GeekSugar

Liv Tyler Geeks Out With Brain Age For Nintendo DS

GeekSugar — Sun, 18 May 2008 07:10:03 -0700

In an upcoming commercial for Nintendo DS, Liv Tyler gets her game on with Brain Age 2, as she attempts one of the training activities - the piano player. Watching her play in game (in her pj's) as she hums the notes, makes this one geekalicious commercial! You can't help but want to get your DS out!

Brain Age 2 Released: Twice The Fun, Twice As Hard?

GeekSugar — Tue, 21 Aug 2007 03:30:56 -0700

Earlier this summer Nicole Kidman had signed on as Nintendo's television ad spokesperson in Europe for More Brain Training from Dr Kawashima: How Old Is Your Brain?, prompting a renewed interest in the series here in the U.S. Of course Brain Age, was already a bona fide hit with Nintendo DS fans around the globe, so everyone has been abuzz about the series' next US feature.

Yesterday, Brain Age 2: More Training in Minutes a Day was released for DS, and let me tell you, it does not disappoint. It may make you feel a little dumb, but it does not disappoint. Designed to give your brain a workout, Brain Age 2 featured 15 new activities - from playing simple songs on a piano keyboard to monitoring the photo finish of a footrace.

When you start a new game, you take a series of tests and get a score that tells you how "old" your brain is. That number is your "DS Brain Age," and the idea is that with daily practice your score will lower. Activities include serial subtraction, word scramble, change maker, calendar count, and my personal favorite, Rock, Paper, Scissors, where you speak the symbol that beats the one on the screen. I consider myself to have at least moderate mental accuracy and the game still made me scramble. It's great for anyone who likes Sodoku, puzzles, Pictionary and crossword puzzles - even if you're not a hardcore gamer.

View 3 Photos ›

Vote Now For Round Three of Our Best Video Game Ever Bracket!

GeekSugar — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 09:05:17 -0700

The end of our video-game bracket is drawing to a close, but there's still two more rounds to go! After round two, we've had to say good-bye to favorites like Brain Age and Animal Crossing, but the competition is definitely heating up! In this round of our killer classics video games you'll see games like Call of Duty 2 and World of Warcraft go head-to-head for the ultimate title of best video game ever.

Be sure to vote now and fill out your whole bracket for a chance to win not only a Nintendo DSi and a Sony PS2 Slim, but also a brand-new G.I. Joe game! Hurry because today is the last day for round three!

You're entered one time for every round you complete, so the more rounds you play, the more chances you have to win. Remember, you must be logged into your PopSugar Community account to be entered. Check out the full list of rules here, and have fun voting!

Professor Layton and the Diabolical Box Game Review

GeekSugar — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 07:33:00 -0700

The next time you're going on a trip and you need something skill-testing and fun to play while in the car or on a plane, I urge you to check out Professor Layton and the Diabolical Box ($30) for the Nintendo DS (OK, I'll admit, I'm a sucker for playing it right before bed). Being one of those people who loves mini-games and brainteasers (Rhythm Heaven and Brain Age 2 being two of my favorite games), I knew I had to take Professor Layton for a test drive when I found out it has 150 puzzles to solve.

When you first turn on the game, you can't help but think it's designed for a child and wonder if the mini games are actually going to be challenging to solve. But before long, you instantly get hooked on the illustrated storyline that involves a murder mystery that needs to be solved by renowned puzzle-solver Professor Layton and his apprentice, Luke.

The two embark on a journey, which is filled with logic puzzles and riddles, and you can even access more brainteasers via your DS and DSi's WiFi connection (one available each week for the next 32 weeks).

To continue reading my review and to watch a fun commercial for the game just read more.

When playing Professor Layton and the Diabolical Box the actual puzzles seem to get more challenging as the game progresses, but what's great is that there isn't a time limit on the puzzles (so you can really take your time trying to solve them) and you can access hint coins for puzzle clues if you really get stumped. I also love the fact that the game will continue regardless if you can't solve a mini game along the way.

Overall, the game itself is challenging, riveting (love the actual storyline), the animated characters are adorable, and the puzzles keep me coming back for more.

Geeks We Love: Kevin Hall of Dvice

GeekSugar — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 13:25:24 -0800

I check in daily with Dvice, not only because of its gadget coverage, but also because of its sweet sci-fi influence. So just in case you aren't familiar (and if not, why?), let me introduce you to one of Dvice's endearingly geeky contributors - and one of this year's Geeks We Love - Kevin Hall. Recent Brooklyn transplant, this geek hottie has traveled the world, seen (almost) everything, and can still say that robots are his favorite thing . . . ever.

GS: Pretend I'm a total stranger (and let's be honest, I pretty much am), and tell me a little about yourself.
KH: Well, I'm a 24-year-old freelancer living in Brooklyn, NY. I'm a transplant, though - I was born in La Jolla, CA, and have lived in Indonesia, Pennsylvania, London, and Texas. After graduating from college, I knew I wanted to write and heard NYC is the place to do it, so I moved here. I was lucky enough to get a shot at blogging for Gizmodo, then started writing for DVICE, and editing a SCI-FI channel blog called Visions For Tomorrow. That's all rather boring stuff, I suppose. What else? My favorite color is orange, I love eating at all of New York's fine burger spots, and I'm probably more into robots than anyone made of flesh should be. Seriously, if technology made it possible to implant my brain into a robotic shell, I'd totally do it.

To see how Kevin appreciates old(er) school technology, what gadget is on his hot list, and why I'd go on a Valentine's date with him any day of the week, just read more.

GS: Are you strictly a gadget type of guy, or are you also a sci-fi nerd and/or gaming geek?
KH: All three, I'd say, though mostly a sci-fi and gaming geek. I love gadgets, but I don't camp in lines for the latest thing. In fact, I've got a fat, old Samsung clamshell for a cell that's maybe 4- or 5-years-old now, and the same 3.2-megapixel Sony Cyber-shot that I had in high school. And when it comes to science fiction, all of my favorite shows have come and gone - Star Trek: TNG, Space Above and Beyond, Cowboy Bebop, Futurama, and Firefly. I do enjoy the new Battlestar Galactica, of course, and I still love Star Wars, despite my love of Star Trek. If it's in space, I'll probably love it. I read more sci-fi than I watch.

Oh, how I love video games. I'd say the titles that define my tastes would be Deus Ex, Myth, Shadow of the Colossus, Halo, Tribes, Guardian Heroes (for the Saturn), Everquest, Anarchy Online, EVE - now that I've started, I really could go on forever. The last game I played was Gears of Wars 2, and that was about 20 minutes ago. And now it's five a.m., so yeah, you can see how I enjoy my gaming!

GS: Do you remember your very first gadget? Mine was a pager. No, really.
KH: I think my first gadget was probably a Game Boy. Growing up overseas, most of the games we had access to were pirated cartridges titled something like "99 games in one," but each one would just have maybe five or 10 ripoffs of Mario and Pac Man and stuff like that. I think I've actually owned almost every iteration of the Game Boy, from the old beloved brick to the niche-y Micro. I guess I'm slowing down in my old age, though, as I didn't run out to replace my first-gen DS with a Lite.

GS: What gadget are you lusting over right now?
KH: Boring answer, I know, but the iPhone. I'm really impressed by it, especially now that the App Store has been blown wide open. I'm not hardcore enough to want a Blackberry, and I hate cellphones too much to be interested by anything else on the market. The iPhone seems to be a good blend of functional phone and handheld computer, and that really appeals to me.

GS: Dvice is a Sci-Fi owned blog, so you must get cool insider scoops, right? You know how Battlestar Galactica ends, don't you?! Tell me! Tell me now!
KH: We get our tie-ins and exclusive content, sure, but I can't say much more than that. The last thing I want is one of the Sci-Fi Channel's Terminators to return from the future and kill me in the middle of this interview.

GS: What would a geeky-cool guy like you want to do for your lady friend on Valentine's Day? Take us through your perfect date.
KH: Well, we'd start out by taking a newly constructed hover train from New York to Germany (yeah, doesn't exist, just roll with it - I love trains), and hit up this restaurant called Baggers, which has fully automated service. Then we'd fly over to Russia and hitch a ride up to the International Space Station for a flashlight-lit (I imagine candles would be dangerous) dessert in zero-gee and some stargazing. I think the brilliance of the Earth from orbit would make a pretty romantic backdrop, so we'd probably ride around for a full orbit, uh, "playing video games," and then it's back to Earth for us. Or - for a creepy alternate ending - she could reveal that she's actually a robot from an alien world and I'd follow her home. Or we could just go to Tokyo - it's my favorite place to visit and it's about as close as you can get to living in the future.

Top 100 Games Sold in Past 12 Months = Shocking

GeekSugar — Fri, 11 Apr 2008 08:00:00 -0700

Well, maybe not so shocking to some of you who need their Sims fix on the daily (hey, I'm not hating, just sayin'), but when I read over Next-Gen's list of the top 100 games sold in the past 12 months throughout the US and Europe, I was a little surprised. Why? Well, because if you were one of the fans of Heavenly Sword or even Burnout Paradise that made numbers 78 and 71 respectively, then you will be shaking your head to know that games like Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End made the top 20 in sales for the past year. Not that I'm totally offended, just very sad for those gamers who did not get to experience the joy of crashing through gates and running amuck through Paradise City!

I like to think I have a very open mind when it comes to games, so I suppose games based on movies are just big sellers. . . despite the fact that they usually are sub par when it comes to story. Although, I'm not surprised to see Super Mario Galaxy and Assassin's Creed bringing in high rankings, since SMG was one of my fave games of the year, and Assassin's Creed was an innovative game to spend loads of free time on. But yet another surprise being BioShock - easily one of the best games of last year - down at number 29. Again, just sad for the folks who didn't drop some cash on a totally worthy game.

Where are America's and Europe's gaming priorities? The entire list is available now, but to check out the top ten and give me your opinions on the list, just read more

Top Ten Games Sold in the Past 12 Months:

Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare
Halo 3
Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock
FIFA Soccer 08
Madden NFL 08
Need for Speed: ProStreet
Pokemon Diamond/Pearl
Assassin’s Creed
Super Mario Galaxy
Brain Age 2: More Brain Training in Minutes a Day

Source

Picross DS: Another Fun Brain Teaser

GeekSugar — Tue, 25 Sep 2007 15:00:15 -0700

The fact that all the hot fall video game releases have hit the shelves means most of us closet gamers are now in full video game mode.

After reading an Amazon review that called Picross DS "a worthy follow-up to one of the best brain-teaser puzzle games I've played" I decided to give the game a go. It isn't as challenging as the newly released Brain Age 2 - which I assume is the "best-teaser" game the Amazon reviewer was referencing - but it is fun.

Each Picross DS puzzle has a sequence of numbers written in the margins of each column and each row. Those numbers show how many squares within that column or row need to be filled in. You have to figure out which squares to fill in and incorrect guesses earn a time penalty.

Verdict: If you're a fan of puzzles and brain teasers, Picross is a great game for your commute or next flight. It costs about $19 and works on your Nintendo DS.

View 4 Photos ›

Screen shots from IGN.

Exclusive Look at Carrie Underwood With the Rose DS Lite

GeekSugar — Sun, 18 May 2008 20:46:27 -0700

Starting tomorrow, Nintendo will begin airing commercials featuring various famous females to showcase the crimson and black DS and the re-release of the metallic rose DS Lite - which was sold as a bundle with Nintendogs during the holiday season last year. In case you missed it, here's the adorable Liv Tyler commercial as she geeks out with Brain Age 2. And now for a sneak peek at Carrie Underwood having some fun with Nintendogs on her pretty-in-pink DS Lite!

Airlines Passes Out DS Lites Instead of Peanuts - Kinda

GeekSugar — Wed, 07 Feb 2007 09:06:06 -0800

At the risk of sounding like an exaggerator, I would like to announce the best airline news ever. Nintendo and Southwest Airlines have teamed up to give some of the airline's most-traveled flyers a surprise gift, and it's not peanuts, stale cookies or free booze. Fifty of Southwest's Rapid Rewards Members have been mailed a Nintendo DS(TM) Lite and a copy of Brain Age(TM): Train Your Brain in Minutes a Day. The gifts are being offered both as a thank you and to help these travelers pass the time during their next trip.

The Nintendo DS Lite is a portable video game player much like the Moto, which one of our favorite celebrity geeks Kristin Bell was recently spotted playing. Why did Southwest dish them out to their frequent fliers? read more

"We are helping our Members welcome the New Year with low fares, frequent flights and, of course, exercise ... exercise for their mind while they travel," said Blair McGrain, Director of Marketing Planning and Customer Loyalty. "We are thrilled to partner with Nintendo to give our Members some FUN in the New Year."

How did they do it? Members were selected by Southwest Airlines for their longtime loyalty and accumulated miles, the Rapid Rewards Members who received the Nintendo DS and copy of Brain Age have collectively flown more than 79.2 million miles, spent more than 132,854 hours in the air and represent more than 600 years of membership. Nintendo DS is the world's best-selling hand-held video game system, and has sold nearly 7 million in the United States alone.

DK Jungle Climber: Who Won't Go Bananas For It?

GeekSugar — Thu, 06 Sep 2007 03:30:20 -0700

Fresh off my mental high from playing too much Brain Age 2, I tested out DK Jungle Climber, which releases next week. Boy is it ever fun.

The game, which will be available for Nintendo DS, is the sequel to DK: King of Swing for the Game Boy Advance. To navigate the levels, you must hold down L and R to jump (alternating between L and R allows Donkey Kong to hold onto or let go of the pegs on the levels). Translation: This isn't necessarily a complicated gamer's game, but it is a fun pastime for those of us who have a certain fondness for Donkey Kong. And honestly, who doesn't?

Word in the geek world is simple games like DK Jungle Climber are becoming more common because they allow players to focus on fun instead of complicated tricks and controls. I have to admit I got sucked in and found myself "monkeying" around with the game for a good hour while waiting in the airport last week. My only issue was I started craving a banana and couldn't find one anywhere in the terminal. The game will be released Sept. 10.

View 4 Photos ›

Screen shots from IGN.