Reviews of Speed Racer: The Videogame - Nintendo Wii

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I'm not a fan of the Speed Racer movie, or the old cartoon series, so this review is based on a Wii racing game. I have been looking forward to this game for quite a while based on the idea of a stunt racing game and screen shots of the various tracks, and it certainly lived up to my expectations.

I have gotten several racing games for the Wii system. The latest was Classic British Motor Racing, also based on the screen shots and idea. Unfortunately, the steering controls made the game impossible to play. My first concern then with this game was the controls. I give this game an A++ in that department. The controls aren't too difficult, but sensitive enough to react when needed and precise. Graphics are nice. Typical of a Wii game, but better than GT Pro Series for example. Fun tracks with loops, and awesome colors. All tracks are unique, some more fun, and easier than others.

You can choose to race in championship races, divided into 3 classes. Once you finish class one, you can move on to two, and so on. In the classes, if you finish in the top three, you unlock new characters and tracks. There is an option to form an alliance within the championship races, that help reduce the number of people that attack you. Fun stunts or "car-fu" help you gain position, and score points. You can also pick up some other aid like boosts and speed up places on the track.

You play as characters from the movie. There is dialog from the characters while playing, which adds a new dimension to the game. Easy to understand, and play right out of the box. It does take some time to learn the "car-fu" moves, and gain more skill, plus you have fun while doing it. Not too easy that you get bored. It takes some thinking, and planning to make sure you stay in the lead. Opponents can cause you to lose advanced place very quickly. And it takes some time to regain a top position.

Great stunt racing game!! Not too difficult, but challenging enough to keep me playing. Very addictive and different from most racing games on the market.

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This review is by my 7-year old son who says Speed Racer is a winner:

"It is fun because there are different cars to choose from. You get 4 cars to start with and you can get somewhere around 14 more. The tracks are cool because you do a lot of loop-de-loops and jumps. I also like the smashdown move when you jump up and land on another car."

Best Deals for Speed Racer: The Videogame - Nintendo Wii

Speed Racer is a cross between Mario Cart and Burnout. Mario cart because the cars are characterized to the driver. They talk smack while you drive, and you give the car "powers" with the various boosts. Its like Burnout from the point that not only are you trying to win, but your trying to crash the other cars before they crash you! Now.....You DO NOT get any projectiles, but you get many different ways to smash a car. They call it "Car-Fu" I know it sounds corny, but once you start crashing cars its fun. Whatever you do, play the tutoral before you play, trust me they go over things the manual does not. The tracks are cool too, just like the movie, colorful, loops, elevated,and jumps. I say the only thing I dont like is not being able to see whats comming behind you. So if you like racing games with a arcade feel like Mario and Burnout......or you just like Speed racer products, I say its a good buy.

Honest reviews on Speed Racer: The Videogame - Nintendo Wii

My son and I really enjoy this game he is 5 and has legitimately beaten me several times. Good clean fun!!

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I've been waiting a long time for the Speed Racer live action movie...but even longer still, is the amount of time I've wanted to drive the Mach V or better still Racer X's Shooting Star. Now that is virtually a reality. The World Racing League and over 15 major characters from the movie are available to unlock and use on original race courses and film course reproductions. The standard stunt racers (according to the film & game) are T-180, each equipped with jump jacks (you know "unk-unk-unk-unk"), each can "Slide" thanks to their independent wheel rotation, allowing forward movement regardless of the direction the car faces. Each can reach speeds in excess of 400 MPH by riding your opponents slipstream, hitting "speed-up" squares and gaining Boost power by avoiding the sides of the track (like in the Pod-racer game of old) or by performing CAR-FU moves. Yes, CAR-FU, is car combat, maneuvers to take out opponents or simply to gain pole position. CAR-FU moves like the TAIL TOSS, the BOOST BASH ram, landing on an opponent for the SMACK DOWN, the 180 ROUNDHOUSE, spins and hyper-spins, the BARREL ROLL TORPEDO are fun and vital to win WRL races. Cars can perform front, side and back flips, which are handy and visually satisfying. The game comes with typical race game displays: ranking, progress /lap/speed meter, health and available boost power.

Available modes are single races, an essential tutorial, the time trials, championship mode, which allows for a variety of different competitions of two or more races and multiplayer for a second player to join in split-screen mode. In Championship Mode you rack up points for each race, which are tallied for an overall ranking. There are three initial race classes of increasing difficulty to choose from: slowest to fastest. You can gain extra points by your finishing place, your CAR-FU moves and by having the fastest-lap. In multiplayer mode you need only rank in 1st, 2nd, or 3rd in order to beat the Championship. In a Championship race you can team-up with other drivers, agreeing not to CAR-FU them. Then there are the opposites of allies, Rival drivers who are focused on taking you out...know your rivals! The available Drivers include: Speed, Trixi, Racer X, Sonic "Boom Boom" Renaldi, Delila & Mariana Zanja, Rosey Blaze (no relation), Taejo Togokahn, Esther "Rev" Reddy, Gothorm Danneskjold, the Gray Ghost, Prince Kabala and Pitter Pat, Snake Oiler, Kellie "Gearbox" Kalinkov, Booster Mbube, Nitro Venderhoss, Denise Moble, Jack "Cannonball" Taylor and Colonel Colon. Each driver and car has their own set of stats that make them unique. These stats include: the Speed (of vehicle), Handling, Acceleration, and Strength.

The game graphics are typical of the Wii and neatly mirror the film's style. The game sound and song lists are okay. The voice talent is mostly a real cast one: Emile Hirsch as Speed, Christina Ricci as Trixie (the voice of the Tutorial), Matt Fox as Racer X and notably filling in for Snake Oiler, the great Phil Lamarr (Samurai Jack). The CAR-FU is fun, ...smashing good fun! The sometime surreal race courses although only loosely inspired by the film "locations" are still really fun and obviously created by someone who grew up watching Speed Racer or maybe just had some cool HOT WHEELS sets.

Reviews of Xbox 360 Rock Band Wireless Fender Wooden Stratocaster Replica

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When Mad Catz announced the $300 Fender guitar replica made many question how out-of-hand peripheral costs were getting, especially with the music genre. If you are a Rock Band 2 enthusiast, with all the DLC offered by Harmonix on XBOX Live, tons of peripherals laying around, and those of you that have the ION Drum set sitting in your game room, you will want (and must) have this.

Being a guitar player for over a decade, I must say this makes playing that much more fun for me personally. Those individuals that have only played this game with the "kit" included instruments, be it Rock Band or Guitar Hero, may hate this item. This guitar is the full size and full weight of my a Fender Stratocaster, and feels natural to play with my background. Compared to the plastic completion, this thing is huge, and may effect you "shredders" out there. This guitar is not as accurate during faster parts of most songs (do to real fret spacing), I must say that I don't mind missing notes when playing with this. The only thing that is not "real Fender" on this guitar is the plastic fret board, but that is not a negative thing, and blends nicely with this accessory.

This guitar, combined with the overdrive pedal, give a new aspect of playability that renews any avid player of the Rock Band series continued interest. Before you buy however, you have to ask yourself do you prefer the Rock Band controller button layout (flat) or the Guitar Hero controller button (raised) layout. If you prefer the Guitar Hero style, this controller is not for you, and will not change your mind and it may actually make you hate it more. The fret buttons are in the real fret locations, so you will have to adapt to stretching your fingers hit all the keys, which makes it very difficult to play during faster parts.

Pros:

* All natural wood body and neck made by the Fender factory itself

* Real metal tuners, connection port (for use of the overdrive pedal), and whammy bar

* Full size and weight (just over 7 lbs.)

* 2.5 million cycle strumming switches

* Start and Select buttons hidden as volume knobs on the guitar

* Whammy bar hangs in a traditional place

* Works amazing with the Overdrive Pedal accessory

* Great for traditional guitarist that want to transfer and play music genre games

Cons:

* Hard to move fast between buttons for speed accuracy do to the real spacing of the frets

* Strum bar is louder, clicks, and does more wear-n-tear on the fingers

* Weight (for those not used to it) can be overwhelming, especially for those long play sessions

* No calibration mechanism on the guitar

* Three AA batteries to use (still no XBOX rechargeable battery pack use)

* Easy to hit Start and Select knob-buttons when using whammy bar.

Final Thoughts:

The Fender Stratocaster XBOX 360 Replica Guitar for Rock Band is not your snap/impulse purchase, or for those just getting into the game. This guitar and purchase are for those individuals that absolutely love this game, that has all the previous peripherals for this game (such as the ION Drum Rocker Kit with expansion cymbal, multiple plastic guitars/bass laying around, the Rock Band Stage Kit, the overdrive pedal, a ton of downloadable content, etc., etc.). This guitar is an investment, and a serious one at that, and I can say brings the rock experience a little closer to home. This Fender Replica is truly a thing of beauty.

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Frustration. This is my third Mad Catz guitar within the last two months and all have exhibited the same flaw. After the first couple hours of use, one (or more) of the buttons begins to bind if not pressed exactly on center. In the case of this current Stratocaster it is the blue button (the previous two were Precision Bass guitars with binding red buttons). A binding button makes it all but impossible to get a decent score since you spend your time concentrating on pressing one of your buttons firmly and on center rather than having fun with the game. Additionally you can't slide a finger over from an adjacent button since the button binds with an edge press.

Other thoughts:

The controller looks terrific, just as pretty as in the glamour shots.

The finish of the wooden neck could use a bit more attention, it looks good but feels not quite finished. It gets more coarse where the neck flairs into the headstock. The headstock is high gloss and pretty in front, but surprisingly rough in back (looks OK though). The neck of the Logitech Wireless Guitar Controller sets the standard here. The Logitech neck feels significantly better in your hand with a terrific satin finish on the back where you will be holding it.

The plastic fretboard looks very good close up and feels fine.

The buttons are spaced like a Rock Band Strat, not a like real guitar frets, so the reach from green to orange is standard (I held them together and they were almost identical).

What others have said about the size and weight is true. If you already play an electric guitar you will immediately find this controller comfortable and natural to use (and a lot of fun). If you've only used the standard controllers before it may take some getting used to. Although the button spacing is standard the reach out to them is further due to the length of the neck. The weight is what every guitar player on earth has been shouldering forever, it's no big deal, but it's certainly no hollow plastic guitar. Real guitar straps work and there are some very comfortable ones out there.

The tuning pegs rattle. Since there are no strings to put tension on them, the tuning pegs rattle if the controller is moved aggressively. I'm guessing this would be easy to rectify with some glue or eve small pieces of tape. Since I'm not keeping it I don't want to mess with the issue.

The whammy bar will hit the back button. The back button is a press to actuate (unlike the start button below it which is a twist to actuate). Hitting the back button initiates overdrive/star power. You will have to consciously moderate your whammy technique to avoid accidental star power use (view the "Wireless Wooden Stratocaster Replica for Rock Band Walkthrough" on youtube to see the required technique). Seems like they would have been better off with the d-pad at the top of the button stack, where interference with the whammy would be minimized. On the plus side, in it's current position star power is right at your fingertips (nice). It's perfectly usable as designed but you can no longer flail the whammy bar like a mad man.

The Strat works with the Mad Catz Electro-Harmonix Overdrive Pedal. As noted above overdrive is super easy to actuate on the Strat. The overdrive pedal adds a wire to a wireless controller. You may find you have to look away from the screen to find the overdrive pedal on the floor. The "pedal" is actually a metal button that doesn't work that great with stocking feet. This is not a review of that product.

I'm at a loss here, I don't even know how to rate the product. I like the Mad Catz Strat very much and want to rate it a 4 to 5 but the one fundamental thing a game controller must have is buttons that work; that implies total fail rating of 1. I just can't bring myself to rate it that low. Three controllers with sticking buttons in a row is starting to feel like a design flaw. I upgraded from the Mad Catz Precision Bass to the Strat hoping that their flagship product would have top quality hardware. Unfortunately, the button binding feels exactly the same on the Strat as on the lower priced bass. I'm going to return this one and try one more time, but hope is fading fast.

Update Sep 2010:

4th time was the charm. The replacement Strat works well and the buttons have been reliable so far. Additionally, the finish of the neck is superior to my original in both appearance and feel.

Good controller. Tons of fun.

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As a disclaimer, allow me to state that I am an expert-level player in Rock Band. I have an extensively large quantity of DLC music, am able to clear every song I own, and have unlocked the platinum instrument icon in Rock Band 2 shortly after its release. I have previously played rhythm games with the RedOctane Gibson SG for PS2, the Les Paul for Xbox 360, and the stock RB2 Fender Stratocaster controller. I will be comparing this controller to the RB2 Strat. I will not discuss any drawbacks that are implied for those who play lefty. (Any shortcomings you would normally experience from that are still seen here; this should not come as a surprise.)

This is an excellent controller, by far. It takes almost everything the RB2 Strat has to offer but with a clearly higher level of quality and feel. Both sets of frets are exquisite; I cannot fathom a controller design with frets better than what this controller has to offer. It feels almost effortless to fret even the most complex of note sequences; this controller will spoil you and dissuade you from returning to your RB2 Strat controller. Furthermore, the finish of the guitar neck is perfect. I find sliding to be as comfortable and smooth as I do on most electric guitar necks. The whammy bar holds up well and is neither too stiff nor too soft. The back button is accessible to those who prefer to activate their Overdrive with their strumming hands. The start button is in fact not a button, but a knob. You can rotate it in either direction until it clicks, which is when the controller notifies the console that Start has been "pressed". An excellent design as to prevent accidental pausing during song play. The D-pad and Xbox guide button are beyond the Start knob and are easy to use as they are near the edge of the guitar body.

The headset jack is positioned even better than where it is located on a standard RB2 Strat. It is on the read of the body where you would normally access the tensioned springs for the bridge of an actual Fender Stratocaster. This position makes it innately easy to keep the headset wire out of the way while playing. We also have the jack for connecting a pedal for Overdrive activations. The controller comes with an adapter to allow you to connect and drum pedal that is compatible with RB drums into your guitar. This adapter fits very snugly and holds tightly very much like an audio cable connects an electric guitar to an amplifier. The realistic feel is just a bonus, but the true benefit is that it gives you a little bit of freedom without worrying about your drum pedal's wire popping out of the controller, which was a hassle with the RB2 Strat which did not offer any additional securing mechanism to keep the jack in place.

Lastly we have the strum bar, which is the only element this controller offers that could come close to being a shortcoming. It's slightly stiff and requires more effort for tremolo picking/high tempo alternate picking. It is a matter of getting used to, but it can be a small hurdle for those accustomed to the nice, gentle strum bar the RB2 Strat has. In addition to this higher level of resistance, it has a bit of a click when strumming. Typically, playing the game at least at a moderate volume is enough to virtually completely drown out the sound of this click; it was definitely noticeable at first since the RB2 Strat's strum bar does not click, but it is easy to forget about with a little play time.

Since this is a replica, the neck's length is the same length of a full scale electric guitar neck. Also, the weight of the controller is roughly 7 pounds, if I recall correctly. Any electric guitarist who is also a Rock Band enthusiast should find these attributes very comfortable and familiar; many reviews list these as a drawback of the controller, but that is most likely coming from players who are not electric guitarists and are foreign to the dimensions and weight of actual instruments.

I was lucky to pick up this controller during a Deal of the Day for 66% off, which brought it down to the retail price of the Beatles RB guitars, and I will say with no hesitation this controller is beyond worth its value for that price. Unfortunately, I find it difficult to recommend at full retail price of $299. Those who find money to be no object, or are hardcore enthusiasts of the game who want a high-quality controller with authentic feel, should go ahead and try one of these out, undoubtedly. Those treading the line of hesitation due to its price, I find it difficult what to recommend. I can just assure that essentially anyone satisfied with the feel of the RB2 Strat will be impressed with this controller. In my opinion a price of $199 is much more reasonable but I leave the final judgment call about this matter upon you.

Honest reviews on Xbox 360 Rock Band Wireless Fender Wooden Stratocaster Replica

Good reviews here already, so I will keep this short and compare it with the other current expensive controller, Logitech's Orange Guitar (LOG) I reviewed previously.

Looks.

Feels and looks great! Full size and beautiful, though the underside is unsightly with the white plastic covers from where they gutted this real guitar and put the electronic innards. The LOG looked better all around, but due to it's smaller size and orange color, this subjective category can go either way (a tie in my book at 5-stars).

Function.

The strum bar clicks very loudly whereas the LOG was incredibly silent. I prefer silent, but I've gotten used to the clicking as it often corresponds with our drummer. It's very easy to accidentally trigger the back button either by hand or with use of the whammy bar whereas the LOG was ideal. But this guitar has much better fret buttons full sized and easy to activate whereas the small protruding and inconsistent buttons on the LOG were my deal-breaker. (4-stars vs 3-stars)

Final experience.

My arms and neck get a true workout with this full-size beauty, but I'm enjoying the Rock Band experience so much more! (hence 5-stars) The accidental star-power triggering is annoying and the loud strum bar is taking some time to get used to, but overall I'm finding it a great guitar and will keep it. I'd complain about the price, but I paid less by buying a used one from Amazon, so I paid the same price as the LOG which I didn't keep. A truly personal preference that can be expensive to experiment with, but has been very rewarding.

Now to find a good wireless mic... Rock On!

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I bought this for my brother for Christmas and according to him it was one of the greatest gifts he has ever had it looks and plays great the only thing that was a little odd for him is the fact that it is the same size as a real guitar and he had to get used to the weight and thefact the buttons were farther down the neck but after a few songs he was in the back to playing great this is one great product of fine craftsmanship

Best Xbox 360 NFL Dallas Cowboys Controller Deals

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controller was broken returned and ordered another but the same problem The fire button on the back would get stuck and not work.Would rather get a xbox 360 controller.

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My husband really enjoys this Dallas cowboys controller even though it isn't wireless. All of our other controllers are wireless and still he prefers this one because he loves the cowboys so much! Great deal for making a Football Fan happy!

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my husband couln't belevie that i brought this controller for what i got it for. I caught him looking for the paper work trying to see if i really did.. It's our secret... lol

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I am very disappointed with your product. I bought this controller a little over a month ago, and it no longer works. If this is the kind of service that I get from Amazon.com, then I will no longer shop here.

USB Microphone for RockBand or Guitar Hero (PS3, Wii, Xbox360) Review

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I bought this microphone to further enhance my Rock Band experience. I was not disappointed. It kept in tune well (which was a problem I saw with other microphones) and was light enough to not be a burden of any kind. I don't mind that it is not wireless, since I wouldn't move around much anyways. Also, the fact that it doesn't have buttons didn't bother me, mainly because I don't mind using a controller to navigate. I do think it could have been packaged better, but I don't fault the microphone for it. Overall, a very simplistic, yet functional, design that works well.

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I bought the microphone with the cord after two (2) wireless microphone purchases. There is no lag time with the wired microphone.

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I got this microphone after my microphone that came with Rock Band fell apart (the wire became loose at the microphone). I like it better than the original. It is a little more sensitive so you don't have to have it right next to your mouth and easier to handle as it is shorter. I am really surprised that it cost so little and works so well.

Honest reviews on USB Microphone for RockBand or Guitar Hero (PS3, Wii, Xbox360)

I got this microphone for an extra singer on Beatles Rock Band wii. It works just as good as the original and it's fairly cheap. It arrived quickly and it definitely enhances my Beatle Rock Band experience. Thank you!

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The microphones that I ordered look just like the ones that came with the Rock Band 2 game. I bought 2 extra microphones because I bought the Beatles Rock Band game and to do the 2 part harmony you need 3 microphones. What I am a little annoyed with is the fact that you need an adapter to plug in the 3rd microphone which I don't have and now have to go buy. Otherwise they work just fine. We are happy with it so far...

The Club - Xbox 360 Reviews

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Last year's bumper crop of shooters, such as "BioShock", "Halo 3" and "Call of Duty 4", were notable for coupling bone-jarring realism with finely crafted epic stories. "The Club" promises something a little different.

There's no saving humanity, no detailed world to explore, no need to bone up on military strategy or tactics. Instead, "The Club" boils down simply to this: how many people can you shoot, and how fast can you do it?

Sure, the game is thinly wrapped in a pulpy "Running Man"-style story casting you as one of eight characters, such as an extreme-sports thrill-seeker or a burly Russian hunter, drawn into an underground blood sport for the amusement of rich fans.

That's an excuse, if one was needed, for blasting your way through a variety of mostly industrial settings or fending off waves of attackers as you try to stay alive for a set period of time.

The twist in "The Club" is that you rack up points for each kill, and by stringing kills close together, you earn bonuses that multiply your points. Extra points are awarded for stylish moves like head shots, or breaking through a door and taking out opponents on the other side.

The graphics are decent but not spectacular given where we are in the Xbox 360's lifespan. Sound production is bordering on great, with the various weapons producing a variety of satisfyingly realistic blasts.

The best design element of the game is perhaps the control scheme, which is intuitive and simple, and is notable for the wonderful inclusion of a "quick spin" button that whirls you around 180 degrees in an instant. That's a useful trick when you are beset by foes on all sides, and hopefully will be something that makes its way into other games.

There are eight levels, eight characters with different attributes to choose from, a nice array of weapons, and good variety of game modes. I am guessing it will take an average player an hour to finish each level, though experienced players can probably whip through them in half that.

That's okay, though, because there's plenty of replay value as you'll want to rerun a level to see if you can beat your last score, or that of your buddy's. A "gunplay" mode lets you design your own challenges and play through them with friends. An online competitive mode should also provide extra play value, though I haven't tried that out yet.

The game was developed by UK-based Bizarre Creations, which lifted the core game element from its well-regarded "Project Gotham Racing" driving series that rewards stylish moves like power slides, drafting and catching air. Criterion Games did something similar with 2005's "Black", which wallowed in gun-enabled destruction the same way its popular "Burnout" racing series did with spectacular car crashes.

"Black" didn't revolutionize the genre but got generally positive reviews, a precedent that looks to be repeated for "The Club". It may not be in the same league as recent acclaimed shooters, but the fast-paced action and wide selection of solo and multiplayer challenges makes up for the shallow story.

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Sega's The Club feels like an old-school, arcade shooter with a next-gen gloss, and it certainly is by any stretch of the imagination. You run and race through a closed course, taking down as many enemies as you can in the process in some trigger happy, flashy ways. Once you pop in The Club, you'll be hooked by its run and gun style of play, that proves to be insanely fun at first. However, you'll find that it doesn't take you too long to get through the game, and while there are five total modes of play in The Club, many of them are very similar to each other. No matter what mode of play you are in, you have the same objective: obliterate everything in sight. The only real replay value that The Club offers is if you want to beat your own score, which will be enough reason for some gamers to go back through the game, but others will play it and be done with it. Still though, The Club looks and sounds good enough, and provides some great fun for a while, but once you finish it, which won't take too long or be too difficult, there isn't really anything left. All in all, The Club is definitely worth a look for those craving an old school, run and gun action game, but there isn't enough here to hold your interest for long.

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The Club. I got this for $10 brand new from Amazon and I love it. I beat it in 3 days playing sparingly but its online play and multiplayer is awesome. For $60, no no no no no. For the low price, yes yes yes yes!

Honest reviews on The Club - Xbox 360

This is a different game from the ordinary, but there just isn't enough to seperate it from the crowd of games. The game is funner than in it is good though. The game is really easy to pick up and isn't all that hard to play. The leaderboards are neat and so is the scoring system. The only big strike to the game is that you can beat it in under 3 hours, maybe even 2 hours. The game is fun and is worth picking up for about 20 dollars, but much more than that is a bad deal. All in all if you like competitive scoring based games, in which I do, than you will like this new spin on third person action.

Overall 7.5-8.0

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This game gets old quick, pretty much running over and over 3 different types of missions: Beat the clock, hold your ground, and fight to the exit. For the first couple of hours you will be amused and having fun. But this soon wears off as you realize even switching characters and weapons doesn't really help liven things up. The combos can be cool, but the 'head shots' are a little liberal(just shoot near the head...). Reminded me a little of the 'Total Overdose' combo idea(a game I loved, by the way!), just not executed nearly as well. The controls are decent enough(esp the sprint button...), as are most of the graphics. I really loved the concept but just wished there was a little more depth and variation to the gameplay. I was entertained for an afternoon, but couldn't imagine wanting to play this for more than one sitting. Newer gamers might find more in this than I, but after 10 years of console gaming(I'm not trying to brag...really!), this game is nothing new to a genre that has better to offer. Cool idea, though.

Review of Contra III: The Alien Wars

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Contra III: The Alien Wars was really one of the first games that really showed people what the Super Nintendo was capable of. Released in 1992, this classic is now available on the Nintendo Wii's virtual console for 800 Wii Points (eight dollars respectively). It's a short game, but it's fairly addictive and easy to get into.

The Red Falcon is trying to take over the world, and the only two people who can stop this even alien menace are Bill (the blue guy) and Lance (the red guy). Contra has NEVER been about story. It's always been about gameplay. No matter how you look at it, and Contra III is divine.

The gameplay has been brought to new heights since the NES versions. You've got guns, super bombs you can use and to make things even better, you're able to carry two guns and switch between them on the fly, and even use both at the same time. Graphically it was one of the first SNES games to have a stylish look, and showed us just how much you could really put on the screen at any one time. The environments are decorative, the explosions look good, and the bosses are still some of the most detailed the Super Nintendo ever had.

Contra has always been known for its difficulty, and Contra III is no exception. Old fans of Contra, of course, remember the classic Konami cheat. It doesn't work in Contra III, but to compensate there are difficulty levels and you can choose to start off with more lives. Of course hardcore fans will go through the game on Hard Mode with the default 3 lives. If you thought the first two Contra games were hard, you haven't seen anything until you've played through Contra III on hard mode.

The only real drawback to the game is that it's pretty short. It's only six stages long and the levels themselves aren't really that long. It's got a ton of replay value to its credit, however, and fans will probably be dying to go through the game without getting hit once. So it has some good replay value at least. The only other drawback to the game, for Virtual Console, users is simply that while the Virtual Console version supports the Gamecube Controller, it's almost impossible to use, unless you want to find out just what ways your fingers can bend. A Super Nintendo game was no designed to be played with a Gamecube controller. So those downloading on Nintendo Wii's virtual console, keep in mind that without a Classic Controller, gameplay will be next to impossible.

Contra III is arguably the best one in the series, with the Sega Genesis version Hard Corp competing for this position. Both are strong games, and both were probably the last good Contra games to ever be released. Any fan of Run and Gun shooters will absolutely love this game.

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The Super NES is my personal favorite Nintendo system mainly for its large list of great games. When it first came out, it automatically had great games to start off with, which normally a system doesn't bring in the good batch until a few months later. This game, Contra III: The Alien Wars, is among the first batch of Super NES to be released into the market. And how did this game turn out? Nothing short than a gaming masterpiece.

THE GOOD

Contra brings back the elements of the original games, such as the "one hit equals death" aspect that many dislike, infinite ammunition and the variety of guns, and good ol' fashioned beatdown that can either be taken solo or you can bash your enemies with a friend in its two-player mode. In addition to this, you have the ability to "switch" weapons using the L and R buttons and when you hold onto both, you fire each weapon simultaneously (you can have two different or identical weapons at a time). In fact, if you wanted to keep the weapon, you can always select the other one in case. Also, the graphics are quite good for the time period, but really, if you're a true gamer you could care less.

The difficulty is a major point for me in the Contra series because the enemies keep coming at you and then at the end of each stage, you fight a humongous boss. Pure gaming bliss.

THE BAD

Find something wrong with this game usually causes fatality. If you think the lack of save points is a drawback, you're just a [....].

OVERALL

This game is among the elite entries in the Super NES's library. THIS IS A MUST HAVE. If you dislike this game and think that it's bad, you are wrong.

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You are a soldier in a futuristic year where aliens have appeared (from under the Earth) to take over the world while destroying it in the process. This game has said to be one of the most difficult ever, because of the exciting challenge in seven levels and the fact that if anything touches you, your dead! The gameplay is very good and offers several forms of gameplay from side scrolling platform shoot-em up action to overhead play against waves of soldiers, aliens and insects. You start off in a large US city with side scrolling, and then go onto the highways with an overhead view and work your way to the desert with a hidden alien structure deep in the Earth. There are tons of nice weapons, spread guns, homing missiles, lasers, flame throwers and more. The graphics and sound are amazing and each enemy is very detailed and overall challenging. The only downfall is that dying over and over again may get very annoying. 2 player similtaneous game.

Honest reviews on Contra III: The Alien Wars

After two highly successful and ridiculously fun games on the NES, Konami brought Contra to the Super Nintendo. And wow did they do an incredible job. Contra III is my favorite SNES game and one of the best games for the system. It took everything that Contra did and just improved on it.

The graphics look great. The explosion effects, the gunfire, the levels, and even the backgrounds all look fantastic, even for a 16-bit system. The enemies are varied and well-designed, especially the bosses. Konami has always been extremely creative when it comes to the Contra bosses and they definitely topped themselves this time around. My personal favorite has always been the boss from Stage 1, the Beast Kimkoh. The sound effects and music are top-notch as well. Each level has its own catchy soundtrack and it just makes the entire experience more enjoyable.

All the classic weapons are back: the machine gun, the fire gun, the laser gun, and of course, the spread gun. I personally think it's all over once I get the spread gun. An interesting change is that you automatically start with a machine gun instead of a single shot rifle like in Contra and Super C. New weapons include the homing gun, which shoots enemy-seeking missiles, and the crush gun, which shoots standard rockets. There's also the return of the barrier shield and the grenades that kill everything onscreen. Vehicles are a big part of the game as well, and only add more diversity to the gameplay

The gameplay is fast-paced, intense, and extremely tough. As usual, one hit = death and you are bound to get hit without some practice. The controls are wonderful; tight, responsive, and easy to pick up and use. You can shoot in nearly any direction you want to with almost no effort. A new and particularly awesome feature is that you can hold L and R and press the fire button to shoot both your guns randomly in all directions as you jump and spin in the air. This is very effective in dealing with the endless onslaught of enemies and it looks really cool!

Is there anything wrong with this game? No. People say the game is short, but when you beat it, all you want to do is beat it again. Somehow Contra III manages to never get boring. And that's the game's strongest point: the replayability. You can sit down for five minutes, go gung-ho and just blast everything in sight or strategically take your time, plan your attack and try to beat the game. Either way works perfectly and is equally fun.

So all in all, the game is perfect in every regard: it's fun, challenging, highly-polished, and original. Contra III is a must-own if you have a Super Nintendo.

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Konami was one of the SNES's biggest supporters for the console back in the early '90s. They had such a presence during the NES's glory days and it only intensified later on. In 1992, they continued one of the company's best known franchises by releasing Contra III: The Alien Wars and it looked and played so well, they could have released it in the arcades and people would line up to play. They pulled out all the stops and kept the series' legendrary difficulty level intact to make sure it hit hard on the SNES.

Contra III sees the return of the heroes from the previous two entries as they once again stick their necks out to save the world from Red Falcon. Yes, the nemesis of the Contra series returns once again and this time his army of aliens and deformed creatures are bigger and meaner than ever. It's a straight shoot 'em up action game where you will explore 6 stages. You can choose your difficulty level from easy to hard as well as how many lives you want to start out with and configure your controller buttons. Each stage is littered with enemies and the infamous power ups like the Spread gun, the Laser and the Machine Gun. This time around, you can wield two different guns at the time and switch them back and forth on the fly. The more enemies you shoot, the more points you rack and eventually you earn extra lies (you'll need them too.) If the action gets too intense, grab a friend for the 2 player co op mode to double your chances of beating the game.

The PROS: This game looked amazing back then and it still holds up to the test of time. Contra III uses every bit of processing power from the SNES to deliver the best graphics the series has seen up to that point. The music rocks and gets you pumped to shoot enemies and destroy everything in sight. The sound effects and controls are spot on. You will not have a problem controlling your character or hearing how each gun sounds different from each other and shooting enemies and blowing up the boss characters sounds like sweet music to your ears. The 2 player co op mode means you can always get another person to play with you, doubling the fun you can have with this game.

The CONS: Compared to the previous two entries, this one is a somewhat, shorter game so it might disappoint some gamers. Contra III is manageable on both the easy and normal modes. But in order to see the game's ending sequence, you had to play it on hard mode and it is brutally hard. If you can't take an intense challenge, stay away from the hard mode. Grown men have tried and were left to console themselves and even to this date, I haven't legitimately beaten the game. So you have been warned.

Contra fans have already plowed through this game and very few of them have finished it on the hard difficulty level without cheating. Many will tell you that the series hit a very high point when this one came out and they are right. So for those who want to see what this game is about and are not afraid of having their game skills pushed to the limit, track down a copy of this game ASAP. You can also download this title for the Wii from their Virtual Console Service for 800 points (US $8.00) It's a game like no other from a series like no other. I highly recommend it.

Half-Life 2: Episode Pack - PC Review

Customer Ratings:

If you've played Half-Life 2, then you've probably at the very least heard of HL2: Episode One and Two by now. Its pretty hard to finish Half-Life 2 and not want more, and thankfully Valve has supplied us with two short but exciting extensions to the Half-Life universe without making everyone wait 5+ years for a Half-Life 3.

In case you've never played Half-Life 2, these episodes take place right where the original leaves off, and it would be advisable to purchase the original game first so you know what's going on. The best way to do that is through the Orange Box available for PC, Xbox 360 and PS3, since you get these two episodes as well as the original and two other great games in the set for a good price.

And one more thing before I begin; I am not taking Steam into account on these reviews. I don't particularly relish the idea of having an internet program that locks the games I'm supposed to own in the closet and ultimately tells me whether or not I can play them or how many computers I can play them on, but I haven't had any major problems with Steam yet. It's something you should be aware of though if you're buying any PC versions of Half-Life games; you are required to "activate" them online at installation or you aren't able to play. It also appears that, for this particular set, the games must be fully downloaded from Steam when you insert this disc, rather than installing from there and simply patching, which would be much faster. If the idea of Steam bothers you, get a console version of the Orange Box if that's available to you.

Now, onto the episodes themselves... they're fantastic! Episode One picks up right at the "OMG what happens next!?" ending of the original and lays the foundation for an interesting new story arc. This episode features some slightly improved graphics and great facial animation, and manages to retain most of the orignal flavor of the original with some excellent story-telling scenes and action. The entire voice cast (of the characters still alive) makes a return too.

Unfortunately, while great, I didn't feel that Episode One lived up to it's predecessor. It was short and way too easy. There was also a point in the game where you are required to escort groups of citizens across a hot zone to a train station. I found this to be the worst part of the game since it required you to backtrack several times (something the original never required) and escort 2 or 3 citizens at a time. Plus, the boss battle at the end was just like a certain battle toward the end of the original HL2, except you're only fighting one (instead of like 5 at once) and there's plenty of cover (also unlike earlier), so I found it to be a real breeze and a poor choice for a final boss fight. I loved the character development Alyx underwent in this episode however, and I love the little details the game presents, like Alyx squinting and covering her eyes with her hand if you shine your flashlight in her face. Things like that go a long way to add a realistic feel to the experience.

I hate to use the term "epic," but it's really the only way to describe the next episode. Ep. 2 is a departure from the previous HL2 games as it doesn't take place in City 17 at all. You'll visit lots of places you've not seen before, like an antlion den, a mine, and a forest. I've heard some people complain that this episode doesn't contain the feel of the previous installments, but I found the change welcome and exciting. At the beginning of this episode and throughout, this episode further develops your female sidekick Alyx as a character and gets you more attached to her. IMHO, Alyx is the best female lead character I've ever seen in a video game. By this point in the series, I actually CARED what happened to her, so when she went though a couple of terrible experiences, I felt sorrow, anger, remorse, etc. Pretty amazing that somebody can make you care for something that doesn't really exist! The ending was amazing too; it'll really make you want to get Ep. 3 the day it comes out.

So in other words, if you played HL2 and enjoyed it, these episodes are successful at extending the excitement. You'll really be missing out on a great gaming experience if you pass these games by.

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Getting Episode 1 and 2 at this price is pretty good, especially with Portal being made available for free during a limited promotion in May.

The plot/story in Episode 1 and 2 are very short, but still immerse the player into the story. Episode 1 incorporated many mechanisms taken straight from Portal, such as the use of energy balls to open locks/doors.

Episode 2 utilized one too many convenient plot devices to keep the story moving, such as the the elevator during the mission where Gordon has to obtain the larvae essence. Gordon could have just used that elevator from the start rather than run through a long unnecessary gauntlet.

Episode 2 ends rather abruptly and leaves the player wanting more. Hopefully Episode 3 gives us the grand finale for Hl2 that we've all been waiting for.

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Two games for ten bucks, I couldn't resist! After all, the original Half-lie, and Half-Life 2, were both awesome! If you don't already have "Steam"(HL developer Valve's online gaming service) installed on your computer, you will need to install it to play these stand alone expansions to HL2. Steam membership is free they make their money by selling games, retail or via direct download. Game installation was a snap, I simply logged on to Steam and added the dvd key from the Episode pack sleeve, then downloaded both episodes at once didn't even insert the dvd. It took about twenty minutes on a medium speed dsl connection, and both games were up-to-date and ready to play.

Like other reviewers, I found Episode 1 to be a little bit anti-climactic after the totally amazing HL2. Good, but not great. Game play was excellent, no weird things like getting stuck on a wall or any of that. When Valve releases a game, it's the real deal they won't release anything buggy. Having Alyx as an almost constant companion is good, she often offers helpful tips, as well as being an indispensable ally during intense firefights. At the risk of sounding RPG-ish, it would be nice to be able to respond to her comments (and comments from other NPC's). One thing I'd really like to see in future HL episodes is a journal you can open, to refresh yourself on your current objective (and whether you've achieved it yet). Episode 1 ends with quite a bang, very good setup for Episode 2.

Episode 2 starts you out in the boondocks, the "Freeman" waking up weaponless in a sinking train car (the train trestle collapsed over a stream), waiting for Alyx to get the door open. There's plenty of action early in the game, and the pace ramps up nicely as the game goes on. Outdoor scenes, underground mines and caves, a little of everything. A few new "Combine" enemies, and lots of action. I have a tendency to want to fully explore an area before moving on, this game won't always let you do that there are times when you have to blast right through. Outdoor scenery was magnificent. The "Source" game engine still does an awesome job.

Okay, so I gave it a "4". 3-1/2 for episode 1, 4-1/2+ for episode 2. This rating is based totally on enjoyment and game play. If I were rating on value, it would be a 5 great gaming for $10!

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This is an awesome game. Big cliff hanger and now I'm dying for the the 3rd episode. Box and game were in perfect condition.

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This game is an absolute must have for any PC gamer. No complains at all.

Best YELLOW TIGER Xbox 360 Modded Controller (Rapid Fire) COD MW3, Black Deals

Customer Ratings:

If you are looking for a reliable and fast shooting mod,Geniusmods360 is the company to purchase from..This company will work with you until everything is right.I have already had this controller only for one day and I already see improvement in my gaming.Best 10 mode on the market.

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Buy USB Charging Cable for Microsoft Xbox 360 / Xbox 360 Slim Wireless

Customer Ratings:

It is exactly what is says it is. It will charge your controller and best of all its quite inexpensive!

the problem is that the wire is quite Short (6 feet I believe).

If you are getting this charger for PC gaming and plan to use your WIRELESS XBOX controller BE AWARE! This WILL NOT send any information through the usb cable. Therefore, without a wireless xbox receiver for PC, it will not work.

It CAN charge your controller, but it cannot be used to for wired gaming on PC with a wireless controller.

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Exactly what I was looking for. Absolutely no problems whatsoever. Works on standard controllers. I wish it was a little longer, but it is precisely as long as the description says it is.

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I purchased this a month ago and held of reviewing just in case it broke right away as some of the other reviewers had happen. So far, it is works great. I am guessing with this item it is hit or miss. I am very happy with this purchase since it was way cheaper than the official ones. No complaints here.

Update (3/29/12): I bought these back in January and it is almost April, I have not had any problems yet, so I am very pleased with this purchase so far.

Update (12/7/12): It's been a whole year (minus one week) and I am still using this to connect my controllers. I have noticed that my rechargable batteriers (2 sets) have not been able to hold a charge any more. I am not sure if this is a result of the cable or if both of the batteries are bad now. I am to connect and play with not battery without any problem though.

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The USB charging cable keeps my controller powered. I do hear a buzzing sound in my turtle beach headset when I have it plugged in. Sometimes when I am using the charging cable and the turtle beach headset, my mic goes crazy and it makes a loud noise that only others can hear until I unplug them both.

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I got this last week, and worked for that week. As you can tell from the title it broke on me, but I am buying two more. I don't want to seem like a hypocrite, but not spending 15 dollars for the battery pack and cable.

Reviews of Skylanders Giants Single Character Pack Core Hot Dog

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To the best of my knowledge this character has yet to be released as part of wave 3 which is currently underway (Lightning Rod, Regular Stealth Elf(preorder), legendary Stealth Elf(available at Toys R Us now), Regular series 2 Erupter and Prism Break (pre-order). Hot dog may likely come in a battle pack with another character (gamestop). If you want to pay many times the normal amount for a character that hasn't been released who can stop you. If this character is actually out it is news to me, and cannot be found at any of the major retailers I have researched. Caveat Emptor. Hope this helps.

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You will be waiting a long time because this has not even been released yet! Why people don't just wait till release and order it from Amazon then is beyond me!! I've seen this with every skylander now. The quote pre-order is thru the roof on price, then the figure gets released and you can buy it right here for retail on Amazon.com! You can get the figure when it is released, pay the "real" price, and put a stop to the "kid toy vultures" who buy up every single "hot dog" figure they can find just to sell it for $100 on amazon. If these people didn't buy every single hot dog they can get their hands on, there would plenty to go around!

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This skylander over all is a good skylander because he can crawl out of his paws three fireballs at once and he is overall a good toy and I suggest getting him

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Cute little dog! He is funny on screen with the game, too. My son loves it. Hot Dog is his favorite of all of the Skylanders. He uses it as a displayed figurine in his room when he is not playing with it on the Wii.

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Just got back from GameStop here in sunny naples, Fl and have the 3 pack for my son. Its got Hot Dog, Zap and Catapult "Scorpion Stiker". it cost me $24.99

Why would ANYONE pay more for a 3 pack or a single character. Note: HotDog is not a big character, he's kinda little ....

My son will be thrilled playing all weekend with FIRE !

Reviews of FIFA 14

Customer Ratings:

Pros:

Fun

Realistic Looking

Good Gameplay

Cons:

new mouse control is poor

PC version does not have latest redering engine

Poor Gamepad compatibility

After having this game for a week or so I have given this a pretty good go. The game is good. It could be stellar. PC version should have shipped with new rendering engine that is a HUGE dissapointment for me. fifa 14 should be fifa 14. It should not be a totally different rendering engine on consoles but old stagnant one on PCs. It should be a different game. I felt I was mislead into thinking this game had next gen rendering.

If you own any pc game pad other than logitech you may be in a bumpy road mapping your buttons. It involved looking at mapping files and manually mapping my controller. There should be an intuitive UI to map buttons on a game pad to any button on the game. If you expect this... you will be dissapointed. But after hacking the mapp files I have my no-name controller able to do all the button combinations of a logitech.

hack inclueded:

Registry hack to label the name of the controler.

hack the mapping file to edit mappings of said name of controller

reverse engineering codes to say which game function maps to physical button numbers.

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Let me get straight to the point, Fifa 14 is by far the worst FIFA game I've played in the last 5 years! Unfortunately EA sports has not made any improvements to the game, but they have also ruined it by trying to make it more realistic(!). I'm not complaining because I can't win ,I just won my season one championship last week so I know how to play. The point is that FIFA 14 is not fun anymore...

What EA has failed to understand is that video games are meant to be fun. when you attempt to make a game realistic (in your own thoughts), you should consider the fact that it must not spoil the fun. As you can read in other reviews there are many many many issues that happen way too often in a game which makes you want to break your game. Just to mention a few:

super sluggish game-play and increased momentum of players

Easy cross and header goals that happen way too much in every game (Trust me, I also score most of my goals this way)

Dribbling with the best players in the world is almost impossible because of super late reactions and movements

Lofted through balls (which was so bad in the beginning that EA released a patch to fix it in the first few weeks)

Unrealistic first touch controls (sometimes players like Messi seem to have no idea how to stop an easy pass)

Ridiculously foolish team-mates (some things are totally out of your control...)

Forwards are in offside position 90% of the time (and don't seem to care at all!)

_ Throw-ins are just a joke!Players spend most of the time running after the ball themselves as if there's no one out there

Overall, after a game (specially at higher levels) you don't feel like you won the game because you're good. Instead you feel like you only won because you were lucky. That's what kills the fun in a sports game.

After all, it's EA and they sure know how to be the winner of "Worst Company of the Year" for 2 years in a row. If you haven't purchased the game yet, don't buy it. It's just a waste of time and money...

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Game does not function Properly. Crashes after every match to desktop making it impossible to play multiple matches in a row. Really annoying as well as frustrating! Would not recommend it with the current software problem. No help from ea sports, as their solutions/ FAQ do not apply borderline the issue. No help from amazon either!!

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Usually FIFA is just a roster update and a few tweaks but they did enough in this game that it feels different and new.

The layout is great, the defense is better, the ball physics are spot on. No more crazy animations.

I play the PC version.... I just got rid of console and I'm glad i did because the graphics on PC are vastly superior.

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This is really the best deal you'll ever get: FIFA 14 for 39.99$ + the historical kits bundle + addidas pre-order bundle + 24 UT gold packs...what do you need more than that!

Cheap Xbox 360 Rock Band Drum Set

Customer Ratings:

For the uninitiated, Rock Band takes the Guitar Hero concept and extends it by adding roles for bass, drums and vocals. The game is a lot of fun even in solo mode, but it really shines as a cooperative party game.

So in order to get the most out of the game, you need additional instrument controllers including these drums. At this time, there are no third-party drum kits on the market, so these are your only option. And while these do the trick nicely, there is room for improvement.

The kit includes four drum pads, a kick drum pedal, an adjustable stand, headset plug-in and a pair of (actual-size, wood) drumsticks. Setup is very easy, taking only a few minutes despite the Lego-esque, pictures-only instructions. The height of the kit is adjustable to fit anyone's height from kids to tall adults. However, the pads themselves are unfortunately fixed in position relative to each other, so you can't adjust their angle or move them around individually. Personally, I'd like to be able to set the cymbal pad higher than the rest or swap the hi-hat and snare to play cross-armed, but there's no ability to do this.

There are two main gripes about how the drum kit performs during gameplay: they're too loud and (at least some models) aren't sensitive enough. Lots of after-market mods are becoming available to dampen the harsh clacking sound that the pads make when you play gum rubber or neoprene inserts, padding for the drumsticks, I've even seen people tie socks to the pads (check it out on Youtube). Expecting the worst, I was pleasantly surprised at the sound that it makes it's not that bad assuming that you've got your TV at a decent level to begin with. Of course, this is the only instrument controller that naturally makes its own noise (high-pitched and hollow like a woodpecker) and your roommates or neighbors may feel differently.

As for the sensitivity, there are (so far) three distinct production series of the drum kit. Look on the serial number stamped underneath your pads to determine which you have. The 1st generation "EL" pads have hard surfaces, making it easier to play fast notes but also requiring more force for each hit. 2nd generation "QM" pads are softer and more sensitive, but also don't register fast hits as well. 3rd generation "SL" pads supposedly are the best of both prior gens, but are too new to really evaluate. The kit that I received from Amazon was an EL, but so far I've been pleased with their performance, i.e. I'm getting good response on fast notes but also not requiring a whole lot of force on the hits. So take the after-market craze for pad modifications worth a grain of salt and judge for yourself before buying anything to add to your kit.

There have also been reports that the kit breaks easily, especially the bass drum pedal. Honestly, I have no idea how other people are playing (abusing) their kits, but I don't see a way for the pedal to snap in half as a result of normal use. I'm playing hard/expert level drums with minimal pressure on the pedal and it's showing no signs of wear or tear. And in case you do run into problems, EA has a generous replacement policy for all Rock Band game controllers.

While setup and takedown are simple enough, the kit still takes up a lot of room even when broken down into its pieces. It can easily fit back into the retail box, and honestly, there's not much more you can do to reduce the space that it requires when stored. Even completely disassembled, it's too big to fit under any couch or chair that I've seen. So plan on either leaving it permanently on display or else losing about half of the floor space in a double-door closet when stowing it.

So is this the end-all-be-all of drum controllers? No. And judging from the popularity of the game and its like, there'll surely be newer and better versions available in the future. But in the meantime, this kit will provide you with hours of fun gameplay it's guaranteed to always be the "me next" instrument whenever a group of friends gets together to play.

PROS

* Lots of fun to play makes the most of the Rock Band game

* Pads have good sensitivity and responsiveness (better than I'd expected)

CONS

* Tick-tock sound of hitting the drums may annoy some

* Pads are fixed in place in relation to each other

* Takes up lots of space when not in use

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Ok I bought this game 70 days ago (JUST past their 60 day warranty) with the drums. I've played mostly on medium but lately have been doing all hard. I am a drummer and play mostly with the drums and hardly ever with the mic or the guitar.

First I feel compelled to comment that this game is amazing. It is very fun and challenging yet playable for people of all skill levels. My friends and I have a blast with this game and can play literally for HOURS at a time. It's also a GREAT party game as you can switch people out in the band and the music is GREAT in my opinion the songs on rockband are far better than the ones included in guitar hero. So I'd give the game a 10/10 hands down.

That said I'd give the drumset's design a 3/10. The first few weeks I had it the bass drum kicker pedal broke. This is a VERY common issue. I thought to myself "No big deal, I'll just buy a third party metal replacement." While that cost me an extra $40 it has last far past what the original one did (and under much more stress as I'm playing harder modes now).

Now I'm also experiencing my drum pads giving out. Their sensitivity is going WAY down and although I'm playing the songs better and better with practice, I'm getting lower and lower scores becuase my drumset pads are dying on me. I have taken VERY VERY VERY good care and have not beat on them very hard at all. And they're breaking after a little over 2 months. So if you plan on buying a new set for $40-$80 every 2-3 months and you're fine with that, then this set is perfect. If not...then you'll be highly disappointed. Especially seeing how their replacement plan only covers up to 60 days.

So in short game -10/10 AMAZING!!

Drum set itself 3/10 VERY Faulty and breaks WAY too easily for the high cost.

If you don't believe me just search the internet for rock band drumset mods, rock band drumset fixes, and rock band drumset broken. You'll see A LOT (and I Mean a whole hell of a lot) of people experienced the exact same things I have.

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I agree with the first reviewer about the three generations of drums and their inherent differences. I have the EL (hard pads, less sensitive than the 2nd gen QM drums) series and after two months, so far so good, I'm not a hard player, I play more for technique and speed. And while pounding on the EL series of drums is not necessary, more than a light touch is needed to register a note. Still, depending on how you play it isn't a problem. I have not tried the QM (2nd gen with bouncier pads that are more sensitive) and SL (3rd gen, a combo of the first two gens) series yet, but I assume that Harmonix is creating the third gen of drums for a reason a lot of people play hard, a lot of drummers play hard, and the EL series (from what I've read) mechanically break down after a few months of pounding.

Harmonix has a generous return policy. If you're EL drums are being finicky about registering notes, you can return them for a new set:A lot of people are modding the drum heads with mute pads, everything from using Staples round mouse pads glued to the rock band pads with rubber cement to towels to socks to companies like rockbandrumsoft.com that sell peel and stick gum rubber (what professionals use) to neoprene and urethane. I am going to try the gum rubber and see how they work on the EL drums. Since I would actually prefer to hit a little harder (I didn't know if the Rock Band drums were designed to hold up to real pounding) the pads should be a great dampening tool.

There is indeed a clackety-clackety sound to the set instead of the thump-thump most of us would prefer to hear, so muting the heads should help. Also depends on how loud you play the songs from your TV. I play the guitar but honestly, the drums are a lot more fun for me. For a "toy". they're pretty darn close to playing real electronic drums. The guitar is fun but too far from the real thing in many ways. Still, the guitar is enjoyable if you don't try to force it into a comparison with the real thing.

You can also use these drums as a controller with Apple's Garage Band you need to download 2 apps: Game Pad Companion and Xbox 360 Controller Driver. You can play the drums on your Mac. I connect my Mac to a guitar amp or my home theatre system and wail away!

Honest reviews on Xbox 360 Rock Band Drum Set

I have to say, I never thought I'd enjoy playing the drums as much as I enjoyed playing the guitar. After a few go arounds, however, I don't even want to look at the guitar; I am having too much fun on the drums!

I suggest, if you already have a Guitar Hero guitar (or two like me) skip buying the kit and just buy the game and the drum kit. I have used the Rock Band guitar, and it is nothing special if you already have two Guitar Hero guitars. The drum kit, however, cannot be missed!!

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OK, I got the complete set, game, drums, mic, and guitar. This game is a blast to play. Rock Band comes out with three new songs a week for their Downloadable Content (DLC). The drums are fun to play but very tiring if you are an old fart like me. I had a total hip replacement last year so after about six songs I am done on the drums because of the bass kick pedal. It's great and fun for me on easy but on medium they add more kick drum notes and it just tires me out. This game is very durable and Rock Band has a great warranty unlike Guitar Hero III who only has a 60 day warranty. My guitar quit working and Rock Band sent me a new one free of charge, all I had to do was secure it with a credit card to insure I would return my broken one, they mailed me a new guitar and a return shipping label. When I received my new guitar I used the box and shipping label and returned my defective guitar. It works the same way with the drums but so far I haven't had the problems with drums that others do. I highly recommend this game for a fun time with family and friends.

F1 Race Stars - Xbox 360 Reviews

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Don't understand why this title isn't more celebrated. Aesthetically beautiful, tons of tracks/drivers to choose from and while the handling isn't perfect it's totally playable. The music isn't particularly memorable, but it isn't horrible either. But forget all that, get four controllers, three other people and a few hours later you'll have no regrets with this purchase.

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If youre tired of games that you have to 'learn', this is worth a look. Anyone can play it. You don't have to be a kid with too much time on your hands. It's really nice that the drivers are the actual F1 drivers, especially to an F1 fan.

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The game is great fun but a bit repetetive. However, the races are all pretty much the same and a lot of them

Honest reviews on F1 Race Stars - Xbox 360

Great game. I highly recommended it. Graphics are good, sound is good, game is challenging but fun! Must buy for F1 fans!

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The biggest reason I kept my Wii around was Mario Kart and Smash Brothers. With this, I can cross one of those games off of my list of "reasons to keep my wii". It's a very fun game, uses a proper controller!