Braziliian metal band MegaDriver has based their career on remaking classic video game music in heavy metal. You MUST see this website. Browse the list of free songs, take what you like, and be sure to give these guys props!

http://www.megadriver.com.br/sitev2.html

Sent to us by a viewer, I submit the below for your curiosities. Ok, what happened here? Well some unlucky chap was playing Wii Sports WITHOUT the wrist strap, and WHOOPS! the Wii remote flew right out of his hand, and right into his new HD projection TV.

That's what you get for not following directions!

EDIT: It seems this problem is quite widespread, I have come across a collection of people who this has happened to. Check HERE for those stories.

Enjoy this funny Youtube video of someone making a milkshake with a Wiimote.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IevMrQMp-to

There has been a lot of talk about the PS3 and the Wii recently. Obviously Nintendo is doing something right, because one look at the tally on http://nexgenwars.com/ tells you that Nintendo has twice as many Wii's in homes as Sony has PS3's, and the poll puts Wii heavily in favor to win the "war".

Everyone has their own opinions, and I have mine. So here we go.

Basically the Wii itself is like any other system out there. Sure, the technology inside the box is unique, as well as the GUI interface. But at the core, it's just a console. The one thing that really sets Wii apart is the controller (ok, and the name...there I said it). The Wii remote supports an astonishing degree of motion sensitivity, and it is very precise in the point and click area as well. The controller is light, and comfortable no matter which way you hold it.

The console itself is very small, about the size of the PSOne mini or smaller. It runs quiet, and never gets warm. The auto-feed disc loading is done well, and the console gives you plenty of room to get your finger in the center hole of the disk for safe removal. It is also very easy to hook up, as Nintendo systems always are. I took it out of the box and was playing Wii sports in no time.

The controller applies well to an in-game environment. In Wii Sports, the Wii remote acts as your baseball bat, bowling ball, golf club, tennis racket, etc. For each sport, you hold the remote like you would the real equipment. Unfortunately, the boxing segment of the game is the only part that uses the nunchuck. The two handed gameplay is exactly the right step in the direction of interactive boxing games. A new Punch-Out would work famously with this control scheme.

Wii Sports has been called a demo to some, but it's not really. It is more like the limited gameplay these same titles would have had back on NES. Wii Sports really feels like Classic Nintendo. The game inspires people to get off their lazy ass and actually PLAY with your system, and for that I love it. There are even a training mode and a fitness mode (think Brain Age) to keep you busy. There is stat tracking, and to keep your score, you have to stay consistant in your skill. Yes, you can lose points.

Also I should mention that I played with my mom, sister, and wife. We all had a blast as a family. I think the fact that the Wii can bring people together like that is something that more people should talk about.

As for the Wii online, there isn't much as of yet. I really like the way their marketplace is set up, and I think the pricing of classic games is fair. I like the fact that the Cube controller works well with almost all the classic games, meaning that you won't have to track down one of the elusive classic controllers this holiday. Cube controllers are cheap and abundant. I suggest a Wavebird.

The Wii does support the USB dongle for wireless access, but be cautioned that the dongle won't work for all PC set-ups. For the same price as the USB adapter, you can get a wireless router at Wal-Mart. The Wii was surprisingly easy to set up for online with a router, and I give kudos to Nintendo for making it so simple.

I have two complaints. One, Wii Sports should have came in a clamshell DVD case. I know it's not much of a big deal, but the first time I removed my disk from the package, the staples on the instruction booklet made a small scratch. This pissed me off of course, so I keep my disk in a seperate clamshell right now. Second, they promote ease of hook-up with the USB adapter, yet if you have problems getting hooked up, the website is not a good place to go for help. You are better off calling Nintendo directly. Microsoft definately has the edge with their website, but that really doesn't hamper the Wii system one bit.

Overall, the Wii is an impressive hardware. We all know that it's graphical power isn't as high as the competitors...who cares. Nintendo did one thing that the other guys did not. They give you a new way to play the same old games. Gaming hasn't evolved (graphics aside) in a very long time. I think the last evolutions that were as significant as the Wii's controls would be Super Mario 64 and the SegaNet/XBL online infrastructure. Finally gaming can feel fresh and new again.

If you can find one of these systems this holiday, please do yourself and your whole family a favor. Buy it, and perhaps pick up Red Steel, Zelda, and/or Excite Truck.

Verdict: BUY

Thanks to some crazy Koreans (I love yall!), the PS3 can now live up to the inflated price tag. For $600 the damn thing better cook your lunch! Well that's just what it does! See the below link to find out what I'm talking about! If this doesn't make you laugh, you need the stick surgically removed from your ass.

PS3 Grill

You know, I'm not really sure what people were expecting from this game. The horrible reviews state-side kind of confuse me. The game is not THAT bad. The number one thing I hear people bitching and moaning about is the controls. So let me start there.

Some say this game has a steep learning curve. It is not in the slightest bit steep. In fact, I'd go so far as to say that this game is one of the easiest controlling shooters ever. The point and click shooting is absolutely the coolest thing about this game. If ever the arcade rail shooter genre (Area 51) and the traditional FPS genre (Halo, Half-Life) could blend, this is most certainly the way to do it. The pointer is very acurate if you calibrate it right, and mixed with the strafing and ducking behind cover, you can have a very satisfying shootout...particularly if you know what explosive environmental objects are in your area!

The nunchuck half of the controls work well too. It's basically the left stick from any controller ever made, with two extra buttons. One button jumps, the other ducks. Jumping is used occassionally, but ducking behind cover is a necessity. Perhaps that is the part that people just don't get. If you run into a room full of people with machine guns, expect to get shot. Another great feature of the nunchuck is the ability to interact with the environment by flipping tables for cover, picking up weapons, and opening doors.

The sword fighting. This deserves it's own section. Just like you can't run into a room ful of people with machineguns and expect to not get shot, you can't wildly swing your sword and expect not to get hit. The sword fighting in Red Steel feels more like a mini-game, which is unfortunate because it's so fun. The block/parry style of sword fighting really impressed me, and the fact that the nunchuck is used to the fullest extent also impresses me. You just don't get as many sword fights as you want, as this is primarily a shooter. But one thing kept crossing my mind...the Dynasty Warriors first person sword game from Koei. I can't wait.

Graphically, this game is not bad. Really. We all know the Wii's power, and there is no arguing that other next-gen games look better. But in 480p, this game has it's moments. I think with a little more time to polish this game, it could have truly looked better. I absolutely believe that the Wii can do so much better in this department.

However, graphics aside, I experienced a very unique and fun shooter. Red Steel feels a lot like Golden-Eye 64 in the way that combat is played out. Even the multi-player beckons memories of that classic. The story isn't enthralling, the graphics lack polish...but if you pass this game up for those reasons, you may miss out on one of the better Wii games. If you go into this game with ducking for cover and parrying with your sword in mind, you may really enjoy the deep combat system. This is a very great start for shooters on the Wii, and if anything, Red Steel proves that the Metroid game is going to work very well with these new controlls.

Oh, and for those of you complaining that your arms get tired, not only does Red Steel not require over exertion, it even has a setting in the menu that recognizes small sword strokes instead of large ones. But since most of the complainers probably never read the manual or bothered to adjust settings, they would never have known this.

My verdict: BUY

You know, there are a lot of people I talk to that won't bother with this game because of the kid-toned outer shell. But what they miss is one of the better sim creation games to ever hit a console.

For those of you who don't know much about the game, and want to know what it's like, it basically combines elements of these great games:

Sim City
The Sims
Harvest Moon
Black & White
Animal Crossing

But while it has elements of all those great games, it still manages to stay fresh and unique.
Rare has also done an outstanding job or recreating the feel of the Nintendo-era Rareware. This feels very much like a Nintendo product. The musical score is IMO the third best of the year (Gears Of War and FFXII round out the top 3). Done by the Prague Philharmonic Orchestra, it definately creates a feel all it's own. This is great news to those that didn't want to hear "cartoon style" music through the whole game.

While this seems very much like a kids game it is very complex. Maybe I don't give kids enough credit, but I can't imagine the 10 and under crowd being able to handle this. On the flip side, this game's appeal can reach far and wide. Any age can find a way to enjoy this, as long as you have an open mind going into it. Parents, this game IS kid safe, and if your youn ones like it, you can hook up a second controller and help them out through a sort of co-op.

I'm not going to bother giving this game a number. Numbers confuse people and muddle up what is truly good about a game. Instead, I will just say that I am seriously impressed with this game, far more than I ever thought I would be. Take that as you will, but in my eyes this is a keeper.

A new mappack for Perfect Dark Zero has just been released onto the marketplace. Map Pack 2 humourously contains 2 maps, titled Ruins and Facility. If these map names sound somewhat familiar, then they should......as they are from none other than Goldeneye 007 for n64! THAT'S RIGHT RATED M READERS, Rare really does care about fan requests, and let me say that the maps are GORGEOUS. I barely recognized the redesigned levels. My only complaint is that the levels are extremely dark, however I guess that makes sense seeing as how the two areas have been abandoned for ...1o(!?!)years just about.

One other thing, the map pack 2 is free to Gold Members, so what are you waiting for...DOWNLOAD IT NOW!

The BBC is reporting that Sony is set to block attempts to import the PlayStation 3 before the March 2007 European launch. A Sony spokesman quoted in the article says they are "trying to protect consumers from being sold hardware that does not conform to strict EU or UK consumer safety standards."

It's good to know that they're really looking out for your safety, Europe, and not other things. Like your money.

According to recent marketing GameStop received, they will be allowed to sell Gears of War early! I quote:

"Since Gears of War is not street dated, you may begin to sell the game as soon as it hits your stores on 11/8."

We have known for some time now that the game shipped on the 7th. However, this news is new to us, and is great news!

It is no secret that Sony has been losing a lot of money in their gaming department since they decided to enter the market with the PS1. Two class action lawsuits, enourmous production costs, and the failure of the PSP serve to hurt them, not help them.

Today, some new news arises that may mean Sony could file for bankruptcy.

First, let's talk about the raw numbers. If you look at the following picture, you can see a graph of Sony's cumulative losses directly from Sony's investor relations.

http://www.watch.impress.co.jp/av/docs/20061019/sony04.jpg

Basically, this is a work-up of Sony's cumulative losses for the year and into the next year:

PS3 semiconductor production delay loss : $330 million
PS3 Japan price drop loss : $160 million
PS3 HDMI inclusion loss : $140 million
SCEI's present platform loss(namely PSP) : $300 million
-----------------------------------------------------------------
SCEI's total new loss : $930 million
SCEI's already accounted PS3 loss : $1.8 billion
--------------------------------------------------------
Total SCEI loss by March 31st 2007 : $2.73 billion

Next, let's talk about a pending lawsuit between Sony and Microsoft. Sony recently announced that the 360 core unit REQUIRED the HD-DVD drive to even work. Microsoft took offense to this and is taking this matter to court. This defamation and misrepresentation suit could cost Sony millions more. FYI, lawsuits of this kind are common, and usually happen between competing products like automobiles, laundry detergents, and food stuffs.

http://www.engadget.com/2006/10/19/sony-claims-xbox-360-requires-hd-dvd-etc-thus-costs-700/

Finally, let's talk about Sony's confidence in their own product. Today, IGN reports that Sony is unsure if they can even meet the already reduced shipment allocations, touting "obvious production issues" as the reasoning.

http://ps3.ign.com/articles/740/740720p1.html

Now rumors hit the net that Sony may even delay the PS3 until next year so they can have a stronger launch, both with better titles and more systems on the shelves. This would also allow the Nintendo hype to die down a bit. This is as of yet unconfirmed, but at this point would be the smartest move Sony could make.

Stay tuned as we cover this story.

Yes folks, you heard that correctly. CNN reports that actor Wesley Snipes is now a wanted man. He was brought up on federal tax evasion charges today, and a warrant has been issued for his arrest. He could do anywhere between 16-40 years in prison if convicted!

Wesley is nowhere to be found, however it is expected that he will turn himself in tomorrow. Stay tuned for more on this breaking story!

Discuss this in our fourms:

http://s2.excoboard.com/exco/thread.php?forumid=127505&threadid=993861

We have received info that Wii and PS3 kiosks are on their way to stores, some arriving as early as tomorrow! Look for these kiosks at your local Best Buy, Wal-Mart, and GameStop/EB stores, but be sure to call them first to make sure it has arrived. Different locations and chains may receive them on different days, though they are all expected to be in place and running playable demos by the end of next week at the latest!

A local BestBuy in my area says that they expect their PS3 tomorrow when their Sony rep arrives. They did not know about the Wii, but they had heard it was coming very soon.

To see what the kiosks look like, and find out more about them, visit the link below to our previous coverage!

http://rated-m.blogspot.com/2006/09/exclusive-first-look-at-wii-and-ps3.html

For those that don't know, the PSU official sundtrack is FREE! That's right, free! For reserving with GameStop/EBGames, you get the entire 9 track official soundtrack absolutely free. Best part is, you can go pick up the disk now!

Track listing:

1.) Save The World - Orchestra Short Version
2.) Clyez City - Guardians Colony
3.) Holtes City - Parum
4.) Ohtoku City - Neudaiz
5.) Dagora City - Moatoob
6.) Result 01
7.) Result 02
8.) G March - Long Version
9.) Save This World - Vocal

For more on this disk, see your local GameStop or EB store now or click the link below!

Source: http://www.gamestop.com/product.asp?product%5Fid=B200176A

We recently brought you a first look at the Special Edition for the upcoming Smackdown VS. Raw 07 for XB360. Today, we bring you a first look at the official box art for the Special Edition. We warn you, IT'S UGLY!

So I finally got word back from E-Bay this morning concerning PS3/Wii auctions on E-Bay. Why were they getting pulled? Will they continue to get pulled? Is the 90 day deal with Sony true? We finally got the e-mail we've been waiting for, and now we will share it with you all, along with some of the questions we sent along to them.

--------------------------
RM: "What can you tell us, if anything about the PS3/Wii situation on E-Bay?"

E-BAY: "I want to first clear up some confusion surrounding the Playstation 3 auctions, as per your questions via e-mail. There is no "90 day deal" between E-Bay and Sony. I understand that many game store employees were told this during meetings of some sort, but it is not entirely true. There is certainly a deal though, but it is not what you think. Sony asked us to cancel PS3 auctions for the sole protection of the consumer. I am sure you are aware of what happened last year with the Xbox 360 console. We didn't stop any auctions, even ones with reservations mind you, and what happened was a disaster. People bought what they thought was an Xbox 360, and instead received a picture of one.

Neither Sony nor E-Bay wanted this to happen this time around. Therefore we came to the agreement that our terms of service be altered in this case. We will be continuously pulling auctions down until launch."

RM: "How come you have allowed some PS3 auctions to go through, and others are cancelled immediately?"

E-BAY: "Quite simply, we were overwhelmed. I'm sure you noticed that when the auctions first started coming up, we pulled every single one of them. Then about mid-day, we were hit with a flood of auctions. Our staff worked very hard to get through them, and still does to this day. The ratio of completed auctions is far lower than the number you mentioned in the e-mail, and we have cancelled about 65% of all the auctions that have been up so far. This is a rough number.

We have put a block on the accounts of nearly a hundred users, and had about that many fraud claims both with us and PayPal. The bans are due to people reposting the console after it has been pulled, and in most cases is unrelated to the fraud claims."

RM: "Have you been to various internet sites that are talking about this situation to see what the public says?

E-BAY: "I personally have not. I can tell you though that colleagues of mine have been to a few popular forums, and the general public is just as misinformed as you were. This is a special case, and the original TOS does not apply here. Between Sony and ourselves, we decided to do it this specific way. For the safety of our consumers, and nothing more, we will continue to pull down a healthy number of auctions every day. Keep in mind also that just because a few auctions make it through, it does not mean it is ok to post them. Our official stance is that placing the PS3 auctions on E-Bay is considered a violation, and they will be removed if we catch them.

Do not place your Playstation 3 reserve on E-Bay. We require that you actually have the console in your possession, and request that you take an original photo of that console with your E-Bay user name in the photo somewhere. Make sure to list your auctions clearly. Auctions will be allowed once the console has been launched, but we will still be watching them very closely to prevent cases of fraud."

RM: "How will Wii auctions be handled?"

E-BAY: "As of yet we are not removing Wii auctions. Nintendo hasn't spoken with us regarding the matter, and we didn't really see the inflation that the PS3 was getting. If you happen to remember, we allowed reserve auctions for almost every console to date, including the Xbox 360. We also allowed reserve auctions for the Elmo TMX as far away as 6 months from it's launch. I will say it again, the Playstation 3 situation is unique within itself. If you are a seller, DO NOT POST IT. If you are a buyer, DO NOT BUY IT. Sellers run the risk of losing their E-Bay account, and buyers run the risk of fraud. Please wait until November 17th to post or buy the Playstation 3."
-------------------------------

So there you have it. Stay tuned as we bring you the freshest news daily!

So by now everyone knows that the Wii pre-orders begin tomorrow morning. However, what you may not know is that allocation numbers are really low. Nintendo recently announced that 2 million Wii's would be made ready for launch, with the majority hitting the US. However, gameStop/EB managers nationwide are now reporting that stores will actually get as few as 8 per store, and as many as 16. Yeah, you read that right... The same allocation as PS3.

This is puzzling to say the least. We are surprised to see the small allocations on this console, and have to wonder where all the Wii's are going.

Stay tuned as we dig deeper into this story!

We've been following this story since we broke it yesterday, and it has caused much controversy. E-Bay began removing PS3 auctions since they hit yesterday morning, however there has been an uncontrollable flood of auctions in the last few hours. It has absolutely overwhelmed the E-Bay mods. The average going price is around $1500, though we've seen some as high as $10,000 and even one going for $1,000,000. However, the higher prices like that usually don't get the bids.

We are still waiting on E-Bay's official response to the situation. in the meantime, enjoy the circus!

Sega has updated their beta news page yet again, this time promising the beta for this weekend over Live.

"The Phantasy Star Universe Xbox 360 Open Beta will be uploaded to Xbox Live Marketplace this weekend, so get ready to download and play with your friends! In order to give more people the opportunity to enjoy this exclusive free beta, with extended uninterrupted weekend play, the multiplayer open beta will be available for download for two days only, and will be playable through to Oct. 18."

Let's hope that this release sticks. If it does, I will see you all online!

As part of our month long contest bonanza, we are giving away goodies for both The Godfather for XB360 and NWN2 for PC!

To enter, you must be a registered user of the forums, and post your name and e-mail address!

Good luck!

The Godfather (XB360): http://s2.excoboard.com/exco/thread.php?forumid=136533&threadid=984965

NWN2 (PC): http://s2.excoboard.com/exco/thread.php?forumid=136538&threadid=984960