GeekSugar

Do You Use a Console Camera When You Play Games?

GeekSugar — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 15:45:28 -0800

The first time I used a console camera was when my BF brought one home in a Trials of Topoq game bundle, which has you using body movements to direct a ball through a maze. Admittedly, it was the single nerdiest moment in my life, mostly because I'd never used a camera while playing a game before, but more so because the game was totally unlike anything I'd ever seen. Seriously, it's pretty darn nerdy - just check out this review for proof.

But now that more and more games are incorporating the Playstation Eye or Xbox Vision Camera into gameplay, I'm glad we picked one up when we did. SingStar just wouldn't be the same without reviewing the snapshots and "Golden Moments" of me and my girls singing at the top of our lungs to Britney, and Little Big Planet wouldn't feel like home without posting up "Polaroid Stickers" of us all over the game!

Get Your Star Trek On in May: First the Movie, Then the Game

GeekSugar — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 09:02:36 -0700

As if you can't tell, I'm pretty stoked to see the Star Trek movie next month, not only for the story, but for the eye candy as well. I'm already anticipating tons of futuristic gadgets to feast my eyes on. . . and let's be honest, the cast is too darn hot to resist!

So once you geek out at the theater, you'll also be able to get in on the action at home with Star Trek: D-A-C which will hit Xbox Live in May, followed by the Playstation Network and PC soon after.

Taking a cue from arcade style shooters, Star Trek: D-A-C will give you a top-down view of the action while you battle it out as either the captain of the Starfleet, or as a member of the Romulan Empire. Three different battle types (including a "winner-takes-all style" deathmatch) ensure that you stay in the game, and conquer the universe . . . or at least defeat your pals in some intense online play! Star Trek: D-A-C will cost you $10 or 800 Microsoft points, and is yet to be priced for download on your PS3 and PC.

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Burnout Paradise Review: The Good, The Bad, and The Awesome

GeekSugar — Fri, 25 Jan 2008 13:20:05 -0800

Throw away everything you thought you knew about the Burnout series - this is a new breed. I have been uber excited to get my hands on Burnout Paradise since I heard about the open gameplay it offers. It might make you a bit confused at first, but stick with me here - the more you play, the more you will appreciate its complexity. The concept of BP is that you can roam around Paradise City, finding new roads, making killer jumps and smashing through gates, all in between events. You still have the familiar comfort of competing in race after race after event if you wish, but now you have over 200 miles of roads to explore in addition to all the awesome challenges that Burnout is known for. There's a lot to cover, so keep reading to find out what I thought was good, bad and totally awesome about Burnout Paradise.

The Good: The events in Burnout Paradise are still completely satisfying. Start by burning rubber at a stop light at one of over 120 intersections in the city. Marked Man and Stunt Run are new, while the Classic Race, Road Rage and Burning Route are familiar and even more intense now that you have so many streets to navigate to get to the finish line. You can even jump online with up to seven other players and compete in challenges together. Online play is easy, and even more geeky if you have a Playstation Eye or Xbox Vision Cam to see (and hear) each other while taking them down.

To see more about what I didn't like about the game, read more

The Bad: Although Burnout has amazing (and seamless) online capabilities, unfortunately only one local player is allowed in this town. You can still race with your buds, but they gotta stay home and have their own copy of the game. . . Bummer! Another thumbs down is the soundtrack. Although the track list is long – with artists like N.E.R.D. and Avril, since both the Xbox 360 and PS3 are media players, I would rather listen to my own tunes that I have stored there.

The Awesome: Burnout offers something that other racing games out there can't: Free will. I love the fact that I can take on a challenge, and then decide I want to go and explore the mountains, ending up finding miles and miles of unmapped roads, jumps and billboards to smash through. Plus, when you've hosted online play, you can create your own custom races from start to finish from anywhere on the map. And don't think that they skimped on the visuals in place of a sprawling city. Checking out the sights distracted me more than once while I was competing and led to a less than favorable race finish. The slow motion crashes show you just how dedicated the developers were to keeping you glued to the screen, even when your car is mangled.

Overall, this is one game that has major play value, and I'm it sure will be taking over my console for weeks to come. Burnout Paradise is now available for the Xbox 360 and Playstation 3. Get it online or in stores.

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Not An American Idol? Karaoke Instead

GeekSugar — Tue, 16 Jan 2007 16:39:07 -0800

Japanese video game maker Konami Digital Entertainment has released a Karaoke game that will have you busting out with your Human League impressions daily. Karaoke Revolution Presents: American Idol works when you plug it into your Sony PlayStation.

The game lets you sing along to 40 new songs, including hits from the show, and compete from auditions to performances on center stage in your quest to become the next American Idol. My favorite part is, after you sing you can be critiqued by digital versions of the American Idol judges.

You can customize your character, or use the EyeToy USB Camera (for PlayStation 2) to put yourself into the game. I'm not an American Idol fan, but I could do karaoke all day long. Get Karaoke Revolution Presents: American Idol for $39.82.

Tech News Roundup - Is That A MacPac On Your Back?

GeekSugar — Wed, 04 Apr 2007 14:39:29 -0700

Are you looking for a backpack that's neither comfortable nor stylish? Look no further than the Macpack, a backpack built out of an old Macintosh SE. Macpack Can Carry Your Books, Not Your Dignity - Gizmodo
According to Mike Elgan, the wallet is an endangered species. That's because phones are primed to become upgraded, more secure, and more convenient versions of the standard wallet. Will Phones Replace Wallets? - UK Gizmodo
Guitar Hero and Guitar Hero 2 were big hits for Harmonix, and now the company is going even further with its newest game. Today, Harmonix announced Rock Band, a music game for the PlayStation 3 and 360 that combines guitars, drums, and singing into a mutant offspring of Guitar Hero. Guitar heroes unite; 'Rock Band' is coming - Crave
You may remember the Apple and Binary manicures seen here in 2005, and well it's been a while since we laid eyes on a geeky mani that would appeal to our gadget-obsessed sisters. Nails Bar, a Spanish beauty salon, created a special black/white French manicure design in honor of the Crackberry Pearl. BlackBerry Manicure - Techie Diva
For the surfer or other water sports enthusiast in your life, here's a tough little MP3 player that can go along for the ride, the Waterproof and Shockproof Freestyle Audio DMP. Unlike my delicate iPod nano, this player is completely submersible, which means it's also good for the spa or swimming pool. Freestyle Audio makes action sports audio technology for water, snow and other extreme environments that are "not friendly to lesser consumer electronics." Waterproof & shockproof MP3 player - Popgadget
An employee's python went missing over the weekend in Google's sprawling Manhattan office, sending search teams on an all-out snake hunt. The searchers scoured the complex for the 3-foot-long snake and finally found the serpent, known as Kaiser, on Monday night. Google searches for missing snake in office - USA Today

Aly & AJ Share How Chemicals React - In Simlish

GeekSugar — Thu, 04 Jan 2007 16:09:50 -0800

Teen pop queens Aly and AJ, must have a geeky side. The sister duo, which is known for their "Chemicals React" song, recently teamed up with EA Games and released their hit in Simlish. While I'm a die-hard Sims fan, I don't know the girls very well, so I was a little shocked at first. Now I'm amazed, entertained and imagining how funny Madonna would sound in Simlish.

The song was recorded for The Sims 2: Pets, which launched in late 2006. It was also included on the PSP (PlayStation Portable) system version. If you're wondering what the girls are saying in English, just read more

Chemicals React

"You make me feel out of my element, like I'm walkin' on broken glass. Like my worlds spinnin' in slow motion and you're movin' too fast.

Were you right, was I wrong? Were you weak, was I strong? Yeah both of us broken, caught in the moment we lived and we loved and we hurt and we joked, yeah. But the planets all aligned when you looked into my eyes and just like that the chemicals react. The chemicals react."