Review of Hauppauge WinTV DCR-2650 Dual Tuner Cable Card TV Tuner

Customer Ratings:
List Price: $139.99
Sale Price: $129.03
Today's Bonus: 8% Off

I just received this tuner today, and have had it running for about four hours, so I will edit if I encounter any issues in the next few weeks.

Preliminary review good tuner for its price range. If you don't need the four tuners in the Ceton InfiniTV, or the three tuners in the SiliconDust HDHomeRun Prime, this two-tuner box from Hauppauge is worth the look. As for me, I already had a card for ClearQAM, so I didn't really need more than two tuners. HD quality on my HTPC is equal to the quality from the cable company DVR (which is going back tomorrow!).

First things first don't even mess with the CD in the box, download the latest software and firmware directly from Hauppauge. The firmware has been updated at least twice in the last two weeks, and will probably be updated quite frequently as more features are added.

Following the instructions in the box, installation went smoothly. I did encounter a bit of a hiccup in getting my CableCard activated, but it is a known issue with activating CableCard equipment on Cox's network (short version just ask the tech to send two "cold hits" to your box, about five to ten minutes apart it seemed to work for me).

If your cableco uses SDV / tuning adapters, you may want to wait Hauppauge is still working on getting tuning adapter support. However, I don't, so it was a non-issue for me.

You'll probably want to run a clean line to this box no splitters just to make sure you have sufficient strength and quality of signal.

Overall, my early impression from this box is very favorable. If it continues to work well, I will be recommending that all my friends abandon the cable company DVR and build their own HTPC's.

EDIT 11/8/2011: I've been using the WinTV-DCR-2650 for about two months now. In that time, Hauppauge has released several firmware and driver updates, and the tuner appears to be quite stable now. In the two-month period, I did miss one recording, but that was due to issues with Windows Media Center moreso than the tuner (the tuner and WMC didn't communicate very well on whether I could record a "copy once" flagged channel); the issue was resolved by reconfiguring WMC. If two tuners are sufficient for your needs or you are using in combination with a QAM tuner, I continue to recommend this tuner.

EDIT 3/3/2012: Almost six months since I bought this tuner, and I still highly recommend it. By my calculations, it will have paid for itself in another month over Cox DVR rental rates. The firmware has been stable for about three months.

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I bought this mainly for the price... it was $75.00 cheaper than the HD Homerun Prime by Silicon Dust. It has one less tuner (2 instead of 3) and lacks the network sharing feature of the HD Homerun. Basically, you plug it into the wall, and connect it to your computer (via USB). Then plug a coax in for your cable line. You have to have an M-Card from your cable company. I have Comcast in South Jersey and I was able to go to my local Comcast office and pick up a cablecard free of charge.

Once you plug everything in, you go into Media Center and run through the setup. At one point during the setup, you'll get a screen with three numbers that you have to give to Comcast to activate the card. There's a self-install line that you should call instead of the general number. It's mentioned in another review on here, so search the reviews for Comcast and you should find it.

After I called, I completed the setup in Media Center and I was good except I didn't get any of my premium channels. A follow-up call the same day resolved that issue.

All-in-all, the device worked well for the first few days. Eventually though, I started getting "turner unavailable" messages in Media Center on startup and also while the device had been in use for a few hours. The only solution was to unplug the unit and plug it back in. It's not that big of a deal but if you are buying this to get rid of your cable box (like me), this can get annoying.

In the end, I ended up returning it to Amazon and ordering the HD Homerun Prime. As I said, it costs more but it has an extra tuner (which is nice) and you can view it from any computer on your network (like a slingbox). I didn't think I would need more than two tuners, but if you are recording something and watching something else, you need an extra tuner if you're watching on a second computer. Also, if you want to record two things at the same time and watch tv, you need three tuners.

In sum, it works pretty well with the exception of the error that causes it to loose connection ever now and then. If you are looking for something to use in addition to your cable box (like, for instance, if you only want to use it as a DVR), this is probably your best bet, but if you're looking to replace your cable box, I'd go for the HD Homerun Prime.

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As most of the reviews on these cable card tuners go the tuner itself works great but dealing with the cable company to get it setup was a huge pain. I had to call Comcast around 10 times before they finally got the card paired and initialized correctly at the same time. If you are a Comcast customer don't waste your time calling the normal phone number to setup your card. Call 1-877-405-2298 that is their cable card department and you get connect to a person right away. Most of them still don't seem to know what they are doing but eventually you will get bumped up to tier 2 tech support where your chances are higher. As of now I have all my digital channels working and working well. What they don't make clear in the description is this is a DIGITAL ONLY tuner so if your cable company still has some analog only channels you won't get them with this tuner. All my basic channels are still analog only so I'm going to have to buy a regular tuner so I can pick them up too. Took me a while to figure that out. On the plus side that will give me 3 tuners kind of. Channels changes are about the same speed as my Comcast box which isn't great but at least this isn't even slower. I'm using my xbox 360 as a windows media center extender and that is working well too. Once I get my analog tuner I'll be able to ditch my $18 a month comcast HD DVR box.

update 11/22/11

Just wanted to ad I installed a Hauppauge WinTV-HVR-1250 to take care of my analog basic cable channels and all is working well together. Windows Media Center integrates all three tuners seamlessly. It even knows to record a show using the 1250 if the two tuners on the 2650 are busy automatically.

Update 7/30/12

Just had my first issue with my tuner. For some reason I lost all the channels that require the cable card to receive. Called Comcast twice to try and resolve thinking it had lost its pairing and hoping Comcast had improved but they haven't at all lol. Just for the hell of it before calling the third time I updated my firmware since it claimed to offer better diagnostics and it fixed the issue and I started getting all my channels again for some reason.

Honest reviews on Hauppauge WinTV DCR-2650 Dual Tuner Cable Card TV Tuner

Firmware fixes (2 releases in September) have made this much better, still drops occasionally, but now this with WMC is a viable HTPC and a good vendor STB replacement. Got this a a couple weeks ago, setup was easy; cable card activation a breeze. But after anywhere from 1-30 minutes tuner loses signal (tuner light flashes), WMC freezes, and the the device becomes unknown as a USB device. Half the time the PC then locks up; power cycle of both HTPC and DCR-2650 is required, but then again next time only works for ~10 minutes so wash-rinse-repeat. Opened support case, got essentially a one line response of "updated firmware." That would have been my first troubleshooting step but from 8/22-8/30 (first week I had the device) there was no updates on their support page. Firmware update (from 8/30) has NOT fixed the issue. Only saving grace is that it looks like it heavily based on the SiliconDust HDHomeRun Prime which has reports of similar experiences, and they seem to be actively pushing out beta firmware to address these issues. Hopefully Hauppauge will quickly leverage SiliconDust's work to get functional units. Has promise, but in its current state unusable. I had to break down much of my HTPC and extender infrastructure and just revert to provider issued STB to placate family.

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I bought the Hauppauge Win-TV 2650 because Amazon had the best price and I am cheap. First, I have it up and running and want to pass on some information to help others.

If you have Time Warner Cable and the local office doesn't have the cable card ($2.50 a month) and free tuner adapter (required by my TWC) order it first when you order the Win-TV 2650. My cable card and tuner adapter came UPS from NC to NY. That way you won't lose any time hooking everything up when you get your Win-TV 2650. The Win-TV 2650 box says no remote, most reviews at Amazon and other sites says no remote. It does come with a remote and it works great. The IR receiver is built into the Win-TV 2650. At the time it was with-out remote because of 2011 Black Friday specials. So don't buy a remote.

Follow the guide that comes with your Win-TV 2650 and the instructions that you get with the Cable card and tuning adapter. Don't use the CD that comes with your Win-TV 2650. Go to Hauppauge web support page and download the latest software/firmware versions. I also installed the beta from their web site. In order to get HD channels the tuning adapter has to be used. Both cable card and tuning adapter need to be plugged into your computer with USB cable provided. I am using a 3-way cable splitter so that I have direct access to my TV, Win-TV 2650 and tuning adapter (my adapter is a Cisco STA1520). Time Warner Cable broadcast their channels thru SDV (HD) and this is why you need the tuning adapter. Otherwise you get a lot of channels but no HD channels.

The tech support, Barbara at TWC 1-866-606-5889; George at Hauppauge 1-631-434-3197 know what they are doing in their respective area. I spend approximate 2 hours total from hook-up, cable card activation and tuner adapter connectivity. Everything works and just love watching HD and the ability to record programs that I want to watch later. Just a note, the remote that came with the Win-TV 2650 stopped working and Hauppauge had me run the exe program in the downloaded zip file wintv-dcr-2650_ver_29310 .zip in a folder named IR and the program called WinTV-DCR-2650-IR.exe this will get your remote working.

I wrote most of this about 2 weeks ago and I am still having no issues other than WMC 7 in full screen locks the cursor so if you have dual monitors you need to make WMC smaller if you want to use the cursor on main monitor.

I have a Sceptre 23" HDTV, Samsung 22" monitor a WD Media player hooked up using a 3 to 1 way HDMI switch, model number: PET0301S ( which I bought from Amazon) so I can use HDMI for best picture.

Toy Soldiers Review

Customer Ratings:

I got this for $2.49 and that price point will affect my review.

Toy soldiers is a tower defense game-except the player has the ability to man the towers. The variety of towers in the game isn't much. There are only 5 tower types, but you get the option to upgrade them 3 times as the game progresses. The player also has the option of commandeering extra units like planes, tanks and a sniper tower that can effect the outcome. There are enough enemy types to keep you busy and strategizing on what towers should be built.Boss fights are a bonus. The scenarios can get repetitive but overall a very good game for $2.49. 8/10.

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Bought this on sale for 2.50$ and worth the cost. While this is a STEAM game it also has GFWL in it. However as of last patch the option to play without it has been added, however the game will not launch if your STEAM account is in offline mode, so you still must have internet at all times which is why I rated this game only 4 instead of 5.

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It's a lot of fun for a tower defense game but it rightfully gets its 9.99 price for it's lack of content. It's a fun game to come back to when your bored.

Honest reviews on Toy Soldiers

I was big into Computer Games in the Past. They had great Story Telling Adventures. I bought this Game and Have not Played it hardly at All. I will enjoy it because it part of my Library. I would say it is a good game.

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I played through the levels. the replay is just more enemy troops coming at you... I found it very hard to move the tanks around...then again they are wind up versions on WWI tanks...

Review of Xbox 360 - Charging Station

Customer Ratings:

This charging dock is excellent and comes with two batteries for use with it. The one thing that you should know prior to buying this is that it takes special battery packs. You cannot charge your existing battery packs on this charger because the charger has to make a connection with the back of the packs. There is a metal piece on the back of the batteries that must make contact to provide a charge. They work great and I love this product but I wanted to let people know what I found.

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I received an XBox 360 for Christmas 2010, and I quickly became weary of the idea of having to repeatedly buy AA batteries to keep my controllers functioning.

I purchased this product a year ago from a local electronic's store for $29.99 without knowing anything about the brand or the brand's products.

In no way do I regret the decision to buy this product. Intec took into consideration every possible factor that needs to be considered when purchasing a controller charger, and they greatly exceeded all of my expectations. A year later, this product is still running as great as it did with its first use, despite being used for nearly 100 charges.

The dock itself matches the aesthetic features of 360 controllers (the black and white ones at least), and the console itself. Though the entire shell is black, there is a silver lining adorning the front of the product, and the lights that illuminate when charging a controller glow in a green that matches the light that glows from the 360 console.

Underneath the dock is an indentation where the power cord can be stored if you are packing this item up and taking it on vacation or just to a friend's house, so there is no excuse to lose the cord. The end of the cord that you plug into an outlet is also small, and allows you to plug in other devices right next to it or on the top or bottom of it in a wall outlet or in a surge protector.

The back of the dock includes a power switch, which I thought was great for the power-saving aspect. Just remember to check and see if it is switched on when attempting to charge your controllers.

The top of the dock where the actual controller cradles are is crafted nicely, and the two slots serve as a great stand for controllers when you are not playing your console, whether your are charging them or not. Both controllers fit on the dock at the same time, though I must mention I only have OFFICIAL MICROSOFT controllers, and I never tried using off-brand controllers such as MADCATZ. I am not sure how this product fares as far as other controllers are concerned.

My favorite feature is the front of the product. When you charge the controllers, the green lights on the dock not only signal that the controllers are charging, but they also identify how many bars of power the batteries in the controllers have. I own many rechargeable docks for other consoles, such as the Wii and 3DS, and I must admit I wish this feature existed with those chargers as well. Of course, the dock also lets you know when the controllers are fully charged, which is when the bars on the front of the dock no longer flash and glow in a solid green.

The 2 battery packs that come with this dock feel exactly the same in the controller as the original battery packs that came with the controller. The charge lasts for what seems like 8-10 hours(I don't know the exact figure because I honestly never think about it since the charge lasts so long), and the batteries hold their charge for prolonged periods of inactivity as well. I once went an entire month without playing the 360, and when I turned on the controller for a few games of Madden, I still didn't need to charge the controller from the last time I played.

I appreciated this product so much that I purchased it for my brother in law this Christmas. This product is definitely worth the $30 price tag, especially when taking the price of batteries into consideration.

The reviewer who gave this product 2 stars must have received a faulty product. Trust me, this is a great deal. Although I did notice this seems to be more difficult to find, so I'm hoping Intec hasn't ceased production.

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Comes with everything you need to make wireless controllers into re-chargable wireless controllers. I was tired of going through so many batteries. This works great and was less expensive than many other chargers and this one came with the batteries to charge! Highly reccomended.

Honest reviews on Xbox 360 - Charging Station

This charging system really works nice and has saved alot of batteries.. I play games quite a bit and this works nicely....

This was a great purchase from Amazon.com

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Looked good enough quality wise, but the lower charging station quit working two weeks into the purchase. The lower charging station two weeks later. Cheap price, now I know why. Would not recommend this product.

Street Fighter Alpha Anthology - PlayStation 2 Reviews

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List Price: $19.99
Sale Price: $11.92
Today's Bonus: 40% Off

The Alpha Anthology, is so far the best port of any Street Fighter collection. It includes five games (SF Alpha, Alpha 2, Alpha 2 Gold, Alpha 3, and Gem Fighter), as well as two unlockable games (Hyper SF Alpha and a "bonus" version of SF Alpha 3).

The graphics and music of the five titles are perfect, just like the original arcade games themselves. If you have a wide-aspect ratio TV, you'll be treated to full arcade goodness if not, you can modify the aspect ratio so that it fits a standard TV. Controls are also flawless, much like those of the Anniversary Collection.

The unlockable games are as follows:

"bonus" SF Alpha 3: It's SF Alpha 3 with more fighting styles, and all (most?) the Street Fighter characters, drawn Alpha-style. This includes characters that have never before made it into Alpha games like Balrog and Fei Long, and some that are brand new. When played alone, this game is very difficult.

Hyper SF Alpha: Very similar to SF Alpha 3 (in fact, I'm not sure what the exact differences are, in terms of gameplay), but can only be played against another opponent. Includes the same characters as "bonus" SFA3.

In addition, all Alpha games include a Versus mode with full win/loss tallying, a Dramatic Battle mode in which two players (Human/Human or Human/CPU) simultaneously take on a single CPU player and a Survival mode, which places you against opponent after opponent, refilling only a portion of your life bar after each match.

To sum it up, the Alpha Anthology is the best SF collection Capcom has released. Here's to hoping that the Darkstalkers and Marvel series will follow a similar suit.

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The Street Fighter Alpha series has always been a fun variation on the tried and true Street Fighter series. The game play here is on level with with pretty much all of the other SF games (Capcom has rarely failed to live up to the expectations they have been shouldered with after creating such an amazing franchise) so there's nothing to worry about here.

The reason this game gets a 3 star rating instead of a 4 or 5 is because of the content they have included and excluded. Capcom has already shown that they know how to do a proper anthology set with both the Mega Man anthology and the Street Fighter anthology. However, with SSAA, there is no promo material to view, no real extras at all. All you get are more characters, more game modes that vary only the slightest bit from all of the other games.

The largest disappointment is the lack of a World Tour mode in Street Fighter Alpha 3. The original console releases for PSX and Saturn included a gameplay addition called World Tour mode, which allowed you to travel the globe fighting different opponents but under specific challenging circumstances. You might face two Guiles, and only be able to hurt them with special attacks, or need to get a perfect when facing a rush of Rolentos in order to advance. This was not only a great way to practice and hone your skill outside of arcade mode and training, but also allowed you to power up and further customize your character, save it and use it in regular matches.

Instead of including this or any promo material, or worthwhile bonuses we are given hidden versions of the game that are absolutely meaningless. Instead of simply including the extra characters in the original game, or giving us fighting style options, they provide two games that are incredibly superfluous. One is Street Fighter Alpha 3 Upper, which is SFA3, with a few more characters (who could have easily been included in the original SFA3) as well as Hyper Street Fighter Alpha. HSFA does exactly what I suggested earlier, in that it allows you to switch playing style between the 3 games. The fact that an entire extra game was included because of this is a waste.

Ultimately, this is a great collection. The games are fun. The characters are a blast and interesting. The art direction is superb and the graphics hold up surprisingly well for a 2d fighter. The mechanics of the game are wonderful to learn and utilize and it would take you months to "master" the entire roster of characters. While I realize this seems like a very negative review, the game is absolutely wonderful. However, I can not hide my dissapointment with their failure to do the Alpha series justice, like were able to successfully do with Mega Man and SSFII.

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My favorite game in the entire catalog of games available across all consoles and arcade machines is Street Fighter Alpha 3. My PSOne copy was one of my most prized possessions and unfortunately for me, it got stolen and I immediately sought a replacement. Of course, nowadays getting a good copy of SFA3 is challenging in many respects so in my search I stumbled upon Street Fighter Alpha Anthology. This discovery led to the following comparison points:

1) This is a much cheaper alternative than the original PSOne version of SFA3 and of course, it is new.

2) This is a PS2 game, which offers better compatibility with my PS2 Slim. I play some old-school PSOne games on that console and sometimes it has a little trouble reading the older disks.

3) The PS2 disk has several of my favorite fighting games piled together.

THE OLD STUFF WE LOVE.

The characters have not changed their appearance at all in each of the corresponding games in the disk and their moves have remained intact. Also, the timing and rhythm of the fights is the exact same found in the original releases of the games featured. Costume changes, secret characters and levels, cheats, character stages, super combo finish screens, game options, among other goodies we love from the old games are there. Most of the original music is featured except in SFA2, where in some levels the music is the same but with different sounds and this is not a big deal at all. The story-lines, the rivalries, and the character endings are the same as in the original games as well.

SURPRISES?!

Yes, some things have changed. If I am good at any game, it would be any of the games in the Alpha series so believe me when I spot little differences from the original in terms of gameplay, artificial intelligence, graphics, music, you name it. Across all games, the first thing you notice is how much more difficult it is to fight the CPU than in the original games. Even at the highest difficulty I was able to dominate the CPU except a few characters (Shin Akuma, Evil Ryu, and sometimes Zangief) in my PSOne version of Alpha 3 for instance. In Anthology, every round is a struggle for survival and a great challenge and I love it. I haven't felt so challenged by a fighting game in a long time and this increased difficulty is quite delightful. Also delightful is the amount of game modes you can unlock to eventually get all the game modes featured in all of the original games and more (such as the Hyper Street Fighter Zero, Dramatic Battle Survival Mode, among others). Ironically, most of the changes have been done in the latest installment of the series, SFA3. I am sorry to say that the World Tour Mode is gone and with it, the ability to customize your character and use it in battle. Also gone are the vital stats of each character (weight, height, age, etc.) shown when you select your favorite in the original release...very sad because I liked that feature but I'll get over it. In an effort to simplify the game a little bit, the health bar is now of only one solid color (remember how in Alpha 2 and 3 the health bar when full spans from green to yellow?...now it is solid yellow), which is ok with me. The animation for each of the hits onscreen has changed across all games, making each of the hits more noticeable with a starburst effect when they land on the opponent whether he/she is guarding or not (this is a cool improvement I think because the hits look more dramatic). Some of the entrance animations of some of the characters have changed slightly but in a good way, giving the characters a fresher look right before the fight.

Am I happy? Absolutely. This is an excellent compilation of games which features classic fighting action, more challenging gameplay for advanced players and wonderful VS action for those occasions when your friend needs to be taught a lesson.

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Great combination of the Alpha (Zero) street fighter games. Its especially nice to fight both M. Bison and Shin Akuma.

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Like the alpha series? Get this. Very straightforward arcade ports, but just scads of fun to play. I feel the SF series hit it's peak with these games, cool characters, varied fighting styles, and tight, strategic gameplay.

Discount Super Mario All Stars

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Every since the original Nintendo came out, Super Mario Brothers has been a favorite game for many people. The sequels were just a popular, just as much time wasters, and just as much fun.

When Nintendo released their new, better system (which is what, two or three generations old now), they knew they'd have to release these modern classics to convince people to upgrade. But they were smart about it. Instead of releasing them for the Super Nintendo as separate games, making people balk, they took advantage of the better format and released them all on one cartridge, with better graphics to boot. To sweeten the deal, they included "The Lost Levels," a new, harder version of the original Super Mario Bros. not previously available in the states. And they included the ability to save your game or continue on that level when you die, something I greatly missed in the originals.

Ok, I confess, I've never actually beaten any of these games in spite of the combined years I've had them for the original and Super Nintendo's. But I have had loads of fun over the years playing these games. And with four great games on one cartridge, how can you possibly go wrong?

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This game is the best game in my Nes series next to Donkey Kong(1994).You can play Super Mario Bros.(#1),Super Mario Bros.2,Super Mario Bros.3,and The Lost Levels(#4).This game is better than the Nintendo editions since they have better graphics and you can save games!

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I used to love this game when I was a little kid! It's cool because it is actually 4 games on one cartridge! Super Mario Bros., Mario Bros. 2, Mario Bros. 3, and Lost Levels. The best mario is still Super Marioworld though(sold on a separate cartridge.) There isn't much else to say, except these were the good mario games before they came out with the less-than-exceptional N64 ones.

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Super Mario All-Stars can be summed up simply as this: A great revamping effort done by Nintendo that combines the first three Super Mario games as well as a new game, titled The Lost Levels, that had previously only been released in Japan. Super Mario All-Stars is a great addition to an SNES collection, considering you were a fan of the Super Mario series the first time around. The save feature comes in handy at times, giving you four slots per game in which to save your progress. A great play for a real Super Mario fan.

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Super Mario All-Stars has 4 great NES Mario games, along with enhanced graphics, sound, music, and an added save feature! The games are:

Super Mario Bros: The one that started it all! This game is just plain fun!

Super Mario Bros. 2: Japan didn't want to release the real Mario 2 in America, because they thought it would be too hard for us! So they put a Japan-only game named, "Doki Doki Panic" and added Mario characters to it. Although it's the oddball of the series, it is pretty fun!

Super Mario Bros: The Lost Levels: The REAL SMB2. This game is HARD! It's like SMB with some neat twists! You can be Mario or Luigi. Mario has medicore jumping power, but great traction. Luigi has great jumping power, but mediocre traction.

Super Mario Bros 3: Although not my favorite Mario game, [I prefer SMW] this is the best of the four. Mario has some cool powerups, tons of levels, and new challanges!

Got an SNES? Then get this!

Buy Samurai Warriors 2: Empires - PlayStation 2

Customer Ratings:

KOEI is back with yet another Dynasty/Samurai Warrior hackenslash game. This genre is now infamous for its simplistic run around aimlessly killing dumb soldiers until you reach a slightly more difficult to defeat general. The franchise hasn't changed much over the past few years. This is both good and bad. From year to year we are subjected to sequels which are more along the lines of touch up packages. A few added characters, a few added features, and just barely updated graphics. However, recently with there new "Empires" series they seem to be hoping to add an element of strategy to a franchise that as of late has been becoming quite stale.

The game has 2 modes of play. The usual "free" mode which is essentially the pickup and play mode where you select a section of the map then pick your generals and lieutenants (up to 3 of each) then go to battle. Then there's "empire" mode where you become a Japanese feudal lord. You are assigned a fief and from here it is your job to expand your territory. The fun part is that how you do it is up to you. You can use force, diplomacy or trickery as you build your army recruiting new generals, lieutenants, and boosting your number of troops.

During battle you can order your soldiers to protect a base, attack individual bases or generals, and defend another general or even yourself. The best part about this game is that your generals now level up with you and are no longer the sissy's whining for help that they were in the other games. On one occasion my round ended while I was off fighting a rival general my troops had already captured the main camp. Keep in mind that your opponents are no longer slouches either. You'll have to work a little to defeat them as the strength of the characters and AI has been revamped slightly. Formations are used in a rock paper scissors fashion. When they are employed they give you a stat boost however the army using the stronger formation is the only one to receive it.

The game does a good job making you feel like you are in charge of a powerful army. You can trade with China or Western nations; tax the people, train your generals and lieutenants, there are so many options as far as what you can do it would take forever to name them all.

So in summing up this game, SW2 Empires is still an upgrade package. Don't be fooled. It does however improve vastly with a strategy element and AI. So here's a comparison list so that you can make the decision

PROS:

essentially still running off of the Dynasty warriors engine

create a character feature

added strategy element

slightly tougher AI, your army now fights for themselves

CONS:

essentially still running off of the Dynasty warriors engine

not much variety in the battlefield maps

slightly tougher AI, you may have a little difficulty fighting your opponents in the beginning

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When I first played this game, it was over four years ago at an old friend's house. He was really into the samurai genre of games, and he introduced me to this exciting world with this game. Some of you might think it's not a proper introduction, for there are better samurai games out there, but none like this one.

Samurai Warriors 2: Empires is an expansion of the original SW2 game. The gameplay has been changed, with the major addition of the strategic element. You take your pick of famous historical events (such as the Battle of Kawanakajima and the Honnoji Incident)and choose your warrior and clan. The element of button-smashing your way through hordes of enemies is ever present, with few objectives along the way that help you turn the tide of war. Another new feature is the New Officer Mode, in which you can create a character of your own. Additional artwork and movies are unlockable with every progression of the game, which comes to be satisfactory.

Few things I would complain about this game is the lack of diversity and choices in the New Officer creator. One other thing I feel obligated to tell you (and basically warn you about!) is the horrendous voice work. Lame one-liners that will have you laughing at first then flinching in annoyance, to the point you learn to ignore and live with them.

I also feel this game could've been a bit more than it wanted, but for a new concept, it was done exceptionally well. The strategic a la Risk concept give it a good feel, as you impliment all sorts of cunning strategies to develope your clan. Your characters (both player created and in-game stock) level up at a good rate, unlocking more special moves and weapons. If you're into the button-smashing, thousands of enemies on the screen games, this is one worth giving a good look.If you can get over the few things that could've made this game a true gem of its time, SW2 Empires will keep you entertained for hours to come.

Best Deals for Samurai Warriors 2: Empires - PlayStation 2

I'm a big fan of the Dynasty Warriors series ever since my cousins introduced me to Romance of the 3 Kingdoms on nintendo and Dynasty Warriors 2. I love strategy games as well as some basic hack and slash games myself. Samurai Warriors actually was the first of the series to actually add some strategy to its basic hack and slash (Dynasty Warriors had pretty much none). Then they came out with the Empires series. I love this game. I love the fact that battles have to be fought with battle bases rather than just defeat the leader. I also love the fact that I can play with any of the minor Generals as well as create my own. I like the History lesson involved in this game. The game itself is still a basic hack and slash but with better elements such as setting up ambushes, winning over other generals in battle, taking particular bases that have certain effects working for you, formations during battle that give you either a advantage or disadvantage depending on which formation you and your oppenent has, better computer allies, and tougher opponents. Those who get bored with hack and slash elements could miss some of the finer points in this game when it comes to strategy. I look forward to more of the series with new characters and even more strategy while keeping the graphics up to date.. The graphics portion of this game is slightly better than those before but overal it hasn't changed. The sound and voice overs have gotten better(I havent heard Okuni's yet, Her last voice over was horrible!!). This game is great! I think it just keeps getting better. I recomend buying this game to fans of the 3 kingdoms series and Dynasty series as well as someone who wants to try a new game where the every battle isn't predetermined because of its replayability. This is a great game for a time burner as well as trying to achieve total conquest.

This is the best game in the series so far. Lets see what they add next.

Honest reviews on Samurai Warriors 2: Empires - PlayStation 2

skips a bit in opening intro but able to start and game plays perfect. Not bad for a used game.

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I like the strategy involved in this installment. Also enjoy the customization. But after a while it can get monotonous. I prefer Warriors Orochi over the "Empires" games. If you're a strategy person, who likes 3rd person hack & slash however, then it's a good game for you!!

Dead Island Review

Customer Ratings:

Dead Island is 5 times better than Outbreak. No enormous lag time between levels, no frustrating problems with dumb A.I.s, automatic saves for smooth transition from one level to the next. Has a more interesting choice of characters with different skills such as expertise in bunt weapons, firearms, edged weapons, and throwing weapons. Cash and items that can be resold are used to buy better weapons. Large capacity inventory list can hold a lot of items. When one weapon such as a broom stick or hammer is used up throw it away and grab another from inventory or the environment. 1st person game with fabulous graphics design for up close and personal destruction of zombies. The high quality of this game should make Capcom embarrassed for the poor design of Outbreak. Set in a lush tropical resort in Papua, New Guinea, the character I selected wakes up after a night of heavy drinking to a zombie apocalypse. From that point on it's a fight for survival. Not for weak stomachs as destroying zombie with an iron pipe is vivid and bloody. Each type of weapon is rated for destructive power and durability. The inventory controls are a little complicated but after a couple of hours of play can be mastered. Plays flawlessly on a Japanese XBox. I,m putting away Outbreak and playing only this game.

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Ketsui: Kizuna Jigoku Tachi Extra Reviews

Customer Ratings:

I absolutely love Cave's bullet hell games and I nearly got em all for Xbox360

So here is a little review for Ketsui.

This game is real hard, at least for me and I 1cc DDP BL so yeah.

To everyone who loves shmups go and buy it, its worth every cent, you can learn your route through the bullet hell(heaven) and make it to the finish.

The level design is lovely, IGS style, many enemies coming down the way and there are no noticeable slowdown though the game.

The music is metalish and just perfect for this military designed shmup.

Replay value is medium to high.

If you're into shmups go buy it.

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Best Xbox Live 12-Month Starter Kit Deals

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XBox Live is Microsoft's online gaming service that allows gamers from all over the world to interact and play together. As of this writing, there are more than 150 games with XBox Live compatibility (including the dynamic Halo 2 and the popular EA Sports games), and more than 1 million subscribers worldwide. This starter kit includes everything one will need to enter the world of XBox Live: A one-year subscription card and a headset, plus a great game: Crimson Skies (rated Teen for some mild language, violence, and suggestive content). However, there are some things people need to know before they get started on XBox Live.

For one, XBox Live will only work with high-speed Internet connections, such as DSL or cable modems. Dial-up is not supported. There are a handful of options for connecting XBox Live to your high-speed service:

Direct connect is the simplest option. The XBox has an Ethernet jack on its back that takes a standard Ethernet cable. If the XBox is close to your PC, then you can simply disconnect the Ethernet jack from the PC and plug it directly into the XBox.

A better option that saves wear and tear on your cables and ports is to use a router. A router will take your incoming Internet connection and allow it to be split between multiple destinations. You can run one line to your PC, and one to the XBox. I recommend (from personal experience) a Linksys brand router.

Another option is to go wireless. If the XBox and the PC are in different rooms, then going wireless may be the best option, rather than run hundreds of feet of Ethernet cable or drill through floors and walls. Once you set up a wireless network in your house using a wireless router, buy a wireless game adapter and you'll be able to play Live almost anywhere in the house.

The Microsoft Wireless-G XBox Adapter is a good solution (Amazon ASIN: B0000C5FMJ). For a wireless network adapter, look again to Linksys; spend a few extra dollars and go with a wireless-G setup. It's about 5x faster than a wireless-B setup for just a few dollars more.

Once you're set up, logging into Live is pretty easy. Your XBox will do most of the work. Hook up the included headset (for talkback) and you're ready to go. I've played Halo 2 with or against people from literally all over the world; one memorable match was against four Marines somewhere in the Pacific. A warning for parents of kids under 17 or so: The language on Live gets pretty rough, with the "f" word being about as common as breathing.(I've been called things I won't repeat in public). There's little, if any moderation, and when it comes to language, anything goes. (Just a friendly warning).

This package includes a one-year subscription card. Once that expires, one can renew using an XBox Live Subscription card (Amazon ASIN: B00005BPJ5, about $50), or you can extend it with the XBox Live 3 Month Starter kit (about $40, ASIN: B00020DGMC; it also includes a headset, so you'll have a spare). Some games (such as Halo 2) include 2-month free trial cards, which you can also use to extend an existing account.

I hope this review was helpful.

--Christian Wheeler, gamer and games retailer

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I'm not going to comment on whether you should get Xbox Live. If you have an Xbox and a high-speed Internet connection, then Xbox Live is a must-have product. That much I think is obvious.

The real question is, "Is this the product I should buy to get Xbox Live?" The answer is a resounding YES. There are other, less expensive, ways to get Xbox Live. For example, you could just subscribe with a credit card directly from your Xbox, at $50/year. But then you wouldn't have the headset, and I think Xbox Live without a headset is pointless. You also wouldn't get a free copy of Crimson Skies, which is an excellent game.

Purchased separately, the contents of this kit would cost you $100, and it gives you everything you need to enjoy Xbox Live for an entire year.

This kit comes with a 12-month subscription card. These cards can be used to start a new account or renew an existing one. Many games also come with 2-month cards. However, those cards cannot be used to renew an account, only to create one. You may already have such a card, or you can get one via eBay for about a dollar. Use the 2-month card to start your subscription, and then apply the 12-month card to renew it. That will give you 14 months for the price of 12.

In addition, if you want to wear headphones while playing Xbox Live games, then I strongly recommend you also get the "Jabra EarWave Boom with Universal 2.5mm connector" (ASIN B00022VUJ6). The Jabra headset fits over your ear, and you can comfortably wear headphones over it. The headset that comes with this Xbox Live kit is clumsy and fragile, and can't be worn with headphones.

Best Deals for Xbox Live 12-Month Starter Kit

I just got an x-box last night with star wars: knights of the old republic. the system is great and the game is addicting. but I had an itch for something more. I went out and purchased x-box live (w/12 month subscription and crimson skies) and star wars battlefront. this is just to get me ready for the arrival of halo 2. it's great being able to play with so many other gamers from all around the world. no more having to have a friend come over to play multi-player. now I have multiplayer at my disposal at any given time. if you have an x-box and enjoy multiplayer games, this is a must for you. also, the price was great with all the other components that come along with it (game, headset, card).

Honest reviews on Xbox Live 12-Month Starter Kit

if you bored playin with your brother this is the best thing to get you can play with your friends, join big games its awsome. You can just call your friend and tell him just to start playing with you. It is really worth the money it even comes with an awsome game called "crimson skies" witch is also another 5 stars

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I recently got this for Christmas and it was well worth it. You get a game($15), headset($30), and 12-month subscription card($40). Add that all up together and thats about $90 but you only have to pay roughly around $50-60 depending upon where you buy it. My friend has the same headset and he's had Xbox Live alot longer that me and it's still working even after a few altercations. I have yet the game but I'm sure it will only be average since it's a bonus thing(the subscription card is in the game case).

Before you can play Xbox Live you have to either get an ethernet cable to run from a router connected to your computer to the Xbox or a wireless adapter to plug into your Xbox. The adapter is alot more expensive but it allows you to play a farther distance. I bought one from Wal-Mart for about $80.

After you've purchased whichever means your going to use to get onto xbox live you go through the desktop and then follow the instructions. You will create a unique gamertag, pass code, provide your information(address, phone #, credit card #, & email). After that your now another addition to the growing community of xbox live.

Best Microcon Wireless Controller - Xbox Deals

Customer Ratings:

I purchased this for my son two weeks ago and so far it has held up well. He has gone through two other wired controllers which I didn't like from the start. I'm not sure how long this one will last but so far I like the controller as much as one I purchased for myself at more than twice the price. Nice compact size even for adult hands.

ADDITIONAL:

I've had 4 of these now and my joy over them has gone down significantly. Two have died and of the remaining two, one will stop functioning for many seconds then start working again. Perhaps this is caused by two conrollers attempting to share the same signal, but it doesn't really matter, it's a pain. For the price there's not many other choices, so go ahead and get one but hold on to your reciept.

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This wireless controller works remarkably well. The setup is little more than a wired controller--stick in the receiver, make sure the channel on the receiver and the controller are the same...and be sure to put the batteries in the controller. It sits in your hands much as the old Nintendo 8-bit controller used to, but has all of the Xbox controls. Great for anybody that finds the full-size Xbox controllers a bit cumbersome and hand-wearying.

Best Deals for Microcon Wireless Controller - Xbox

The MadCatz wireless controller for xbox works great, is easy to set up and the smaller size vs the standard MS control fits easier in the hand. (Though, maybe that's just because I was used to the Playstation control). Been playing COD Big Red One all week with it since I got it and it rocks

Honest reviews on Microcon Wireless Controller - Xbox

Same story here: garbage analog switches. Mine lasted about a month, and it's now unusable. While I should have learned my lesson by now with 3rd party controllers, it was worth a risk for $5 off the Target clearance aisle. Sure the other buttons and the wireless capability are fine, but a controller with a busted analog stick is a complete failure in my opinion.

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We bought these controllers for my daughter's gamecube at first, the kids liked them so much, I bought 2 more. That was 6 months ago. They still work great!!

Then my son got Xbox for his birthday, I bought another madcatz controller wireless for it, he loves it. So I bought another one. They are awesome for little hands (age 6 & 7), and fits mom's hands too. Buy it , you won't regret it!!!!!!!

Reviews of Rockstar Games Collection Edition 1 - Xbox 360

Customer Ratings:
List Price: $59.99
Sale Price: $52.50
Today's Bonus: 12% Off

It's a great deal 4 games (pretty good ones too) for the price of one.

But be aware of Amazon's price fluctuation. I decided to buy the product on Amazon for $39.99, after seeing it in stores for $49.99. The day after I purchased it, I went back online to check the order for shipping progress, and I saw the same product I just bought the day before now listed at $49.99. It jumped $10 as soon as bought it. And now writing this review a week or so later, the price is again up to $59.99.

So just be aware that if you see the great deal you'd want, go buy it right away!

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I bought this for a gift and the person who get this gift was so excited that he yelled me THANKSSSSSS SO MUCH in my ears !

Best Deals for Rockstar Games Collection Edition 1 - Xbox 360

4 amazing games that will keep you occupied for dozens of hours each!

Red Dead Redemption and GTA are well known hits. Those two games alone are worth it!

The biggest surprise for me came from L.A. Noire. I've heard some good things about the game but didn't expect to find the content so enjoyable. The game is well paced and the "cases" are intriguing and entertaining. They'll suck you in until the very end. Great addition for anyone who enjoys a solid story-based game.

Midtown Madness is, in my opinion, your typical street racer. If you like racing games then this is a nice bonus! The controls are smooth and the game isn't terribly difficult. The amount of vehicles they offer for customization is impressive.

Great deal overall. Would like to see more Xbox bundle like this!

Honest reviews on Rockstar Games Collection Edition 1 - Xbox 360

it contained what it advertised and its a fun buy. Albeit challenging, but what good game comes without a challenge?

Best PlayStation 3 160GB System with Ratchet & Clank Future: A Crack in Deals

Customer Ratings:

I can tell you through experience there is no better value out there right now in gaming consoles. I have the 120 gb version of this product and I paid $300.00 just for that and the 6 axis controller. The internet hook up was fast and easy. You're online almost instantaneously which means I often check emails using the ps3 instead of my desktop Vista PC which takes 5 minutes or more to get on line. I'd recommend a Standard USB Keyboard ($10.99 w/super saver shipping) for typing in text while surfing or signing up for the Playstation Network because it's way faster than using the 6 axis controller. The photo section of this product got no press in the promo but it is world class. You just plug your digital camera into one of the usb ports, download some software from the internet for free by prompt and you have 4 different versions of slide shows featuring the music you upload to the ps3 or the music that comes with the software, your choice. I haven't tried uploading videos. The graphics are just stunning on my 720p Plasma. There is no better gaming console for graphics than the PS3. With these two games, 'Ratchet & Clank' & 'SingStar Dance Party Pack', I think you have a super compelling family value. The Wii I don't know, I returned mine because of internet connectivity issues,(no pppoe support for ethernet connections). I can tell you through experience you'll have no such issues with the ps3 and your graphics will be much better because of the HDMI hookup and the NVIDIA graphics engine. The 6 axis controller is a quality controller that should afford years of trouble free service and right now you can buy another one for $40.00 if you want a backup or need to play two people at a time. If you're into the motion control fad you can purchase a move controller/eye camera package with 'Sports Champions' for under $100.00 but in all honesty I don't think you're missing much. I have one and use it occasionally but the 6 axis controller is really where it's at for me. You should get an HDMI cable with this. It's essential for the highest resolution picture. Amazon sells a good 6 footer for $6.99 and no additional shipping. Additional nice things to have though not essential would be the extra controller as mentioned previously, a Nyko 2 controller charge station($17.99),(charges two 6 axis controllers without a usb cable and is the best charger available), and the USB keyboard also previously mentioned. This is a fantastic deal on a quality package. Get it for your kids but know that as an adult you made a decision based on quality that will pay dividends for years to come. According to my watt meter this product only draws about 70 watts when playing disc based 720p video games. I was surprised by that being that the product is rated at 230 watts. I tested it on a 32 inch and a 42 inch television and the watt draw was about the same.

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This is my first Amazon review. I am making this review as somewhat of a "guide" for people who are thinking of purchasing this bundle and need help deciding. I hope whoever reads this finds it informative and helpful!

What you are looking at here is the Playstation 3 160GB Amazon family bundle. It comes with a PS3 160GB, Ratchet & Clank: A Crack In Time, SingStar + Dance Party Pack, and $25 in credit on Amazon's video game store.

As the title implies this is definitely a good bundle for anyone that wants a more family oriented experience. But we all know that PS3 is considered a hardcore gaming console because of it's raw power, so the bundle is also good for getting started and getting some nice sweet little extras. The two games that come with it along with the $25 in credit total are worth around $91 so you will easily be able to get at least one or two new PS3 games from Amazon and selling or trading in the included games if you wish.

Ratchet & Clank: A Crack In Time is the final third chapter in the Ratchet & Clank Future series, the first two being Tools Of Destruction and Quest For Booty. Before you pass on Ratchet & Clank I highly recommend you give it a try even if you are not a platform gamer. I am not a platform gamer but I have highly enjoyed the Ratchet & Clank series. It may be a family friendly game but it is hilarious (they are constantly whipping joke after joke) and a blast to play with tons of hidden stuff to find. I am living proof that probably just about anyone who bought this bundle could get into the game.

SingStar + Dance Party Pack may be another story. Initially I planned to sell it which you could do and get good money for it on Ebay, but I decided to keep it in case my girlfriend wanted to play it or we had friends over, whatever. Looking on the back of the case once I received the bundle I realized that there were actually some pretty good songs on it and it has the ability to download new songs from PSN. It does include two microphones as well and a USB adapter to connect both mics. The mics are well made and good quality. They fell heavy and as well-made as a professional mic in your hand, honestly. Still I know a lot of hardcore gamers looking at this bundle or a lot of other people are not going to be interested in this game. Like I said it can be sold for a good price if you leave it unopened.

Then there's the PS3 system itself. Unlike bundles we're used to seeing, it's not a bundle that actually comes with Ratchet & Clank and SingStar bundled in the PS3 box. Rather Amazon takes a big box and puts a normal PS3 160GB in it and packages a copy of Ratchet & Clank and SingStar along in the big box with the PS3 box. A fair word of warning (if it matters to anyone) that this PS3 does not come with a Blu-ray disc with previews and videos of movies and PS3 games. Not too big a deal but I rather liked those discs which came with all my previous PS3 units I bought new. The normal stuff comes with the PS3 160GB you'd normally expect in a PS3 package...The unit itself, AV cables (HDMI cable still sold separately), Dual Shock 3 SIX AXIS controller, power adapter, and paperwork.

So all in all if you are looking at starting out on a PS3, switching to one, or upgrading from a fat model, this bundle is perfect. There are other bundles that were available for Black Friday with better games and a movie that are probably harder to find now, but that doesn't mean you can't sell or trade the included games and then use the $25 in credit on Amazon's video game store toward new games...Although the Ratchet & Clank game is a generally very good game that most people who bought this bundle would want to keep I would think.

On another note, surprisingly enough, the $25 in credit can also be used toward accessories. Anything in th video game store that is shipped and sold by Amazon. I used mine on a brand-new copy of Borderlands and a brand-new PSP car charger. The total order ended up being $0.66 Hard to beat. :)

That's it for the PS3 160GB Amazon family bundle. I hope whoever is looking into this bundle now will have a much better idea of what it's all about and whether they wish to get it or not.

For Microsoft fans I recommend the Xbox 360 2010 Holiday bundle. $299.99 for a slim 250GB Xbox 360 and two completely awesome games, Forza Motorsport 3 and Alan Wake. http://www.amazon.com/Xbox-360-250GB-Holiday-Bundle/dp/B0047Y9BGE/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1291865481&sr=8-3

For Nintendo fans I recommend the limited edition red Nintendo Wii bundle. At $199.99 this Wii looks awesome in hot red and comes bundled with Wii Sports and New Super Mario Bros Wii. Both are entertaining and fun right out of the box! http://www.amazon.com/Wii-Hardware-Bundle-Red-Nintendo/dp/B0045FEEAS/ref=sr_1_2?s=videogames&ie=UTF8&qid=1291865704&sr=1-2

~Tiger

Best Deals for PlayStation 3 160GB System with Ratchet & Clank Future: A Crack in

This bundle is really great deal especially if you plan to get a PS3.

At first I wouldn't pay $300 for the PS3 because to be it is very expansive until I saw this bundle. I bought one mainly because of this bundle!

It comes with a LOT of stuff: SingStar the game, 2 microphones, Ratchet and Clank,a $25 gift certificate and of course the PS3.

The SingStar game is really fun and it comes with 2 microphones and its great for parties and those who love to sing. The songs are also really nice.

The Ratchet and Clank game is also a really great adventure game.

The $25 online gift is really nice because you can get a game of your choice.

Of all the deals this is the best deal for the holidays on a PS3 as you are getting a $40(SingStar) + $30(RatClank) + $25 Bonus = $95 worth of stuff and a PS3 for the price of $300 (the price most people paid for the console itself).

In Addition if you pay with a master card you get 2 day shipping for Free!

The PS3:

Pros:

1. Awesome graphics for games and can watch Blu ray and DVD movies.

2. Free Internet.

3. Lots of games to choose from.

4. You can download demos and try them out before you buy the game.

5. The controller is wireless.

6. Can play with many people and have a party.

Cons:

1. It is a little big compared to other consoles of the past but still a good size (PS2, Gamecube, etc).

2. Internet can be confusing to set up for some people depending on what internet modem you have.

I'm happy with this PS3 bundle and I recommend it to all those who are looking to buy a PS3 for themselves or to give as a gift. It is an Excellent Deal!!

Honest reviews on PlayStation 3 160GB System with Ratchet & Clank Future: A Crack in

I was impressed by the quickness and accuracy of my order. Good job Amazon.com!!! The Playstation 3 is a great system. Graphics are great and so is the sound. Not really into the Dance and sing from Singstar, but the Ratchet and Crank games was ok. Being able to go online and check my emails, youtube and Facebook comes in handy on the PS 3 system. Worth the money to invest.

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I must say during the holiday season it was quite difficult choosing a PS3 bundle. Reason being there were so many options available, but I must say the AMAZON family bundle is really the best choice. Sing Star is really a fantastic family activity game that both adults and kids can enjoy alike also Ratchet and Clank is a great action adventure game to get started with this consol. I would advise anyone looking for a PS3 to purchase this bundle, its still available at AMAZON right now, but for how long is the question. In addition to the great games and USB microphones which are included this bundle offers savings of $70.00 which is a total of 23% of the cost of the system. Again I would like to say I'm totally satisfied thus far with this package and would recommend it to anyone.

Review of Guitar Hero World Tour - Xbox 360 (Game only)

Customer Ratings:
List Price: $39.99
Sale Price: $10.52
Today's Bonus: 74% Off

World Tour is more like a five city peruse. Unlike Rock Band 2 which will lead you so deep into the music underground that you never return, the New Guitar Hero is so short you can complete it in three nights. As for the music, the mix is incredible but perhaps too much so. There are scores of songs you will never have heard of and others that you'd rather not hear again. The diversity is swallowed up by this unusal swamp of rift heavy tunes. The increase in difficulty is meant for the hard core players but it kills the fun for everyone else. I was happy to see the absence of a tamborine on the vocals but the singing is a little less obvious as to how it works.

As for the storyline, you get to travel from one unique stage to another and are constantly surprised by the stunning visuals. Lead singers and guitarists are unlocked easily as are the mega songs they are known for. I only wish the storyline was longer and more involved.

The music studio was a great idea but it is so complicated that I can only imagine a small number of people taking full advantage of it. Of those who do we might have a future rocker in the making. It will be fun to find out. I just hate having to wait another full year for the fun to continue.

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To be fair, my opinion of GH:WT is heavily weighted against Rock Band. I own the ION drumkit for Rock Band, and while most of the set operates normally, the two games seems to interpret the signal from a cymbal hit differently.

Specifically, GH:WT registers a hit on the yellow cymbal as a hit on both "yellow" and "orange", thereby counting as a missed hit and reseting your score multiplier. This is, as far as I can tell, true for all of the cymbals (the blue cymbal registers as a hit on both "blue" and "orange", green cymbal registers as "green" and "orange").

I'm forced to wonder if the means the standard Rock Band and Rock Band 2 kits have the same problem.

As far as content, my gut reaction to the game was just that it wasn't as fun as Rock Band. Much of the "good music" available in GH:WT is available in Rock Band, and the few new songs I played seemed to be long, boring choices.

I bought the game for the music creator though, and will have to delve into it more deeply to really appreciate it. Initial reaction though is that it's an overly complicated interface to make what really sound like old .midi files.

All said, I really think the franchises are just aimed at different audiences and if you liked the direction GH3 went, you'll probably enjoy GH:WT's debut into the "full band" experience. Rock Band veterans may be disappointed as it ultimately feels like a step back in design, interface, execution, and music selection.

Best Deals for Guitar Hero World Tour - Xbox 360 (Game only)

I'm a GH nerd, I've enjoyed the series since it hit the 360 but always wanted a little more. I wanted to see some artists in previous editions showcased such as 311, Tool, and Ted Nugent. I tracked the game's development and when I saw those three artist listed I was quite amped for the release. I decided to rent before buying this one; had a gut feeling that this would be the one to kill the series for me.

I was right.

I took the day off from work and threw the disc in. Typical cartoony style menus meaning it looked like hot topic had their hands on it and engineered it for the local 14 yr old "emo" girl. Gag me. But I can overlook that, it's a game after all. After I was done ridiculing the style to my fiance's delight I started playing.

First track I really sunk my teeth into so to speak was Beautiful Disaster by 311. One of my favorite bands and songs, I had wanted this to be on a GH game for a while. On expert it was an absolute blast to play! Note placement, timing, tempo it all felt sooooo right. I was thinking I should just go buy the game at that moment.

The next few tracks were lack luster and uninteresting to my, all were given a fair shake but were not actually fun to play. They were pre-cursors to Stanglehold by Ted Nugent.

Stranglehold is a guitar classic. Say what you will about Ted Nugent but that song is rock and roll gold. It's just a bass heavy guitar opus in my opinion. A constant car shaker for me, love the tune. You can imagine how psyched I was. So the song starts off and I notice the guitar doesn't sound right and the note placement doesn't feel natural whatever, it's plastic guitar and it won't be perfect, on to the next part of the song; the massive solo. That is where the game drops a fat turd on your expectations. It's a cover tune. It's not Ted shredding, it's someone else. He's not improvising, he's missing notes all over the place. It sounds AWFUL. A gigantic dissapointment to me.

Now the game has paid out a highly expected track and destroyed another. It's on even ground with me.

The Tool setlist came soon after. I've been a Tool fan for a while, I dig their work and was looking forward. ALL of the tracks felt akward and off in their notation ruining the setlist. The only saving grace was the backgrounds. They were inspired by Tool's album art and videos. Those were absolutely gorgeous; well rendered, changed with the music. Fantastic right? Except for the execution of their tracks which is the core reason to consider a purchase.

I beat the game, the reamining tracks were mediocre. Rise Against had a good track on there and actually turned me on to the band with the song Re-Education through labor. Good stuff.

So I moved onto the music creator, another aspect I was psyched for. It sucks plain and simple. I spent the next day on this music studio. The guitar tracks do not really sound like guitars for the most part. The interface itself is difficult to navigate through. The time/note limits to created tracks are another dissapointment. You are NOT permitted to covered any copyrighted tracks. Why? The RIAA are restricting your fun once again. A rant for another day :)

In general I cannot recomend this to anyone and I own all of the previous Guitar Hero releases. Why the three stars for the fun factor you might ask; I'm a 311 fan and playing Beautiful Disaster was a lot of fun. This one is not worthy of the GH franchise, but it would make for a fierce beer coaster. Pass on this game.

Buy Rock Band 2 instead, check my review for that one.

Honest reviews on Guitar Hero World Tour - Xbox 360 (Game only)

We love this game. My son got it for Christmas. Unfortunately the guitar did not work properly and we had to exchange it. The new one works great! He plays it all the time. It has levels starting from beginner through expert so my son is continually challenged to do better and there are a ton of songs to choose from (both the rock and roll greats from my youth as well as more recent songs--my kids really like the classics best). I always felt my kids are rhythm-challenged and this game seems to be helping them with that. You really need to focus your concentration with this game, so this is another area that the game benefits. We also bought a drum set (Rock-Band brand because we heard the Guitar Hero brand was not very durable) and microphone. So now we have a new fun family game night activity! Now we just have to buy one more guitar so we can have a bass and no-one will need to sit out!

Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Guitar Hero World Tour - Xbox 360 (Game only)

I have been an avid player of music games since even before the Guitar Hero phenomenon began, and I haven't missed a console entry to the series since it began. I also avidly play its competing series, Rock Band, but don't mistake me for preferring one over the other. Each has their strengths and weaknesses, and the GH series has given my family and I much enjoyment over the past few years. That's why it really pains me to say that this is such a let down.

I will begin by saying that I did only rent it, therefore I used my RB drumset (which worked perfectly well, mind you), limiting me from playing them on the five-pad drum set that comes in the boxset and also the new touch-pad guitar. Despite this, I was able to play the game smoothly and enjoy what it had to offer. That's where the problem is: it doesn't have much that is exciting to offer. Almost a quarter of the songs on the disc were included in Rock Band 2, which I have already completed. Also, a very good number of songs on the disc are sung in other languages. I know this creates a challenge for the vocalist, but it robs the fun. Plus, the live version of a long-requested song for the series, Sweet Home Alabama, is terrible. Lastly, many of the other songs are from artists you know but aren't necessarily their best tracks or songs that don't really fit into the GH mold. Love Removal Machine by The Cult, and About A Girl by Nirvana? Really, they're supposed to be fun? On The Road Again? What was Neversoft thinking (And I actually like that song)? The only fun tracks to me, while I know it's subjective, were Hot For Teacher, What I've Done, Freak On A Leash, Hotel California, Crazy Train, Rebel Yell, The Joker, & Beat It. Granted, many of the tracks in the game, while fun, weren't fresh to me because I had downloaded them as RB DLC. This may be okay for the GH fanbase, because many don't own RB. If you've never played RB, you might find some enjoyment in this game; but otherwise, the flawed singing mechanic forces you to sing like a robot if you want to excel, which makes singing a chore. The new Purple String mechanic in Guitar mode makes challenging segments way too easy, and the drum patterns seem easier than RB. The only design change that I really like is the sixth note for the Bass, achieved by simply strumming without pressing a fret; it can keep you on your toes.

I know each product should be judged on its own merits, but Neversoft chose to follow the trail blazed by Harmonix, so comparisons are valid. This leads to my conclusion: Why does Guitar Hero have to become like Rock Band? I enjoy GH because of its challenging guitar play, but why must they try to out-do RB. They could both co-exist, but now I think they will overglut the market, leading to consumers growing tired of them both. I don't need a living room full of different "fake" instruments; I don't have the room. I will give Neversoft credit for attempting a music creator, but its MIDI-like sounds are frankly annoying and for the long haul will only attract the hardest of the hardcore to try and create the most difficult track ever. To its credit, the framerate never once chugged, but distaste for the character models and the abundance of in-game advertising are just small reasons that contribute to the overall reason that I really hate for this game to go so bad. I believe that with RB, GH, and soon-to-be Rock Revolution (don't get me started!), consumers, nationwide, are going to grow weary of music games within the next two years, but I could be wrong.

In closing, buy if you haven't played any Rock Band. The game is fun if you've never played many of the included songs. Otherwise, I would say avoid or, for the curious like me, give it a rent.