This is why we can't have nice things.

kotaku linked to 4 color Rebellion linked to a forum post at GBATemp about a new method for cheating at Metroid Prime Hunters on the DS, which blows. The title of this post is a quote from the user haccess on page six of the thread. Pretty much sums it all up, as this could have repercussions on the DS homebrew scene, which Nintendo has been ignoring. This could change that. or not. I certainly hope not.

good to know

a couple of posts back I mentioned that there better damn well be a Mario Paint DS on the way. Stupid me, I should have done a bit of googling first, as it turns out that Mario Paint DS is supposedly on the way this year, and there will be a version out for the Wii as well. Old news then. Finally.... it's too bad that the Mario Paint updates for the Japan-only N64 DD never saw release stateside.

excitebike flash game

Kotaku has a post up about this excitebike flash game, and I highly suggest you check it out. The Endless mode is especially fun... the movelist is actually kind of deep. It doesn't play anything like actual Excitebike, however.

Also, SF II is still not up for download on XBLA. wankers.

Speaking of Oblivion Downloads

The newest(6th altogether, 5 content downloads and one free patch, all just under 3 months after the game's release), Mehrune's Razor, packs quite a bit more bang for your 250 marketplace points than you may have been coming to expect. I mean, this new dungeon is huge. It's fucking big. Nice loot to be had too(especially for my Vampire Assasin; be sure to check the jail for better stealth gear than the shrouded armor). Oh, and there is the useless, but fun ability to fight with rakes and hoes. And several new items. Overall, I'm really liking the amount of content Bethseda is putting out. They are really getting the pricing worked out since the Horse Armor debacle(mind you, Horse Armor still costs 200 goddamn points). Everything so far, with the exception of Horse Armor, has been very nice. I'm looking forward to more. Fuck Horse Armor.

But other than that, Xbox Live is pretty empty right now. I mean, WHERE THE FUCK IS STREET FIGHTER II?! Tease me with themes? bastards. Hurry up with the Pac Man and Galaga too, you fucks.

I'm completely willing to adopt your fucking micro-transactions, but you've got to give me more stuff... especially in the arcade. Geometry Wars is amazing, and Mutant Storm is fun, but I want variety... I want a goddamn arcade.

and fuck Horse armor.

Review: Nintendo DS Lite

The Nintendo DS Lite hit stores this past Sunday (earlier in some places) and I managed to get my grubby little hands on one. I haven't done much handheld gaming since my GBA was stolen a couple of years ago, and I've really been missing my good ol' gaming-on-the-go. I took it up to work a couple of nights (this wonderful documentary will explain more about what it is exactly that I do) and it made quite an impression on gamers and non-gamers alike. Lots of "Wow, is that the DS Lite?" and "Oh, man, nice!" Which is to be expected, I guess, since as everybody on the planet has noted, it looks like an Ipod. I picked it up with New Super Mario Bros. (and so did everyone else, apparently) and later in the week went ahead and bought Mario Kart DS as well, so I've been logging a few hours on this thing.

So, right on to it then: I love the DS platform. The games I've played haven't made much use of the touch screen (mini-games/items in NSMB and maps/emblem maker in MKDS) but I've played around with those quite a bit and everything is really responsive, which hasn't always been my experience with touch screens in the past. I had no problem drawing trampolines under Mario or cooking up a portrait of the Good Doctor to paste on the front of Waluigi's cart(I'll try and get some shots of it in-game later... I used the handy utility over at DS meet, and it turned out very nice).

Which brings me to a question: Why the fuck is there no Mario Paint DS? It's a fucking no-brainer. It better be on the way.

But back to the point: The DS as a software platform is great. I've been cooking up quite the list of games I need to purchase. And the new hardware is just beautiful. The screen lights up crisp and clear(quite an improvement on the original) and the charge lasts a decent amount of time as well. The ability to put it on a charger instead of change batteries is a wonderful thing. And it slides right into your pocket, since it's about the size of a checkbook. Everything is nice and smooth, no hard edges.

Unless you put a GBA cart in... that sticks out a bit, but it's nothing to cry about.

And though the shiny exterior is the all the rage in consumer electronics right now, (and I'm being very honest here) I'm not very fond of it because I have greasy hands. I mean, they aren't disgusting... it's nothing that washing my hands every few hours doesn't fix, but it's A) summer and B) I live in the south (and also I'd like to blame global warming), so after a few days of sustained gaming, you can turn my DS in the light just the right way and it looks like a Monet painting from all the fingerprint smudges.

My initial impression was that it was too small, as it was cramping my hands. However, some experimentation has yielded a couple of finger placements that are helping with that. Also, I'm coming away from an evil bout of Mutant Storm/Geometry Wars induced Nintendo Thumb, which probably didn't help.

So, all in all, I've got to say I'm happy with my purchase. This will keep me occupied between Oblivion downloads and help tide me over for the Wii. Plus, several of my friends are now getting their own DS lites, so local competition will be plentiful. I'll be sure to post an update if any problems crop up in the future, but I'm really not expecting any.

And for the Record:

New Super Mario Bros. is a solid game. It plays like a mix of the original SMB and SMB 3 on the Mario 64 engine... which is what it is I suppose. I hope they continue this series, as I am very fond of side-scrolling Mario games, but as it stands it feels more like an homage than a new title. The new power-ups aren't much to write home about (The mega mushroom is good for clearing bosses easily/cheaply and the blue shell was useful in obtaining exactly one large coin), but the level designs were, by and large, refreshing. In many instances, you find yourself sucked into the old-school experience, only to realize that your instincts were wrong... you'll have to use one of Mario's (or in more accurately, in my case, Luigi's) newer skills (only relatively new though, as they are pretty much old hat if you've touched the 3d titles). It's fun, and it's got replay value. It's selling like... well, like a Mario game, so hopefully Nintendo will continue the series, they just need to make the next one a more full-fledged game instead of an homage.

Mario Kart DS is everything I'd hoped it would be... the glorious amalgamation of all that is Mario Kart. Huge number of tracks, new and retro? Done. Drifting? Sure. Responsive, fun to handle racers? You bet your ass. I can't wait to take this thing online. I'll just have to hone my skills a bit more... don't quite have the hang of snaking yet, though I'm getting it. Consistency is key. Which is why this is a great game.... a must own, if I do say so. Consistency. They've pulled tracks and gameplay from every single previous title in the series and my only complaint, only complaint, is that there aren't more. Hell.... they could have thrown in every single track from Double Dash and I'd still ask for more.

The Console War gets more interesting

Microsoft is surely playing the "first out of the gate" card better than SEGA was able to in the last generation, with April's sales figures (due in no small part to the release of TES IV: Oblivion, I'm sure, but also thanks to renewed availability of the 360 itself) driving that point home. With the Xbox 360 already out, Microsoft's focus at E3 was on games (like the next sure-fire hit from the boys at Bioware, Mass Effect) and it looks like they are going to have some strong footing by the time the Wii and PS3 come to market. Of course they also teased us with a Halo 3 trailer(non-gameplay, of course) which did not fail to get the fanboys slathering(myself included). Also, we're due for a big update to Xbox Live in the immediate future.

Sony thinks that we're all rich, and keeps promising us that we'll pay however much they ask for the PS3, yet their poor E3 showing (including a last minute stolen idea), and a very poor reception to the $599 price seems to have even the Japanese looking elsewhere for future games. Personally, I think Sony should have done a little more research on other high priced consoles (Neo-Geo? 3DO!? ringin' any bells here, Mr. Kutargi?) and maybe look back at their own efforts in the PS1 (I mean, it's affordability was one of it's best features). Historically, high-priced consoles just do not move a lot of units (not to say that the Neo-Geo is anything other than rad to the fuckin max).

Which brings us to Nintendo, who announced today that the Wii (formerly the Revolution) would be going for no more than $250 and would be coming to us in the fourth quarter of this year. From all the reports, Nintendo had a very strong E3 showing (as this video demonstrates) and on all fronts, no less. They are promising a much stronger launch as far as titles go, with new entries from many beloved franchises (including Super Smash Bros. Brawl and Metroid Prime 3) to back up the claim. Even Microsoft took Nintendo's side (at least over Sony), though Bill Gates recently thumbed his nose at the Wii-mote. Not to mention one of the systems strongest selling points(at least for me), the Nintendo Virtual Console, which will allow you to download and play classic games from a number of older consoles via emulation. Nintendo, as always, is blazing their own trail, and it looks like it might pan out for them this time in a way they haven't quite achieved with the last two generations. I hesitate to hearken back to the good ol' days of the NES and SNES, but if Nintendo has ever had a chance of getting back on top of the home console market it's now.

what's all this then?

This being the introductory post of My Callused Thumbs, I suppose I should get all of this crap out of the way:

I'm a male in my twenties from the Southeast United States. I have interests other than gaming, but this blog isn't about any of those. I have been gaming for 20 years. I have owned (and currently own) a largish number of consoles and games. I've done some PC gaming over the years, but not tons. I broke my teeth on the 2600 (seriously... I was a toddler and those joysticks were seriously good gnawing) and I don't plan on stopping anytime soon, so it's only natural that I'm going to have some (rather opinionated) things to say about gaming. It might take me a while to get the swing of this, but keep reading and you won't be disappointed.

There will be of course your obligatory blog content: links to news items I find interesting or wish to comment on, reviews of any new games I play, and at least some links to previews of games I'm hyped about.

Mainly though, I want to do some article format stuff on topics of interest to me. Emphasis on me. I've played everything from Robotron to Oblivion, so if you stick around I can promise you that I will (eventually, at least) have something to say that you find interesting.

I invite intelligent and well reasoned comments and discussion, so feel free to speak your mind... don't be obnoxious though

-rudy-