GeekSugar

You Rock Guitar Brings Your Gaming to Life

GeekSugar — Mon, 11 Jan 2010 07:30:16 -0800

OK, so how many times have you bragged to a group of friends that you beat your all-time high score on Guitar Hero after a monster jam session, only to be blasted for not learning to play a "real" instrument? Yeah, I've been there too, friend. Now you can take your rock prowess from the console and blend it with actual chord knowledge with the You Rock guitar.

This USB controller does so much more than make you feel like a rock god when playing a video game - it's also a MIDI controller, so you can play and record songs on your iPod, MP3 player, or audio recording software, hook up some headphones to play in silence (to the outside world, anyway), and still rock out to Guitar Hero or Rock Band. The You Rock guitar has colored keys so you can strum along with your video game, and real strings so you can take things to the next level at home. Priced at $180, it's the perfect gateway from gaming to real-life rocking.

Hori Joystiks: Where Have You Been All My (Adult) Life?

GeekSugar — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 07:30:22 -0700

I'm totally blown away that I have not purchased both of these Xbox 360 and PS3 fighting joysticks already! Where's my credit card? If you spent as much time as I did trolling the neighborhood pizza-joint arcade, you recognize my excitement. The Hori Fighting Stick for the Xbox 360 and PS3 ($60 and $50 respectively) totally bring back the joy of banging on buttons and thrashing the joystick during Mortal Combat, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles - or whatever your fighter of choice was back in the day.

Amazon reviewers are saying to stick with fighting games if you want to get the best results with these bad boys. So unfortunately, that means if you're looking forward to a rousing session of Burnout Paradise, it's wise to stick with your usual controller.

Love It or Leave It? Blue and Pink Xbox 360 Controllers

GeekSugar — Thu, 13 Sep 2007 03:30:51 -0700

After learning that a majority of women prefer sleek and sophisticated tech products over feminine and girlie pink products, I'm curious to know how many of you are loving these new Xbox 360 wireless controllers? Featured on Joystiq, these new controllers are set to be released on October 2nd and cost $50 each. With a 30-foot range, up to 40 hours of life and two-way voice communication when connected to the 360, these controllers may boast more than just their good looks.

Geeky Gaming Controller Ornaments FTW!

GeekSugar — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 03:50:58 -0800

Can you really put a price tag on joy? I say no cause that's exactly what I felt when I stumbled across these amazing Controller Ornaments. For a mere $25, you can have your own collection of gaming controllers that span decades - from Super NES to PS3 to Sega - so there's sure to be one that satisfies your inner gaming goddess. Sold as a set of seven, the acrylic ornaments come in four different colors, but without your string or hooks, so you'll have to fashion your own way of getting them on your tree.

Don't celebrate with a Douglas Fir? I've already thought of several different ways to incorporate these into my everyday life after the holidays. Window ornaments, wall art, even sealed into the top of a DIY outdoor table. See? I bet you can come up with a few on your own.

Geek Tip: Get More Money Back on Your Used Games

GeekSugar — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 05:47:24 -0800

Nowadays, I only buy a new video game if it's something I absolutely cannot wait to play - Heavy Rain or Alan Wake, anyone? Since a used game is at least 30 percent cheaper than its new version, I end up saving a ton of money that I can use on important things like, you know, more games. Most of you are with me too: 74 percent of GeekSugar readers also hit the used bins for games.

Have I got a deal for you. On Friday I went to GameStop for my usual video game purge. (Sidenote: Besides buying used games, I also sell them. Since I'm always in a cycle of buying and reselling games, I figure I'm never that far in the red.) Instead, I was told by the sales guy to come back on Monday. Since the look he gave me signaled that he knew I was a card-carrying GameSpot member, I dutifully complied. Thank goodness too. GameStop is currently offering a 50 percent trade-in bonus on all used games and members get an extra 10 percent bonus on top of that.

I went in with Ghostbusters and Legend of Zelda for the Wii, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 for the Xbox 360, and Mario Kart for the DS. Instead of getting a trade-in credit of $56, I scored myself $90 in GameStop bucks - cha-ching! According to GameStop employees, the end date of this deal is up in the air, but it will definitely be happening all week. Gamers, I'm talking to you: put down the controller and start selling.

Update: Looks like the deal ends on Mar. 14!

Source: Flickr User Moe_'s

Geeks We Love: Felicia Day of The Guild

GeekSugar — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 09:30:57 -0800

We've loved Felicia Day even before she made us LOL during her first The Guild music video last year. Not to mention the fact that Felicia has starred and guest-starred in several geek-worshipped shows like Dr. Horrible's Sing Along Blog, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and of course the online sensation The Guild (Season Three is available for download on iTunes now, and DVD on Feb. 15 for those of you who want to relive the magic), which makes her one of the more recognizable figures in geek culture today.

Felicia is not only a fabulous actress, but she's also an inspiration for geek girls everywhere - talented, beautiful, and knows her way around an MMO. Truth be told, we've got a bit of a girl crush.

Why do you think online gaming (and World of Warcraft in particular) is so close to people’s hearts and so widely accepted among such a variety of people?
It's hard to create a community in real life now, most of us don't even know our neighbors, our lives are so spread out between home and friends and work. Online gaming allows you to create a home and community of sorts, as well as provides engaging entertainment. I personally would rather be solving puzzles and finishing quests than passively absorbing a TV show or movie.

Do you think gaming and technology brings people closer together, or creates more of a distraction in relationships?
It depends on the person and how you use it. I certainly have been annoyed by people fiddling with their phones while I'm physically sitting across from them, but at the same time I keep in touch with my brother much better over the Internet than when we ever lived in the same city. I think the thing to be careful of is that technology or gaming doesn't become exclusionary to the people physically in your life.

Find out what Felicia thinks about geeky pick-up lines, her favorite trends, and why she won't be eating any prix fixe dinners with her boyfriend this Valentine's Day when you read more.

What are some of your favorite/least favorite tech and/or gaming trends?
I'm very excited about 3-D entering into gaming. And technology like NATAL, where you're wholly and "physically" present in a virtual world, is so exciting, I can't wait to see what people develop for it. I also like the fact that casual gaming is experiencing a resurgence, I think that it will get a lot more people playing. I'm not crazy about the whole "watch this cut scene of stiff puppets with bad acting," but I think that is indicative of a larger trend that will be melding games and movies more and more. For that I'm excited.

Have you ever been served a geeky pick-up line? What are some of your favorites?
I don't remember a lot of pick up lines, I do get a lot of references to my hair and skin color, and someone offered to be my "WOW husband" over Twitter the other day. I guess for in-game only? Yeah, that was odd.

Are there any gadgets that you just can’t live without?
I love my Kindle. I'm a book lover and I didn't think I'd love it, but I eat up books on the thing. The convenience of ordering a book and have it downloaded instantly is fantastic. I really like the little chatpad I have for my Xbox controller because I can't type on it otherwise, and I love my DS for plane trips. Oh, and my iPhone for the Yelp App, so I never lack for a good cup of coffee in a strange city.

Do you ever Google yourself to keep up on what fans are saying?
I don't think there's a way for me to not hear what fans are saying, between Twitter and Facebook and Google Alerts etc; etc; It definitely keeps you humble, but it also keeps me going because I hear first-hand that people enjoy what I do. Or not. That's the great thing about the Internet, everyone has an opinion and a venue to express it.

What will you be doing this Valentine’s Day?
I will be doing a fan convention in Maryland. My boyfriend and I actually don't celebrate it, it's kind of a manufactured holiday to sell greeting cards and bad chocolates, right? And I think holiday prix fixe menus are a scam. As you can see I'm a romantic, haha.

Don't miss a thing - check out the rest of our Geeks We Love coverage all week!

Source: The Bui Brothers

I'm Gearing Up For Hot Black Friday Deals From Target

GeekSugar — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 07:33:08 -0800

If you're headed out to get your Black Friday shop on this week and are in need of some game action, you better check out Target first!

I love my Xbox 360, and my favorite big-box store is offering up their stock of Elite Black Xbox 360s in a few choice bundles. You can pick up the 120GB version with a controller and two games (Pure and Lego Batman) for $300. If you need a bit more for your buck, pick up the Call of Duty bundle which includes the 250GB black Xbox 360, two controllers and your own copy of Call of Duty for $400. Bonus - each bundle comes with a $50 Target gift card!

To see what other Target deals I have my eye on, just read more.

Mini Ninjas DS vs Xbox 360 Smackdown: Which Is Better?

GeekSugar — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 09:06:44 -0700

You already know about my addiction to Mini Ninjas, which I played on the Xbox 360 at this year's E3, but did you know that this game also came out on other platforms? I haven't tested out the Wii or PS3 editions, but I have been able to get my hands on both the Xbox 360 and DS versions to test and play.

As you may know, not all games are created equal on all platforms. Just take Tomb Raider Underworld for example - although the game is entertaining on both the DS and Wii consoles, when push came to shove, I much preferred the DS version of the game for its controls and fun factor. So where do these two versions of the same game stand? Find out when you read more.

Everything I love about the Xbox 360 version of Mini Ninjas - the painfully cute graphics, the music, and the easy and intuitive control system - is missing on the DS version. It's a given that the graphics on the DS will never match up to that of the Xbox, but honestly, this is a major part of what gives Mini Ninjas its charm. Even the music of the Xbox version (a nice and calming soundtrack) gets ramped up to a beat-driven tune in the DS version. I'm not sure why this particular change was made, but I'm not sure I like it.

Overall, the Xbox version of Mini Ninjas is superior in nearly every way (well you gotta give some credit to the DS here - at least you can take it with you on the road), but if I were investing and had a choice, I'd go for the Xbox version here.

Tech Dating 101: I Like Him, I Hate His Video-Game Obsession

GeekSugar — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 10:13:52 -0700

In our Tech Dating 101 series, we've already tackled issues surrounding the nude photos you found on his laptop, his female-dominated address book, and his annoying CrackBerry addiction. But what's a girl to do when he just can't get enough of his video games? OK, I know I'm probably not the best person to answer this, but I can give you a few pointers on how to deal.

There are a few variables to take into consideration here. Find out what they are when you read more.

Variables like how long you've been together, if he still makes you feel loved and appreciated, or if he just wants you to join him in a quick round of Mario Kart on a Saturday night. But if he's blowing you off to stay at home and play World of Warcraft 24/7, or is actually losing sleep or missing work because of his gaming habits, then he may be a video-game addict who needs some professional help. Overall, if he's just a casual gamer, you may just have to give in and befriend the Xbox controller after all.

Do you have a Love 2.0 questioned you want answered? Join the Tech Dating 101 because we understand that love and dating are stressful, and the Internet and social networking sites can just make things worse. You never know, your question could be featured on GeekSugar! Here's a detailed guide to posting questions or posts to groups if you are new to the PopSugar Community.

Eidos Pulls Out All the Stops For Batman Arkham Asylum

GeekSugar — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 09:05:25 -0700

Although I haven't had a chance to dive into the full release version of Batman: Arkham Asylum since it landed in my mailbox on Monday, I did get a taste of the action while at E3. From the 15 minute demo that I witnessed, I can tell you that the game is kinda creepy, but totally awesome. . . especially when you're playing in combat mode.

But before I can divulge any details about the game, I have to give some props to publisher Eidos - Arkham Asylum came packaged with my very own emergency straitjacket kit! You know, just to make sure that if things get out of hand while I'm playing, someone can subdue me properly. Nice touch!

Batman: Arkham Asylum starts with you trapped in (what else?) Arkham Asylum, trying to track down The Joker who is plotting your demise with the help of a gang of fellow inmates. Combat is in a free flow style, which means if you combo moves and hits, you can max out your experience and kick major butt with power moves. The controls were nice and smooth, and were easy to get the hang of. But some of the best parts about the game are the stealth and detective modes. Learn more about these features and others when you read more.

In detective mode, you can see through walls with a special visor to detect heat signatures, fingerprints, and even smell cigarette smoke and alcohol on the breath of your enemies before they can see you. In Stealth, you can use your silent skills to take down The Jokers' posse without others seeing or hearing. Plus, using your batarang and working with the architecture of the building - like perching on ledges and hanging upside down on poles like a bat - helps you take down your enemies faster, while racking up the skill.

Batman: Arkham Asylum is available now online and in stores for your Xbox 360 and PS3.