You just knew this was going to happen.

With the surprise popularity of Guitar Hero and its follow-up, Guitar Hero II, comes a whole lot of geeky goodness.

So far, this seems to be my favorite. The guys from ToolMonger.com turned a Stratocaster knock-off electric guitar (at least I think it is -- can't quite make out the name) into a Guitar Hero controller. This particular controller they donated to be given away at Penny Arcade's Child's Play charity event in New York City.

However, if you can't make it out to the Big Apple, the site offers details on how to do it yourself. But keep in mind, it won't be easy.

From the post:

Before you jump into this project, let us warn you that this isn't for the faint of heart. There's a lot of destruction involved and it takes a good bit of patience to cut and mangle these parts slowly -- test fitting as you go -- to make sure they're all going to fit. It took us about 75 hours to complete ours, and though yours may move along more quickly (depending on the tools and experience at your command) this is still a pretty difficult task.

I may actually give this a try -- if only because they say it's so hard to do. Right after I make my Goth-Hello-Kitty Wii.

[From Toolmonger.com]

So there's this pitcher for the Detroit Tigers -- that's a Major League Baseball team for all you Aussies and Euros -- named Joel Zumaya.

Earlier this year the Tigers were battling it out for the American League championship and a spot at the "big dance," the World Series.

But right around that time Zumaya started having some problems with his wrist and forearm. This is very bad for a pitcher heading into a five-game, all-or-nothing series.

At the time, his trainers were having a dickens of a time figuring out what was causing this inflamation. Over-training? Cooling weather? Age?

It got so bad that Zumaya had to warm the bench for three games of the series.

Today, club president and general manager Dave Dombrowski told a local radio station that the trainers sussed out the reason: Guitar Hero.

From the article that showed up today in the Detroit Free Press:

During the radio interview, Dombrowski said the Tigers' athletic training staff discovered that Zumaya's forearm pain was more consistent with the action of a guitar player than a baseball pitcher. The Tigers asked Zumaya to stop playing the video game, and he did. Zumaya then pitched pain-free during the World Series, and went 0-1 with a 3.00 ERA in three appearances.

Yep. That's right. Your favorite similated rock-star game and mine actually cost him his series chances.

So if your wrist starts give you pain, check your game.

Last night Sony released firmware update 1.31, which introduces support for PS2 games that utilized the PS2 hard drive (namely, Final Fantasy 11 and Nobunaga's Ambition). 

No doubt, this is a welcome relief for the gamers who bought Square's Final Fantasy MMO and still actually play.

Less appreciated, though, is dramatic evidence that suggests the PS3 is downgrading (or possibly over-upgrading to the point of distortion) the graphics of PS2 games compared to the original, with notable jaggies and artifacts in most games.

Sony has released no word on what it plans to do regarding this issue.

I am a huge Guitar Hero fan, obssessing over every last little detail of the latest PS2 iteration due in a mere week's time.  Thanks to  a resourceful gentleman at the Guitar Hero forums, we now know all, or at least a number of, the GH2 bonus tracks and they are, in a word, excellent.

Full list after the jump.

And I thought Bully went into court for violence. Either this is a bug or a glitch, but whatever the case, it's just plain weird. It's one thing to have a gay room-mate. It's another to see two guys actually make out. (No flame sessions, please.) Especially two seemingly straight ones.

My room-mate alerted me to the GayGamer article that took the game to a different level. I later saw it on Joystiq and decided that this should be shared to the GA.com community.

Video after the jump.

When the suits say Easter, they mean Easter.
As many of you already know, the PS3 is said to arrive in Europe, the biggest videogaming market in the world, next year. After the furore over eBay sales of little printed receipts, you'd have thought Sony would know better to deprive people of the things they most desire - but oh no.
The haven of people like me has, for the past few years, been Lik-Sang, a "grey import" site which allows people to import their videogaming wares from abroad, usually Japan. I was one of the lucky ones who got a few 360 games (region free of course) for about £20. It won't be so for the PS3. Sony has explicitly banned all "grey importing" of Sony hardware into Europe. Europe only. Nowhere is it mentioned that you can't import into the US. Hell, you can send it to an island in the south pacific, but god forbid we in Europe get one!

Today sees the release of a game with perhaps the longest name in history: Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Summoner: Raidou Kuzunoha vs. the Soulless Army. Try to say that with a mouth full of popcorn. For those unfamiliar with the Shin Megami Tensei series, think of it as Pokemon for the slightly wicked. The SMT games consists of recruiting or otherwise using demons and monsters in your party to fight other enemies (who can also be recruited) to progress the plot.

NFL fans have Madden, NBA fans have NBA2k or NBA Live, MLB fans have …. You get my point. But for years Xbox wrestling fans have had nothing worth talking about.   The RAW series was a car crash and Wrestlemania 21 was a train wreck that caught fire and blasted though a village of orphans (yes, it really was that bad).  Xbox wrestling fans for the past few years have had to watch in envy as year after year the Smackdown series grew and matured into an essential game for the wrestling afficiando in all of us.  All the while the Xbox failed to even register a victory.  This left fans to wonder why Smackdown wasn't just ported to other consoles to expand upon its success. When THQ failed to respond, it was assumed the Smackdown series would remain a Sony exclusive for years to come...

Then, March 30th, 2006 THQ announced Smackdown was going next gen and it was doing so on the Xbox360

September 28^th, 2006 – Bringing it home – day 9, as X06 begins to wind down Microsoft catches gamers off guard by smacking down (see I can use cheesy puns) a demo onto the Xbox live marketplace. So after putting a significant amount of time playing the demo of Smackdown (I have played close to double figures at the moment) I feel I am able to properly preview this game and do it the justice it deserves.

So come inside and see if THQ have managed to quench wrestling gamers thirst for grappling action in my preview of Smackdown Vs Raw 2007.

Hey guys, it's Allan here. I've just returned (Okay, fine, it's been a while since this event. It was several days back. But I blame <another GA writer> for the delay.) from a long journey into the savage heart of... wait, no, it's just an EA Preview Screening of some upcoming holiday release games. That's right, I was at EA Play. It may not be the Tokyo Game Show, but at least it's something.

So down to the titles, the showcase had such games as: Need for Speed Carbon, Sims 2: Pets, Battlefield 2142, and EA Sports titles, such as Cricket 07, Hockey, and NBA. So follow the jump to hear more...

PROS:  Lush, immersive graphics, unique and enjoyable gameplay, epic storyline, intriguing puzzles, massive feel-good factor.

CONS:  Some button mashing early on, digging mini-games frustratingly difficult (for me, anyway, but I never was any good at DigDug). 

Anyone that knows me knows that I am a fan of Japanese culture and folklore. Most of our favorite video games (Katamari Damacy, Chibi Robo, Cubivore) come out of Japan.  One of our favorite family movies is Miyazaki’s Spirited Away. We eat at our favorite Japanese restaurant whenever there is a special occasion. My kids and I took Japanese martial arts for years, though they took much longer than I did.  Last year, I even entertained the idea of having the seven virtues of Bushido tattooed down my spine. After deciding that will probably be too painful for squeamish me, I  redesigned and drew up a smaller Kenji tattoo (the symbol for ‘Read’) and I’ve sworn that as soon as I have someone to go with me and hold my hand, I’m THERE. After the past week, I am seriously rethinking my tattoo design AGAIN and have been eyeing the symbol for Okami. Yes, it is THAT GOOD.

More about Okami after the jump …

Agent 47 has neither lost his mind nor achieved that elusive, silent, however deadly kill. But it does seem as though he has hit the sweet spot in between the two.

Hitman: Blood Money is the proverbial marmite/vegemite of the gaming industry: You will either love this game or you will hate it. It's not as black and white as that, but the fact is that some people are just flat out not going to like the game and some will. It's just its niche gameplay.

To a Hitman fan such as myself who has followed the series throughout the years and has devoted time and effort into making it an experience, this game will prove a loving sequel to the previous games. It has the classic Hitman gameplay that you know and love. But if you've never liked the Hitman series, now is not the time to get into it, because this game won't change your mind about it.

Follow the jump to see if this title has earned a next generation label or if it's just another Hitman game ported onto the Xbox 360.

Wow, been a while since I've done one of these, besides the E3 versions... Here we go!

- 1: Analysts speculate: The Wii predicted to be $200.
- 2: Bethesda says two weeks for a Thieves Den.
- 3: Everything but HDMI output is upgradeable for the PS3?
- 4: Microsoft to undercut the PS3 with its HD-DVD package?
- 5: We gamers say: We're okay with ads. It's the future.
- 6: 15 launch titles for the PS3? Mixed signals incoming...
- 7: The Xbox 360 tops April's console sale charts!
- 8: Infinium finally busted? Hopefully...
- 9: Microsoft countersues Lucent, Lucent screwed?
- 10: Immersion says: What the hell, Sony?
- 11: Gyroscopic controller coming to the PC & PS2...
- 12: Are you a vector artist? Click the link!

Full stories after the jump!

Hey all,
     Just thought I would give you all a run down of the time I got to spend with Capcom's latest "artsy" project, "Okami".
I was surprised Okami didn't have more of a spotlight at E3 considering how close to release it is and how truly stunning it looks.

So if you don't know, you soon will.
follow me after the jump to find out more!

One of the franchises having a huge presence at E3 this year is Final Fantasy. If you've been paying attention, you may have noticed it showing up on almost every platform: PS2, PS3, PSP, Wii, DS, GBA, even Xbox 360. FF's going to be a staple of the next gen and what's left of the current gen still has some love coming. Here's the rundown on what we know so far:

Dated:
Final Fantasy VII: Dirge of Cerberus, currently looking at August 22, 2006.
Final Fantasy VII: Before Crisis - You'll take your Final Fantasy VII on your phone and like it!
Final Fantasy VII: Crisis Core - Discover the historic secrets of FFVII on your PSP!
Final Fantasy XII for the PS2, finally dated for October 2006. Finally!
Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: Crystal Bearers (Nintendo Wii) Short CG trailer, looking good for fans of the mutliplayer FF.
Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: Ring of Fates (Nintendo DS) I think Crystal Chronicles would be
perfect for the DS.
Final Fantasy V and VI for the GBA, they're running out of sprites!
Final Fantasy III for the DS, first time in the U.S. and has a look all its own.

But probably the most intriguing iteration is Final Fantasy XIII, which will actually exist as three separate games. That pique your interest? Then read on!

Edie, here, with my first online dispatch from the craziness that is known as e3.

And the title here? No, it's not a game, and yet it has been pretty much the most exciting thing I've encountered at e3 so far.

Yes, the morgue -- as in, I see dead people.

John and I have spent the morning in the emergency room at Kaiser Hollywood due to an infection in his throat that erupted at 6:30 a.m. this morning. I was his nursemaid so we could get him quickly discharged and registered at the convention center.

So, pretty much I've missed every press conference but the cluster-fart that was Sony's last night.

Everything else about Nintendo and Microsoft I've had to catch via phone calls made in hospital hallways.

Thank gawd we have Hawkes, Kyle and Sherveen who have access to internet and live-streaming video until the event officially gets underway.

But so far, here's my take on what's been said so far:

Hi folks, Cooper Hawkes here with news of the "Holy S***" variety courtesy of TeamXbox.

I'm just going to quote the entire article here:

SEGA announced today that Phantasy Star Universe will be available on the Xbox 360. Developed by SEGA Studios, Phantasy Star Universe offers two complete RPG experiences – a single-player action adventure spanning multiple planets, and a robust online multiplayer component that will support Xbox Live.

The single player campaign features more than 40 hours of gameplay, an emotionally engaging story, stunning cut scenes, and a strong cast of characters with very distinctive personalities. The title's hero is Ethan Waber, a 17-year old cadet who begins his epic journey by first rescuing his sister at the GUARDIANS, a colony under siege by mysterious life forms known as THE SEED.
In Online Mode, players are given the opportunity to create their own characters from a range of races, as they explore all three planets in the Gurhal system.

Fans can travel with their friends as a squad of six adventurers, enter urban sprawls teeming with hundreds of other players, and build their avatars into powerful warriors.

Yesterday was the day we all knew deep down was coming, but none of us wanted to admit. Blizzard released a press release indefintely postponing Starcraft: Ghost.

They state in the press release that they are "evaluating opportunities for utilizing the additional power of the new and upcoming console systems." Does this mean we will see Starcraft: Ghost bound for the 360, PS3, and Revolution? Don't hold your breath, with the next-gen consoles very different architecture it wouldn't be an easy task to port over all their existing code.

Blizzard's extraordinarily long developement times are why they have such great polished games, but infortunately they usually take longer to make a game than any console platform lasts.

RIP Starcraft:Ghost, and say hello to Warcraft Adventures for us up in canceled games heaven.

Hey everyone! Zak here again, trying to get over the death of my Pocket PC. I'd like to mention Im a big fan of Midway games since sometimes (yes sometime) they do bring out great games! And luckly a classic that got remade and now being done again is coming back..

Hi folks, Cooper Hawkes here with your Sony news for January 9th, 2006:

Item One: PSPCave: PSP acts a remote control for pimped up Honda Civic

Based on what was once a 94 Honda Civic, a pimped up concept car has gone on show at CES in Las Vegas that allows you to control everything from opening the doors, turning on the lights and even driving it down the street all via the PSP and a wi-fi connection.

The car which has been modified by Metro Electronics in America, who specialise in electronic amps, stereo racks, amps and in car dvd players is even eco friendly having its petrol engine ripped out in favour of an electric one.

Sad state of Sony news when my opening shot is a PSP that can control a 94 Honda Civic. Come on Sony how about helping out some developers so that the only two games worth buying aren't Lumines and GTA: Liberty City Stories!

I want a PSP, but I already have an iPod, I need it to play games. I know it sounds like a joke told over and over again, but we are coming up to a year since the PSP has been released, and it's a media player not a game device. And that sucks.

And also:

Item Two: Gamespot: Final Fantasy XII PS2 bundle coming to Japan.

The PlayStation 2 Final Fantasy XII Pack will include a charcoal black slimline PS2 console imprinted with a symbol from the game (pictured), a vertical stand, a Dual Shock controller, an AV cable, an AC adapter, and a special FFXII-branded strap for mobile phones. The package will also include a copy of Final Fantasy XII.

See this looks cool and all, but you already have the top selling game console in Japan, is there really someone there who DOESN'T have a PS2 yet?? This is probably half the reason the PS2 sells so much in Japan, they come up with this special bundles for popular games and the consumers eat it up. Good for you Sony.

Anyway, it's very pretty, but be warned:

Consumers thinking of picking up the bundle should note that the slimline PS2 (SCPH-75000 FF) included in the bundle uses the latest hardware model, which has been reported to have issues in playing a number of PS2 and PlayStation games.

And that appears to be today's news. Sorry bout that folks, Sony's taking it's time ramping up PS3 news.

Questions? Comments? STFU? Send them to Hawkes

Semper Fi!

Welcome to 2006 everyone, which I predict will be the final year of current-gen sports to make way for the next-gen. I know it's not a very bold prediction but it's the truth. The imminent release of MVP NCAA and Arena Football on PS2 & Xbox along with the NFL Head Coach Simulation game from EA this spring marks the end of current-gen only sports releases. MLB 2k6 and FIght Night Round 3 will both make their way to current gen and the 360 this spring, marking the end of new sports gaming goodness on current-generation systems. I would be very surprised to see a significantly changed NCAA or Madden on current-gen systems if released at all come this summer. Every generation of sports games has begun with football and ended with baseball.

MVP NCAA baseball will mark EA's first game to start using the ESPN license though it isn't used to it's fullest. I would assume we will see all ESPN has to offer to EA in their holiday sports titles though Fight Night Round 3 will also make use of the license.

In 2006, we will see baseball begin to make the transistion to the 360 and with any luck we will see a significant upgrade over the current-generation releases of MLB 2k6 since they have had more time to mess with the final hardware then the NHL and NBA teams did. Speaking of MLB 2k6, this will also mark the first year of the exclusive deal between Take-Two and MLB so it'll be the only game in town....(yes I know, 989 will still make a MLB game but when is the last time 989 made a good sports game)

Fight Night Round 3 will mark EA Chicago's first game for the 360 and from the one clip that has been released is any indication, it's going to be a graphical tour de force. Hopefully some of the animations transistions will be smoothed out and more will be shown to us as we get closer to release.

This summer will see the release of NCAA and Madden 2007(hopefully with all it's bells and whistles back) on the 360 and PS3 upon it's launch (a guess, but a pretty safe one). Hopefully we will see them build on and refine what worked and didn't work in the current 360 version.

Fall of 2006 will see the usual suspects....NHL 07, 2k7....NBA Live 07, 2k7.....Nascar 07....Tiger Woods 07.....you get the idea. I hope that we will start seeing what the new hardware is capable of with these titles as the launch releases gave us a glimpse of some things that are possible but seemed just to be appetizers of what's to come instead of being full-fledged next-gen sports titles.

Also in 2006, I predict that we will get our first glimpes of Gran Turismo for PS3 and Forza for 360....that should be an very intense battle for the gamer's simulation racer dollars. These games were amazing on current systems, it'll be interesting to see what these teams are able to pull off with better hardware at their disposal.

I will begin to try to make arrangements soon to get in touch with both EA and 2K about their sports products so that I will be able to bring previews and interviews to everyone who will listen. I will also try to hook up with any other company who announces a sports game that draws interest. Hopefully I will be able to keep you readers informed and deliver the type of info that you are looking for. I think it's going to a banner year for sports games and I'm more excited about this year's E3 than any other in recent years.

-Brad

Ethan here with some exciting news!, Kojima just saved hundreds on his car insurance by switching to geiko.

http://www.1up.com/do/minisite?cId=3146425

All you Kojima faithful rejoice there is a new interview from 1up, and he talks alot about MGS and Xbox
http://www.1up.com/do/minisite?cId=3146425.
The coolest news out of all this is the possibility of a multi-player MGS for xbox and PC. I know it sounds crazy, but Kojima is interested in doing it. With MGO (metal gear online) debuting in MGS3:Subsistence its all a matter as how people react to it. If the reactions is good the possibility of seeing a MGO standalone is quite possible. The reasons for haveing MGO on a non-sony playform is a bad online service. PC and Xbox own the online market and lets be real Sony's online service has missed the boat.

More after the jump

Hi folks, Cooper Hawkes here with some news from Pro-g.Co.uk, via Joystiq.com:

Sony Computer Entertainment acquires Guerrilla Games

Guerrilla Games, a developer based in Amsterdam, is the award winning studio behind Killzone on the PlayStation 2, a game which has shipped around 2 million copies worldwide. The studio is currently working on a new Killzone title the PlayStation 3, which has already received much attention following the breathtaking presentation of the game at E3 2005. A new Killzone title is also in development for the PSP.

Sony's acquisition of the development studio was on the cards after Guerrilla signed an exclusive development agreement with Sony Computer Entertainment Europe in March 2004. Today's announcement is said to be "a strategic move to secure long term excellence in game development for current and future PlayStation platforms."

Hi folks, Cooper Hawkes here with Sony news for Wednesday, December 1st, 2005.

Normally I would itemize the news, but I'm gong to do something a bit different. PlayStation news has been, for lack of a better word, scarce. There are many rumors for why they are keeping quiet, but the biggest, (and probably the most accurate) is that because of the Rootkit fiasco, Sony is trying to keep a low profile.