned that the game could not possibly be as fun as it looked on the movies. Well, I needn't have worried. Here is my gleefully happy review:

The sheer sense of whimsy, of pure-no holds barred-cackle out loud-jump up and run around-find your old light saber and yell like you've just seen Star Wars for the first time (yea, really, like that!)-delight that permeates this game is everywhere. Everywhere are little touches that make this seem so new, even though the basic mechanics are those of a very strong platformer. By now, most people have already seen Sack Boy. Well, he's even cuter when you are playing with him. All the stickers, outfits, and silly movements that he has make him even more endearing as you play him.

Graphics are a real departure from what you are used to seeing, but in a very very good way. Textures are sharp and realistic, which is important in a game that draws on mundane objects to make a completely fantastic new world. Movement is rich, physics are very well designed. When you play this game, it just feels right.

The music is a blast--remember the first time you listened to Katamari Damacy and were just enchanted with the invention and fun of the music? Well, although there is not any J-pop to be found here, that same hum along and enjoy feeling is everywhere.

Story is basic, but fun. I've not yet completed the game, so I can't remark on how long it is. I'll update this review when I've finished.

The extra levels available online already range from the merely ok to the absolutely outstanding. Clearly, there are some folks who have Way Too Much Time On Their Hands. The level creation software is easy to understand, although very deep. You're going to have to work pretty hard to make levels as good as the game designers have made--but the amazing thing is that you really can do so if you want! This flexibility is perhaps the biggest strength of LBP, and is what will keep this game going for long after you have explored the levels that come with it.

Ultimately, this is a platformer--a very very good platformer. Do not think that you are going to get a game that re-invents gaming here. However, if you know that and are excited any way, you are going to get the most original, most charming, most delightful platformer to come your way in a long time, and you are going to get virtually inexhaustable user developed content, much of which will likely be great.

Platforming redfined
Much like Mario 64 redifined platforming by bringing Mario into the third dimension, Little Big Planet has reinvented what a platformer should do by giving players the ability to create their own levels and share them worldwide. Super Mario Galaxy really pushed the third dimension aspect, and Ratchet & Clank is a graphic powerhouse. LBP does what no platformer has done this generation - it lets the players take over for the designers and offers content long after the story mode is completed.

The story mode is georgeous. The music and art design are incredible. The puzzles are challenging, but far from impossible. You MUST have a freind to complete everything, and that can be trying when you are dealing with people online. The controls are floaty, but it doesn't take long to get the hang of handling sackboy.

The level creator is where LBP surpasses console platformers. There are already player created stages online that are as good as some of the designer's stages (albeit shorter). Although people online can be difficult to deal with, the creativity on display is amazing. Everything that you see in the desiner created levels can be done. And if you have the Eye Toy, there are no limits to the images that you can create and use in your own levels.

PC fans have been modding games and creating their own original content for years and for the first time, a console game has given players the tools to do the same thing with such ease. A must own for platforming fans and a must play for everyone else.

   

12" PIKMIN 2 Plush Doll beanie Purple Bud Toy
From OEM

Purple Pikmin
The purple Pikmin is a cute, plush toy that comes alive in the video game "Pikmin". My son loves the Pikmin characters in the video game and he loves having a plush toy that he can sleep with and carry around the house.

Cheap, HOME MADE piece of counterfeit junk
How can Amazon allow this to CONTINUE to be sold? All of these dolls are home made forgeries. You won't find a single Nintendo tag nor logo on any of them. I guess Amazon thinks it's OK to sell pirated games, too if they're continuing to endorse this seller.

Who knows what is in them, for that matter? They certainly aren't going through any inspections.

If you want to waste your money on this cheap, swapmeet quality junk, go ahead, but we made four of them ourselves by going to JoAnn Fabrics for the same money.

   

Ice Age 2: The Meltdown
From Vivendi Universal

THEY NEVER THAW IT COMING! Their world is melting, and your Ice Age 2 The Meltdown pals need help escaping the biggest flashflood in prehistory. Swim, splash, and scurry through all the action and adventure from the new Ice Age 2 The Meltdown movie and unearth fun, laughter and surprises along the way. , Play as your favorite heroes from the film! , Use each character's unique skills to

• Amazon Sales Rank: #9821 in Video Games
• Brand: Vivendi Universal
• Model: 20626724470
• Released on: 2006-03-14
• ESRB Rating: Everyone 10+
• Platform: GameCube
• Number of items: 1
• Dimensions: .75" h x 5.50" w x 7.00" l, .26 pounds

May not be for expert gamers, but...
this is a fun, fun, fun game for everyone else. My son, who has cut his teeth on Metroid Prime, Mystic Heroes, and Prince of Persia, was beside himself with glee while playing this game. The idea of getting to portray Scrat on a quest for the Golden Nut is amusing in and of itself. The quest and the games are challenging, but not daunting, and geared more towards enjoyment and hilarity. If you are a practiced gamer, it's not too hard to avoid using up your lifeline and you come back where you left off instead of having to start back at the beginning of the level. Some games/levels were more difficult than others, but he'll probably be able to finish it before too long. It is a blast for him to play and, as it turns out, the only game I've ever felt compelled to watch! Very amusing. Highly recommended for the 6 to 10 year-old set and those who like milder but high-quality games.

My 7 year old enjoys it
Technically it works flawlessly with the GameCube system. My 7 year old seams to have a good time, but I find it boring and hard work to play with her with it. (Of course, I have no choice, she insists on me playing with her) I guess it is meant for children and I should not be the judge. Observing how she experiences it and subtracting one for my pain I give it a four.

Great Game
I bought this game for my step son and he loves it... There are a lot of things to do in the game.... Fun for the whole family.