5 in 1 USB 4800mAh Battery Pack & Charger Cable Kit For Xbox-360 Review

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The price I paid for this product was a lot less than other products out there.

You get 2 recharable batteries, and "Charge and Play" cord and a One slot recharable dock. They are both USB, so the recharable dock doesn't have to take up another outlet, just plug it into the Xbox and keep it there to recharge any other batteries. I'm not sure why it says 5-in-1 where there's only 4 items, but it's still a good buy and the shipping said it would take a minimum of 17 days to ship, but the delivery date was well under that. It was only 8 days ago when I ordered and the product got shipped.

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Discount Nike+ Kinect Training - Xbox 360

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List Price: $29.99
Sale Price: $21.65
Today's Bonus: 28% Off

I tend to divide fitness video games into two categories: "fun" motion games like Kinect Star Wars and Kung Fu Live where you get a workout just in the course of playing a game, and "pure" exercise games that are designed from the ground-up to be workout games. In the world of "pure" fitness games, so far there have been two contenders for being the best on the Kinect: Your Shape: Fitness Evolved and Adidas MiCoach.

I'm happy to say that from what I've seen do far, Nike+ Kinect Training powers its way to the top of the list. It has the most accurate motion detection and interface of all the workout games I've seen to date, has a truly innovative fitness test, and puts together workout routines that really feel personalized for you.

While the Adidas game had appearances by animated versions of very recognizable athletes such as Dwight Howard and Eric Berry, with Nike you have animated versions of Alex Molden or Marie Pervis, both best known as Nike certified trainers (although Molden did spend 9 years in the NFL). I found that fact that these are actual trainers lends a bit more credibility to the training, as opposed to other games which hire big name athletes or pop stars to drive sales.

The concept of the game is quite simple. You start out by selecting your goal (such as Get Strong to increase your power and build explosiveness, Get Toned to develop lean muscle and muscle definition, or Get Lean to maximize calorie and fat burn). Then, you go through a fitness assessment, after which you'll get a customized circuit training routine to do over the next four weeks. In other video games I tried, the assessment is really just smoke and mirrors--however you do on your "fitness test" those games will give you the exact same workout routine and call it a "personalized one". With Nike+ Kinect, the workouts I was given really feel customized to my exact goals.

The Fitness Challenge basically runs you through a series of exercises, using the Kinect to measure both how well your form is and how many reps of each exercise you're doing. You'll see a video image of your animated trainer and a silhouette of yourself next to him or her. One thing to keep in mind is that you need a minimum of 8 feet in front of your Kinect sensor with a clear view of the floor, and you'll also need a good 8-10 feet from left to right for certain exercises where you'll be jumping from side to side. [EDIT: some have reported that 8 feet is not even enough for certain exercises; in any case, if you get stuck with the system unable to track you, just use voice command "XBOX TRACKING OFF" to proceed with the exercises. Thanks to Hans for the tip!]

Each exercise is similar in that you'll see your trainer to the left of the screen, and you'll see a silhouette of your body to the right. Your silhouette will be orange at first but will glow blue when you're using the correct form. The Kinect is extremely precise and did a great job of gauging whether I was doing the exercises right each time.

The first part of the assessment tests your lower body and upper body mobility by having you strike a few poses (first lying down and raising each leg, and then standing up and stretching with your arms behind your back).

The next part of the assessment has you doing a variety of exercises, from a hop and stick (this is the one that requires a ton of space from left to right), a squat jump. What's really cool about this is that not only does the system judge your performance, it'll also give you detailed data that you can try to beat each time you do the exercise; for example, the squat jump will tell you your vertical leap in inches.

There's a cool exercise that tests your speed, reaction and agility, where you have to hop and jump to various targets on the ground. You're also tested on squats, push-ups, and high knee sprints. Again, I loved how you could set a benchmark and then try to beat it with each rep you do. A bar on the bottom of the screen will show you how good your form is; the more it fills up the better you're doing. I also loved how the system displayed things like time and reps; it's stylistically integrated into the background of the scenery in a way that's easy to read and has a certain "coolness" factor.

Motion sensing was excellent, something I always try to test with these kinds of games. I tried to throw it off several times, but it seemed to do a great job of keeping up with me.

After your evaluation you're given something called a "unique fuel print" an interesting metric that tracks your "Fitness Score" on one side and your "Athleticism" on the other side. During the test you basically establish a benchmark and then every four week you're given the same test to see how much you've improved. I started with both numbers in the 30s, which I knew meant I had a LOT of room for improvement.

You're also set up with a custom 4-week workout that focuses on your goals as well as things from your fitness evaluation that need improvement. There's a cool visual representation that shows the system picking the right exercises for you. The exercises in the workout routine are along the line of what I described above: doing various exercises where you're evaluated on how well your form and your execution are. The virtual trainer does give excellent feedback of your performance.

At first, I was excited because all the marketing material pointed to this game being tightly integrated into the whole Nike+ system. It turns out the integration is not very deep at all. If you have a Nike+ Fuelband, you'll earn "NikeFuel" playing this game just like you would doing any other exercise, but other than that there's not direct connection nor interaction between the FuelBand and Kinect Training. Kinect Training will sync (in summary form) to your NikePlus.com profile, so you can view your overall Kinect Training statistics on the site next to your FuelBand statistics, but that's it.

One thing I also love about the game is that it's supported by Kinect PlayFit, so calories burned will be counted along with all your other PlayFit-compatible games.

The one thing I wish this title had was more "fun" activities where you could get exercise by simulating real sports or activities. This is something that other titles such as Your Shape: Fitness Evolved and EA Sports Active 2 both have that provide some nice variety and diversion to keep the workouts from getting too monotonous. While Nike+ Training has some of that (there's an interesting game where you need to move your body to avoid shattering a pane of glass that's coming toward you), for the most part it's still mostly like a virtual experience at a gym, so if you have a tough time getting motivated to go to the gym every day, chances are you might have a tough time keeping up with regular workouts with this game. That said, the game does "basic training and exercise" better than any game before it, and makes a great addition to your Kinect workout game collection.

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The software (because it isn't really a "game") is pretty good. It's very personalized and has a lot of potential. If you are looking for a personal trainer at home via your Xbox this is easily your best option. But, it takes a lot more space than the average kinetic game for this to work. I have played plenty of other mincer titles and never really had an issue with them. This one seems to want to get me further and further from the sensor. Ideally you need to be about ten feet back with 5-6 feet of open space (to be able to complete all the tasks) in any direction around you. That's a pretty big space premium to get full functionality out of the game. My Xbox is in a pretty big room, but I also have this stuff called furniture. In addition to needing the extra space, it can be a little picky about how closely you mimic the trainer's activity. You have to be pretty dead on for it to register a rep. For example, after doing 22 lunges in the fitness calibration to try to get it to register three that are done correctly I just skipped it. Maybe I just needed to be more than 8 feet from the sensor.

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I've just completed the first 4-week "program" of Nike Kinect Training and started in on the next 4-week cycle, so I figure it's time for a review. I've used the Your Shape Fitness Evolved 2012 dvd for about 9 months before this, so that's my point of comparison. They're very different, so one might suit you better than another.

Nike uses a traditional 4-week fitness training program designed around your goal (lean, toning, or strength)and capabilities (determined by a fitness and agility "test"). It tells you what exercises to do to meet your goal and guides you through your workout. This is a plus for those who want to be told what to do, rather than choosing (as one must do on the Your Shape title). That is the main way in which they are very different. If you like choice and variety, Your Shape gives plenty of that, but if you want to be told which exercises to do and when to do them, Nike is more of that approach, like having a personal trainer.

Another big difference is that Nike does NOT use any weights, as many Your Shape exercises do. Instead, Nike exercises get all their resistance from fighting gravity with your own body weight. So, if you want to use dumbbells (as I like to do), Nike will disappoint.

What the Nike exercises to better than Your Shape is push you to your cardio limit. I've quickly lost weight using Nike, even after 8 months using Your Shape. It's based on reaching your cardio limit repeatedly over short "sprints," and then resting before the next "sprint." That burns a lot of fat quickly. Another thing I like is that its "recommended" daily routine is fairly short (25 minutes or so), but then it asks if you want to "add on" one or two more rounds of the same exercises. I find that motivates me because it's easy to start a 25-minute workout, but then I always add on more once I'm warmed up and sweaty. It's good fitness psychology.

I'm a little disappointed (and the reason I'm giving it only 4 stars) that now starting my 2nd 4-week program, things aren't much different than the first program. The rest periods are a little shorter, but the exercises are the same. I was hoping it would add on some different exercises. It feels a bit over-priced in that respect --there actually aren't that many different exercises in here, but what there is is of high quality (with some qualifications noted below).

Something to watch out for if you have any issues with knees, ankles, hips, etc.: The exercises here are quite "high impact". Many of them give the joints quite a pounding (such as running with high knees, star jumps, etc.). Many would qualify as "plyometric" exercises with lots of leaving the ground in order to generate resistance.

Technically, the dvd looks and sounds good, with good music, etc. Sometimes, the timing of the trainer's voice commands don't quite match up with what's shown on the screen. Typically, right when the clock gets to 0:00, he'll say "OK, give me just a few more" but the time's already up. That's a bit annoying over time. Also (just as with Your Shape), the Kinect sensor doesn't do too well with the lying down on the ground postures, failing to register correctly. That's also annoying. But, generally this is mostly free of bugs.

So, if you like a guided workout, have sound joints and like to have a good, sweaty cardio workout, this is a great addition. However, if you like to choose from a lot of different options, like to use dumbbells, and like to design your own workout, then Your Shape will be more to your liking.

UPDATE (2/5/13): A few weeks after writing this review, I started to develop some significant knee pain, which I attribute to the quite jarring cardio exercises used in this video. So, I now use only the strength portion of the workout and get my cardio elsewhere. Hopefully, the knee pain will subside over time, but I'm taking a star off my initial review and repeating this warning that the cardio exercises in this workout are very high-impact and probably not suitable for many people. The workout would be more appropriate for more people if it had lower-impact cardio options.

Honest reviews on Nike+ Kinect Training - Xbox 360

I love this game! After many workouts and routines, I feel the burn more every time. This game has made me feel as though it knows exactly what I need to achieve my fitness goals, it is completely customized to my body, health level and ability. One point of mention, it likes me to be like ten feet or so from the TV, totally cool in my case, just an FYI. I recommend this game because I paid full price for it, and I feel as though I underpaid. Good luck in executing all of your health betterment plans.

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This game is not perfect. There are plenty of flaws in tracking form and counting reps, thanks, in part, to the imperfections in the Kinect tracking system. Regardless, the Nike + Kinect Training "Game" represents such a huge step forward that it deserves five full stars. It's hard to consider this product a game. It's a pretty serious training program built on training methodologies that are better than many of the personal trainers at the local gym.

The program puts you through a modified version of Gray Cook's and Lee Burton's Functional Movement Screen, a seven-step functional movement assessment that may cost as much as $150. As a personal trainer, I've never understood charging that much. I just build it into my total training fee. Many trainers haven't even heard of this valuable screen, and the fact that you can do a less comprehensive and less accurate, but still valuable version of this assessment is pretty amazing.

Two major flaws in the FMS part of this program are the Inline Lunge and the less then perfect tracking of the Kinect. In the real test, the spacing is longer and you have to balance on a beam, making it more of a true test of functional movement. On the first try of another part of the test, the Kinect didn't even track my pushups and would have scored me a 0, meaning that I would be doing knee pushups instead of full pushups. When I was able to get the Kinect tracking properly, I got a 3, the highest score, completely changing the strength programming to something more challenging and appropriate.

It's also easy to cheat the system. A couple of perfectly executed lunges may score zeroes, but you can kneel on the floor and get credit for perfect reps. I've even done pushups where I would lie on my stomach and then push up, only to get perfects.

The actual programs aren't perfect either. The Kinect gives you the option of going for Power/Strength, Toning or Fat Burning/Cardio. A high school athlete new to training would probably get a bit more faster and powerful with the Power/Strength option thanks to the improved balance and functional movement gained by this training. But the weights are not heavy enough, the movements not explosive enough and the emphasis not specific enough to speed to create the types of gains on the field or the track he or she might expect. Toning is really tough, and probably more in line with the goals. I haven't tested Cardio, but it would be hard to mess that one up, and the interval-based training in the other programs is spot-on.

For $50, the price of one gym membership, you can get some pretty darn good training, probably better than what you'd find at your local gym. Nike + Kinect Training won't replace a really good trainer, but it will definitely give you a great workout based on a strong methodology that will get you results in your living room.

Prototype Alex Mercer game Vinyl Decal Skin Protector Cover Reviews

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List Price: $18.14
Sale Price: $10.88
Today's Bonus: 40% Off

The skin is one giant image of Mercer that would have worked were it a wraparound style, however there are cut lines to take it off the wax paper and it is meant to join edge to edge so the sides don't match the front by like a 1/2 inch, especially apparent on Mercers arm. Bu otherwise, almost two years and a move later, has held up great and looks great! Warning: OCD people will find this a nightmare to install. I know I did. Bring a plastic putty spreader or a credit card for air bubbles.

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Katamari Damacy - PlayStation 2 Review

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List Price: $29.99
Sale Price: $15.60
Today's Bonus: 48% Off

One thing can be said for certain: you haven't played a game like this before. Everything about this game is off-the-wall, but it works. When you load the game for the first time, you will be greeted with giraffes, rainbows, bicycles, and a plethora of other thingsall performing some contorted dancejust for you. Welcome to the world of Katamari Damacy, where the gameplay is original and surprisingly addictive. Your goal?roll your sticky ball around to collect the "objects from earth". As your ball gets bigger, you can pick up bigger things. So you go on a hunt to keep growing your ball. The levels you play in are simply hugeI never felt like I had seen everything in a levelso replay level is quite high. Meanwhile, the background music is a lot of fun, good enough to put you in a good mood if the rest of the game doesn't. And the storywithout ruining anythinghas to be the product of mixing drugs and alcohol. The controls are quite simple, employing only the analog sticks and a couple shoulder buttons (although I never found much use for the shoulder buttons). When I heard about and found the game, I worried that it would be too simplistic to entertain meit seems my worries were unfounded; Katamari Damacy is a great game for everyone....and cheap, too!

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I really hope the success of this game convinces publishers to bring over more off-the-wall Japanese titles. This game is awesome. Gameplay is very simple: you roll around a ball (using the analog sticks in a control scheme reminiscent of Battlezone) and things stick to it. That's it. There are basically two kind of challenges: get the ball to be a certain size, or pick up as many of something as you can find. (Katamari Damacy loosely translates as "ball of stuff.")

While this may not sound like the world's most exciting way to spend your time, the flawless execution gives Katamari Damacy the simple, in-the-zone addictiveness of Tetris. The backstory is bizzare: your father, the King of All Cosmos, goes on what sounds very much like an acid trip and breaks all the stars. When he sobers up, he finds that everyone is annoyed, so he tasks you with going to Earth to collect raw material to rebuild the sky. The raw material turns out to be anything from thumbtacks to people to ships. The King's disconnected, slightly deranged speech patterns add much to the style of the game, as does the intro video, which is better seen than described. Add to that another side of the story told by following a Japanese family in very weird, stylistic interstitials and you've got a very surreal experience.

Katamari Damacy is backed by a soundtrack that would be worth $20 by itself. With replay value assured by levels that are easy to conquer but difficult to do perfectly, this game is a great addition to anyone's console library.

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After first reading about this game in PSM, in a small article in the back of the magazine, and then finding discussions everywhere on the web I was intrigued. I found it in a bigbox for cheap so I bought it. It is great. It is a nice diversion from killing people, and scoring touchdowns (both of which I enjoy tremendously). The game is a trip. It is very odd, but the music rocks, the graphics are trippy and the controls are flawless. THIS IS THE BEST BARGAIN THERE IS IN PS2 GAMES.

Honest reviews on Katamari Damacy - PlayStation 2

A true sleeper hit in the video game market. This formerly little known Japanese game from Namco (makers of Pac Man) has slowly but surely become a big hit with fans here in the North American Continent.

You are the prince of the King of Cosmos and you have to fix a mess the King has made of the stars. It seems that the King accidently ruined the stars, moon and constilations that once glittered the Earth night sky, so being you are his son and he doesn't want to do it, it's up to you to fix it. So what's a little 5 cm green guy to do? Roll a huge ball that can pick up any item smaller then it as it rolls around. The more items you pick up the bigger the sphere gets. Each stage has a size you must get the ball to within a time limit so you can restore the stars of the sky.

The game is a very 'unique' and quite addicting. The early stages start off with very small sized goals like having to pick up items on the floor of a room in a house, then progresses to outside, into small towns, to whole cities and eventualy the planet. The real joy of this game is how simplistic and how many items there are in the game. Each item in this game eventualy you will be able to collect on this sphere of yours. Whether its a small button on the floor or a huge skyscraper , there is nothing in this game you won't be able to collect, as long as your sphere is the proper size to do so.

The game takes on a very Japanese anime type of feel to it. It has very addicting and catchy Japanese music, with a theme song that will get stuck in your head. It has a full inventory for you to look at all the items you collected along with the size you had to be to collect it and what the item actualy is. There are thousands of items in the game to pick up and while the challenges are few, the fun is constant. There are even some clips after you finish each star restoration as you follow a family noticing the weird stuff going on with the stars missing.

I can't recomend this game enough. You may get through the game in a few sessions but the replayability and fun is so high it just won't matter. It also has a mulitplayer mode where you can battle with a friend. There are hidden presents you can find in every stage and so much more. It's such a simple yet complex game and most of all.. its fun! You won't be sorry adding this game to your collections. Anyone will enjoy this and the price is most defintely right.

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Something that's tugged at the back of my mind for years now is the question of what, exactly, happened to the ingenuity, simplicity and sense of wonder that was traditionally associated with video games throughout the seventies, eighties and early nineties. There's no question, today's games are a much more detailed, beautiful, realistic and life-altering bunch than the titles that filled the SNES, NES and 2600. As a NES owner, you'd never get an experience quite like what Metal Gear Solid or Grand Theft Auto can give you today. You're afforded much more freedom on an Xbox than you were on a Sega Master System, everything's in crystal-clear high definition and the soundtracks routinely eat up several CDs all on their own. You take it for granted that Mario can fly, because that's just the way it's (almost) always been. To introduce a similarly outlandish game in this day and age where anything new is scrutinized by the overcritical eye of parents, teachers, internal boards, the media, the government, the FCC and, perhaps harshest of all, the critics is almost unthinkable.

That's why I'm amazed a game like Katamari Damacy made it to our shores virtually untouched. This game's a throwback to the absent-minded titles of gaming's infancy, when everything didn't need to make sense under the restrictions of the Earth's gravitational pull, didn't need to abide by the dynamic lighting of the sun as it floats across the sky, and didn't send you on missions that would give a real life government operative nightmares. Things just happen in Katamari, and you accept them as fact because that's just they way they are.

Basically, Katamari Damacy is a telling of the life of a dung beetle on a cosmic scale. You control "The Prince," heir to an apparently galactic kingdom, as he rolls tiny, sticky balls called Katamaris around the Earth's floors, streets and continents. When you roll over something, the item sticks and the size of the Katamari snowballs. The size of your ball is directly proportionate to the size of the items you can pick up. If you're piloting a tiny trash heap, you're just gonna bounce off if you try to roll up a tree or a fencepost. Your Katamari usually starts small, barely large enough to roll up an acorn or thumbtack, (not to mention easily tossed aside by the numerous mice that roam the city streets) and slowly increases in size to the point where it's picking up cats, then large dogs, then children, adults, motorcycles, cars, wrestling rings, houses, office buildings, etc. The real star of this show is the incredible scale of the game, how nothing is off limits so long as your Katamari is big enough.

And that's really all there is to the game. You get a time limit and a certain size that your Katamari ball must reach within that timeframe, you're dropped out onto the floor somewhere, and you just start rollin'. It's incredibly simple, yet indescribably inspirational. While it may sound lacking in depth and replay value, I dare you to spend an hour with this disc and then casually put it away. It's physically impossible. I've never been one to immediately replay a game after finishing it, but I did just that in Katamari. The only thing that'll keep you playing is the never-ending challenge to top your existing high scores... well, that and your need to constantly explore this bizarre, psuedo-Eastern world... and it's been quite a while since I felt this motivated by nothing more than a number saved onto a memory card somewhere.

Alongside its outlandishly original gameplay and story, Damacy is equally original with its simple, understated control scheme. The only buttons you'll need to use in this game are the PS2 controller's dual analog sticks and the "X" button. It plays like a weird mixture of Pac-Man and the old Midway tank-based arcade game, Vindicators. Pushing both sticks forward moves you forward. Pulling both sticks back moves you back. Pushing both sticks left strafes you left, two rights strafe you right, pushing the left stick forward and the right stick back turns the whole thing (camera and all) right, and vice versa performs the exact opposite function. The only time your fingers should leave the analog sticks is when you're reading some dialog (unfortunately, there's no prominent voice acting in Katamari) and you need to hit the "X" button to move things along.

Visually, this is far from the most stunning game on the PS2 today. Honestly, I don't think there's a single object in the game that couldn't be faithfully reproduced on the Sega Dreamcast a thousand times over. Now that I think about it, the original Shenmue puts the graphics of Katamari to shame. But if you still think the visuals are the point, you obviously haven't been paying attention. However, one thing I'm relatively sure the old Dreamcast couldn't do is scale every one of those millions of objects, both moving and still, from full-screen to ant-size with no slowdown in sight. It's not right up in your face and obvious, like the majestic beauty of Gran Turismo 3 or Final Fantasy X, but this is a great display of the PS2's sheer polygon-crunching power.

This is seriously one of the greatest games of 2004. If you haven't already played it and were waiting on some sort of official endorsement to do so, consider this your call to action. It's discount-priced right out of the gates at twenty bucks, (which makes perfect sense, because no matter how good this game is, I don't think I could've justified fifty dollars on it) and will reward you and your friends with hours upon hours of entertainment, even after you've completed all of the single-player quests.

Reviews of Microsoft Wireless-G Xbox Adapter

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....Ridiculously easy to set up. Actually ,the XBOX system did most of the work for me. It detected and configured most of the network info itself from my existing 802.11g wireless network. The hardest thing was typing the 26 digit WEP code for my wireless network.I just followed the step-by-step instructions and was online within minutes. Piece of cake.

I was a little concerned about the signal strength with my Base Station being two rooms over , about 35 feet away with multiple electronic devices along the way, and no real line of sight, but my fears quickly disappeared when I checked my network speed on the XBOX and found it steady at 54 Mbps with a Very Good to Excellent signal.Fantastic.

Online gaming on the XBOX is phenomenal with the Microsoft Wireless-G Xbox Adapter.The game play is flawless. It's as if your playing with that person in your living room right next to you. There was no laggy or choppy gameplay, just really really smooth. I love this thing!!

Just take the time to read the instructions one step at a time and you'll be playing before you know it. I look forward to playing you on XBOX Live.

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**READ THIS IF YOU ARE HAVING TROUBLE CONNECTING TO XBOX LIVE**

Well, I read everything I could find on the Microsoft MN-740 Xbox Adapter and the Linksys WRT54GS Wireless-G Broadband Router w/ SpeedBooster to prepare for installation. Hours reading before I even had the units in my hands. I was a bit worried after reading this review list. So, I did what I could.

The setup of both units was near automatic and needed little in the way of help from me. I got everything in order following the instructions the Xbox adapter and the Linksys Router were talking to each other. But, when I tried to get into Xbox LIVE...'bummer' the Xbox Adapter would not connect to LIVE. I thought it might have been an SSID problem, channel junk, or ISP information missing... So, I sat and tried to find out the problem for about 4 hours. Opting not to call customer services (feeling it to be jokeful). Frustrated and sleepy, I got online and re-read something tucked away at the Xbox site that I knew was not in any of the manuals. One setting change (see excerpt below) and it was running fast and the games began to fly with no lag what-so-ever!

If you have a Linksys router try this link and fix your Xbox LIVE connection problem.(...)

Excerpt: "Note: The UPnP implementation on the Linksys WRT54g with firmware 2.02.7 has been discovered to prevent users from being able to connect to Xbox Live. If a user is unable to connect to Xbox Live with this specific router model/firmware, they may get connected by turning off UPnP in the router's settings. Microsoft is working hard with Linksys to repair this issue as soon as possible."

Other than the one setting problem that they are working to correct... I am a bit disappointed with the weaker WEP security the Microsoft Xbox Adapter needs. Not cutting edge. But, for the ease of use this unit offers I'll take what I can get to get LIVE while my wife is online.

I hope this helps. If it did help you please click the "YES" button below.

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Ridiculously quick and easy setup with the mn-740!!After having used the Linksys wgallb game adapter, this things connects and configures like a dream! It took hrs to get the linksys to work right with 128bit encrytion even though I was using a Linksys router. Linksys support is a joke! Absolutely terrible. They told me my game adapter was defective and that I need to return it. It wasn't, they just have poor troubleshooting ability. I would like to know how many thousands of non-defective linksys products have been returned because of poor tech support? I had the mn-740 Xbox adapter up and running in 2 minutes! With 128bit encrytion, I am seeing 48MBPS through 3 rooms and 80ft. My Xbox adapter is running beautifully with a D-link DI-624 with the 108G firmware upgrade. With rebates, the router and mn-740 Xbox adapter together is around 100.00. That's incredibly cheap for the quality and performance with this setup. Buy the MN-740! Stay away from Linksys, you'll thank me. Also, I have read from other reviewers that you can use the mn-740 as a wireless network adapter for any device with a ethernet jack after the initial setup. Hope this helps.

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This works wonderfully right out of the box with a modded (evoX) XBox, linked to a Linksys WRT54G. I originally tried to use the Linksys Wireless Game Adapter, which really sucked and never worked. Took a chance on this thing, worried that it would not be configurable enough with the network. Piece of cake. And 30-50 dollars cheaper than the Game Adapter. It found the network just fine and can now transfer files back and forth from the XBox from both the wireless PC and the Mac on our network via FTP. Hate to say it, but a really nice experience from MS.

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You can, too!!! This product is totally not needed if you have a laptop (which is why most people have wireless in the firstplace). From my Mac, all I did was go into system preferences > sharing > internet > and click "start" to share the internet access. Then I used ethernet cable (cat-5) and connected my laptop to the back of my xbox. Im sure you can do the same if you're running windows. Im sure this product is great, and it works right out of the box, but why spend the money if you don't have to? Hope this helps save some of you some cash.

Review of Do Don Pachi Daioujou Black Label Extra

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People always told me not to buy this game because of its bad conversion from Arcade to Xbox360 but I dont see why it should be bad at all.

So here is a little review for DDP DOJ BL.

This game is really unforgiving, therefor hard to play but its fun from the first second.

To keep in mind, every DDP is kinda the same but this one will really test your gaming skills, its fast, bullet hell, you surely need good reflexes to make it to the last boss.

The level design is really well done, the ship designs are also well done. Many enemies coming down the way, also bullets, fireballs and the likes and there are no noticeable slowdown though the game.

The music is as you would expect from DDP and just fitting in pretty well.

Replay value is medium to high.

If you're into shmups go buy it.

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DoDonPachi Daioujou Black Label Extra is quite the name. The DonPachi series could be considered developer CAVE's flagship title, with several releases over the years.

DaiOuJou released in arcades in 2002, expanding on the formula made popular in DonPachi and DoDonPachi. You pilot a space ship (or helicopter, depending on your ship selection), shoot enemy tanks and aircraft, all while dodging massive amounts of bullets. New in this edition are Hypers, which are used to increase firepower for short periods of time.

The DonPachi series' trademark is enemy chaining. Each time you destroy an enemy, you have a second or so to destroy another enemy to add to your kill chain. This builds with each successive kill, increasing the value of the chain. Failing to kill another enemy swiftly breaks the chain, and the process starts all over. You can also use the laser weapon on a large enemy to stop the chain from running out (necessary since some enemy's take several seconds to fully destroy). It's a simple system to understand, however executing a stage-long chain is very difficult and will take many hours to master.

Even if you ignore chaining and just try to survive, DaiOuJou is still a hard game. However the game never feels cheap, and each time I die I never feel like there was no way to live through it. The visuals are crisp and clear, and enemy bullets stand out nicely from the background making it easy to track them.

In addition to the normal arcade game, we also get the Black Label version. This is a tweaked rebalanced version and offers more options then the original. Also included is a new arrangement called "X mode", which has significantly changed gameplay mechanics. If you need a break from the main game, X mode offers something different to try and is much easier to clear. Not included on this disc is Death Label from the PS2 release (which was basically a boss rush; honestly I don't miss it).

The online leaderboards are really nice, allowing you to track your improvement and compare to others. You can also download replays to see how other players chain enemies together, and get ideas to improve your play.

The only real complaint I have in this release is the menus. They can be very counter-intuitive at times, with options not located where I would expect to find them. Also, the button used to exit menus is different depending on which screen you're looking at, causing more confusion. There is also a large load time when the disc is first inserted, however once you get into the game the load times are minuscule so I can live with it. Definitely go online and grab the patches, which clean up the menus somewhat.

Review of Logitech WingMan Formula GP Racing Wheel -USB

Customer Ratings:

For the price, this wheel is an easy way to make driving games more fun. It has fairly good response but don't expect it to operate like a real automobile. Neither the wheel or peddles (gas/break) are as remotely sensitive as a real car but this is after all, just a gaming device and it gets the job done. The software loads easily and works on Windows XP right off the CD. It is also recognized by older software versions like Need For Speed II.

The one caveat is that you should have a flat, fairly smooth surface on which to mount the wheel and you should fasten it on tightly because if you don't, the wheel easily dislodges during the middle of the game and ruins your run.

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Ok, everybody, this is not the force feed back wheel. (.....). This is your down to earth 10" racing wheel with gas/brake pedals that will out do any keyboard control you could ever use. It's a great computer steering wheel that works as it should. It's accurate, simple to set up, and FUN to use. The price is perfect, too.

(....) it has worked flawlessly for me well over a year and is still working perfectly, (Thought I would update this to say that it is now over 4 years old and still going strong). I truly don't believe you could find a better wheel for the price.

It has 4 programmable buttons and 2 paddles, (programmable shifters). The clamping down feature is ideal and doesn't get your legs caught up. The pedals are heavy aluminum and don't move around too much unless you just get caught up in a heated race, LOL. (Gosh, it's made by Logitech! What more could you want?)

I never installed the software, I just plugged it in, (USB), and started driving with no problems. I am also using Windows Home and Professional on two separate PCs.

If you're looking for a wheel, and on a budget, bingo, you found one here.

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Okay, so the pedals don't feel like real automobile pedals. It's a gaming device, people! I'm looking for realism plus fun, and that's what I got. True, it does take a considerable amount of practice to get used to it. Especially if, like me, you've spent years mashing keyboard buttons to play driving games. I'ts a LOT harder using the wheel and pedals, but a heck of a lot more fun! To answer Pedro Couto e Santo's question in his earlier review: 'So... what's the point to buying a steering wheel and pedals if you can actually play driving games better on your keyboard?'. The answer is you can't play driving games with the wheel and pedals the same way you play with the keyboard. You have to re-learn everything. Have fun with your re-education!

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I don't think this particular product is sold new anymore. I use it with GT Legends race simulator game. I think I paid 30 bucks for it two to three years ago. The steering wheel is pretty good and it's fairly repeatable on returning to center. There are four buttons on the wheel you program. Two are used for upshifting and downshifting. XP recognizes the device so you really don't need the software to be installed. Its clamping is not well suited for my particular computer setup but it's workable. If you have regular flat table it should work well for you. You may want to put some soft and sticky material where it grabs the bottom of the table. Hard plastic on a formica surface can slip.

I have had other gaming wheels and pedals and this is the best of the low cost variety.

INSTALLATION TIP;

The default setting ties the brake to gas. You only get to use one at a time. You want them split so you can modulate the brake and gas separately. You have to go into control panel in Windows and make the change in the advanced section of the gaming controllers. The split is better but it's not perfect, but it is better.

PEDALS

The pedals are marginal at best. They slide all over the floor. I use a drawer liner piece of material to help with that situation. I think I will have to mount these to a piece of MDF big enough to allow the computer chair to sit on the piece of MDF with my chair. It is kind of hard to race a simulated race car lap after lap when the pedals are moving all over the floor. It spoils the fun pretty quickly.

The gas pedal is workable with linear modulation. The brakes, however, act more like a on-off switch. I have had to step down the level of difficulty in the racing program to pick up the anti-locking braking feature and stability control feature to keep from spinning out. The GT Legends program let's you replay any race or a hot lap. When you watch the replays you often see two black skid marks during a hard, but typical, braking maneuver.

These simulation games are unbelievably realistic. I know because I race a full size 650 hp car in SCCA events. To go fast you have to be able to threshold brake. With these pedal it's all but impossible to do so. I now understand why regular devotees of racing simulators pay $300 for a set of good pedals. It's the brake modulation that makes it worthwhile.

Like any new controller you have to learn how to use it to get the most out of it. The steering wheel is well sized for the typical race car application. The sensitivity can be adjusted in the GT Legends program.

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First wheel we have bought; was inexpensive and for a child. Seller said it appeared to be new. When opened, the wheel had obviously been opened before and been used. Having said that the wheel was easy to install and use and works well with the driving course simulator.

Electronic Arts Nba Jam (Ps3) Reviews

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Since purchasing this game from Amazon my children would not play any other game but this. It's very addiction to children that love playing basketball. They even learn some moves while playing the real basketball game. It's awesome game. They abandoned all their other PS3 for this.

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thx for the game i really do like it and so does my son who i am learning how to school the old school way

Train Simulator - PC Review

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By Robert and Patrick Scoble

Founders of The MSN Microsoft Train Simulator Fan Site ...

We first got a chance to get up close and personal with Microsoft's Train Simulator at the NMRA (the National Model Railroad Association's National Convention and Train Show in San Jose on August 4-6, 2000) and recently we received a press beta of Microsoft's Train Simulator since we run the MSN Train Simulator Fan Site at ... This was the first time that Microsoft had publicly shown Train Simulator (they say it'll ship in "Spring 2001"). "I want a copy," six-year-old train buff Patrick Scoble says, "they need to finish it."

That about sums up both of our responses. We couldn't wait. We're not usually into games or simulators, but we +are+ train nuts. The Train Simulator has us hooked and we suspect it'll have you hooked too. We're finding as we spend time with the simulator that even folks who don't appreciate trains as much as Patrick and I really are having a great time playing with Train Simulator as well.

First off, driving trains around with a simulator might sound boring, but I guarantee you it is not. This is from the same team that brought us Microsoft Flight Simulator.

Train Simulator will include six trains and tracks based on REAL LIVE RAILROADS. The simulation includes entire tracks over the Marias pass in Montana, for instance -the other tracks are explained on Microsoft's "Features Page."

One of the activities in the simulator lets you drive a BNSF train going through Marias Pass in Montana. (There are nine engines and six different tracks -all modeled on real world engines and tracks). The Microsoft Train Simulator will let you drive a simulation of the same train on the same tracks. Microsoft has tried to keep everything as accurate as possible. (Obviously simulation technology isn't as good as the "real" thing, but with Train Simulator it is darn close). This means that you could play with Train Simulator for six hours (on just one of the six tracks) and not see the same scenery. Switch to a different track and you get more hours of not-seen-before fun. Not to mention that it makes a great screen saver (you can leave it running on your desktop and the computer will take you on a tour of any one of the six rail lines that the programmers have built). The Simulator also doesn't force you to drive. You can stand at the side of the track. You can fly overhead in a "helicopter" mode. You can sit inside a passenger train and enjoy the view. Or you can sit in the cab and drive with realistic controls. This is a blast! If you were working on the Whitefish line, you'd start your six-hour trip over Marias pass in a Dash-9 in the Whitefish, Montana train yard. In Whitefish's train yard, the simulator would let you move your engine around on any of the 10 tracks, pick up other engines and cars, and hopefully refuel (many of these features were not demonstrated yet). Everything is realistic. Hey, think the simulator would let my wife visit her favorite antique store which is right near the track? I don't think so, but maybe that's something that we can build on later since Microsoft will give us the ability to add on new buildings and things to Train Simulator. The tools to build new things are quite nice, and already you can trade things with other Train Simulator users. This thing feels and sounds real. Particularly if you have a good 3D video card and a speaker system with a subwoofer. Here's a rundown of some of the features.

VIEWING: You can view the train from outside at any angle. You can "fly" around the train -at any time (you have complete control of the camera angle and can zoom closer or back off for a wider angle view).

You can sit inside the cab and "drive." All the controls are authentic and you'll have full displays -the same ones the real trains have.

You can stick your head outside the window and see the view (and you have complete control of the view. Forward, back, tilt, all just like if you were on a real train). This alone is unbelievable technology.

If you are carrying passenger coaches you can sit in back like a passenger. There will be other passengers to watch, supposedly (the "pre-Alpha" was empty). You can just sit there and watch the scenery go by, just like a real passenger.

You can switch to a mode that represents someone standing on the track and watching the train go by. I wonder, can you take a picture of your train?

Oh, did we mention the sound? The sound is VERY good and accurate. The product manager tells us that they actually went on location and did extensive recordings of the sound of each train. The sound changes depending on your perspective, too. If you are inside the cab, it sounds like that. If you are standing by on the side of the track, it sounds just like that too (although we didn't get hit by any flying stones like we did one time when we were trackside). The track noise is realistic and will change based on sections that have concrete ties with welded rails -trains running on older track will have the familiar clickety clack.

You can switch trains and run them on any of the six tracks (I don't know that I'd want to take the 100+MPH Acela over Marias Pass, but I'm sure I'll try it just for fun).

In helicopter mode you can view each car one-by-one. You can tilt, pan, and elevate the camera position. You can fly over the train. Around the train. Through the train (almost).

The sound is awesome -it better be, they digitally recorded real trains on location. Blow that whistle. (it's the space bar).

This simulator has one of the best uses of 3D technology I've seen so far. It's well worth the money and if you're into trains it'll blow your mind.

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Kuju entertainment developed this game for Microsoft, and it lives up to its name. You can explore six different historical railroads, including Amtrak's Northeast Corridor, Burlington Northern's Marias Pass route, and a section of the Orient Express in Austria. Two Japanese lines and the Flying Scottsman are also available. The graphics are beautiful and the sounds are faithfully reproduced. Microphones were mounted on various areas of each engine to capture the sounds of accelerating, braking, etc. The steam trains thunder and wheeze, the diesels hum, and the electrics quietly click along. The scenery includes trees, bridges, roads, moving automobiles, and tall mountains that actually look appropriately scaled -a rare feat with today's computer games.

However, make sure you have a mid-range system or better if you want to be able to run this game. Slower PCs, such as those of 500Mhz or under, will probably not be able to display high levels of detail without slowing the system to unacceptable levels. Also, be sure you have a capable video card. If you don't have enough system or video horsepower, you should upgrade your system before installing. Also, the full install requires 1.8 gigabytes of hard drive space -not exactly a small footprint.

Driving a train for the first time is thrilling. The game lets you look at the trains from an almost infinite number of angles, and they certainly look good! Learning to brake was also quite a challenge. Trying to stop a 30-car train on a steep grade in the rain gave me new respect for what engineers do on a daily basis.

However, after playing the game for two weeks, I must relunctantly conclude that this game is only for hardcore train fans. Once I had mastered braking and could get to stations on time, the game quickly ceased to be interesting. I'm just not interested by backing my train into a siding at 5 MPH to pick up some grain cars. I don't think it's fun to have to drive a train at 12 MPH in a reduced-speed zone for 10 minutes of real time. While this game faithfully simulates real-life railroading conditions, I'm afraid that this doesn't translate to gaming excitement.

I'm not knocking railroad fans, and I'm not saying that I didn't enjoy learning how to drive trains. But despite the excellent technological achievements showcased by this game, unless you are a die-hard train fan, I'd advise against buying this product. It simply doesn't provide enough entertainment for your money, especially since the replay value appears limited. There IS an editor included with the game, but at this writing it seems buggy and is not particularly easy to use. Perhaps that will change in the future. Additional user-made maps and scenarios would definitely help to make this game a better value.

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I received my copy yesterday and initially had some trouble getting it to work on my PIII 533. I highly recommend you spend some time online and download all the latest drivers for your video and audio systems before you install Microsoft Train Simulator. Folks with the latest drivers seem to have the least install trouble with this.

Be sure to check the Readme file on the CD-ROM... there is a long list of issues, most of which can be cured by downloading new drivers.

There is virtually no printed material included with this software, and the online help and operators manual only contain very general information. You will just have to tinker with this software for a few hours and figure some things out. If you have no knowledge of the controls on a railroad locomotive, the game has tutorials which will walk you through the basics.

One thing the online docs have which is nice... descriptions and illustrations of the mechanical workings of the various locomotives, and the braking systems.

I'm assuming the strategy guide will contain much more detailed information about actually playing the game.

The software allows you much control over the graphics and sound settings, so you can customize the gameplay to suit the capability of your system.

While you certainly have the option of just blasting down the mainline with a stack train or the Acela Express, don't think that's all there is to this game. The real fun (and the challenege) comes in the Switching Activities, and Roadswitcher Freights which assemble trains from mixed up strings of cars in the yard, or deliver cars to nearby industries.

This software also comes with the tools to create your own switching or mainline scenarios and trade them over the internet, and also allows you to create new landscapes and routes. For this reason, you can expect many more routes and activities to be available in the future.

Also the sound quality is very good, especially if you have a subwoofer.

I make my living riding freight trains around, and it's cool to see Microsoft come out with a whole game about my job! This software is by far the best and most realistic thing out there simulating the operation of a freight train.

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This is the best, by far, simulation of train operations. I am a RR professional, and have to say, the realism here is incredibly solid along with great sound and graphics. I hope this program will bring on generations of add-ons like FS2000. If you don't appreciate Railroading, you will still be amazed at the detail and replay value of this program.

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I am an avid fan of Microsoft's Flight Simulator. While playing the game, I often wished that the ground was more detailed and realistic. Train Simulator delivers this wish. Previous reviews at Amazaon indicated that some found it boring.. Not even! Sure, if you want Quake 3, but if your looking to explore a whole new world that is absolutely real.. get this game immediately. I do love trains, but I truly believe that anyone.. white or blue collar will enjoy the majestic beauty of the rockies, drving a commuter train (just like the el or a subway) through the heart of the outskirts of Tokyo at sunset, and powering a classic steam engine through Europe.

This game is outrageous! Cruising though the rockies in the forest along a beautiful river and suddenly your going over a bridge and 300 feet of canyon beneath you.

The tutorials are excellent, and the game let's you drive each train along each route without having to deal with a timeline just so you get used to everything. Once you've done that, the challege is on you to maintain schedules, switch tracks to pick up cargo.. you name it.

It's pretty cool to learn all of those weird train signs and be able to respond to them. 'W' means whistle... it's great to see that, blow that huge whistle and go through a street with cars waiting on both sides. Okay... I'm easily amused, but talk about fun. It's not in your face action.. but kick back, pop open a beer and enter a whole new world.

All aboard!

Review of Fantastic Pets - Xbox 360

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When we first got the Kinect, we purchased the Kinectimals game. Although it was cute and my 4 year old daughter liked it, the game required reading so I always had to sit beside her while she played. This is fine, but I have 11 month old twins, so my 4 year old ended up not getting a lot of Kinect playtime.

Also the kinect didn't respond that great with Kinectimals. My daughter was often frustrated.

A few days ago we bought Fantastic Pets. It requires almost no reading (only a few parts do, but my daughter now remembers which items to select in those areas so she doesn't need me at all) and seems to be a whole lot less frustrating to her.

Go with Fantastic Pets...much better!

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Pros: My kids (6 & 4) love this game. The ability to customize their pets is great. They can unlock new features for their pets the more they play it. They can pick multiple pets too. After the initial tutorial, they can jump right in and play from where they left off.

Cons: Long initial tutorial and pet set-up. Both kids can't play at the same time with both of their pets. Two people can play at the same time, but only with one pet.

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We've had this game for a while now. Wanted to wait and see if my 6yo really liked this game. Got to say this is a great game even if you put down. We've got Kinictamals and Fantastic Pets. He wanted to pick Kinictamals back up but forgot most of the commands after not playing 3-4 weeks. As we all do when we try to replay a game after a break. We put fantastic pets back in 2-3 weeks of not playing and very intuitive. He was having fun in no time.

Will say that after we added better lighting to our room some boards(obsticle courses) seemed to register our moves better. As it did with all our kinict games. It's geared towards kids cause you can only unlock(buy on the map) so much a day then is closed for the day. Competitons are once a day then locked. Uggg! Not a big free play player but son is.

He's got one of each pet and loves giving them different looks, wings, eyes... etc. Creative side and different animals really adds to the replayability for kids.

Because of the boards/screens intuitive nature it keeps my son wanting to play more and not get frustrated to replay later after he's taken a break. Where Kinictamals he's done with since it's a relearn game everytime you play and already unlocked the island and last kitty. He can replay but has no desire.

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This is how a animal game is supposed to work. My children ages 8 and 6 love this game it puts them on the TV while they play with their pet. The customization is great for the children they love to change up there pets all the time.

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I love this game we bought it for my two year old and he loves playing with his pets. We thought that it was going to be hard especially since our two year is very hypper but he got the hang of it right away he loves the fact that his pet is next to him and he can touch him and make him do tricks. We really recommend this product to all the parents because it interacts with your kids in such a way and it teaches them to follow directions unlike when our son is watching "Go Diego Go" that it tells him to pull, push, or run and he's doing it but he has to wait till the show gives them a few minutes before actually doing it. With this game as he's doing it you can see how he holds the ball or makes his pet jump or pull. We love it. Joel

Reviews of Skylanders Giants Legendary 3-pack: Ignitor, Slam Bam, and Jet-Vac

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I bought the 3 pack of Skylanders Giants for my 12 year old grandson for Christmas. He loved them! I didn't have a clue what they were or why he wanted them but after watching him play the game I now understand!

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Those who have played Skylanders: Spyro's Adventure, could see this coming from a mile away. Activision releases limited edition "legendary" characters exclusive to Toys R Us. In addition to this 3 pack, a Legendary Bouncer giant has also been released.

Be aware that legendary Skylanders are more like collector's items, because of their exclusivity. If you intend to play with them, I suggest you keep the figures in the box and put the whole box on the portal (it can be done, even when using the online Spyro's Universe), because when the Toys R Us stock runs out, the legendary figures skyrocket in value.

If you're new to Skylanders, I suggest you play with a few of the characters to see which ones you're most comfortable with. The legendary characters are just like the regular versions except with slightly better stats (more luck and attack power) and that blue/black and gold colour scheme. Their abilities are no different from the standard versions of these characters.

I'd only recommend forking out for legendary Skylanders if you seriously want to "buy 'em all" and ONLY from Toys R Us, don't feed the scalpers around here.

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glad to find this after it disappeared from the shelves, but keep an eye on the stores, it may have reappeared recently

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I recently purchased Skylanders Giants legendary 3pack. Which included Slambam , ignitor and jet vac. From Amazon and I received it very quickly.. I have played skylanders series one and two a bit but my daughter is obsessed.This pack contains Legendary skylanders the three are black and gold in color. And they have different upgrades than the normal ignitor, slambam, and jet vac. If you are into skylanders this is a must have it is listed as rare. Plus I got it at a great price.

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I recommend this product is very nice and my son loved this, He game everyday 4 hours or more at day

Skylanders Giants Single Character Pack Core Series 2 Fright Rider Reviews

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Fright Rider is a new character released for the Skylander GIANTS world. He is an Undead Type knight of sorts and rides upon an undead steed of some variety (perhaps an Ostrich?). This mechanic is completely new to the Skylander universe and I personally welcome any and all differentiation in the characters. The design works well although I feel he should have more defense being a mounted unit. Fright Rider turns into a formidable combatant with entertaining special moves and a good mix of close and ranged attacks. Spinning spear strikes are especially effective.

He does tend to have a slight pause between attacks which leaves him vulnerable after a combo. On 3DS he is moderate jumper.

From a toy/collectible perspective, this is one of my personal favorites. Fright Rider has a neat name, unique design and is well painted and posed.

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Fright Rider is not only an interesting looking Skylander, but one with a neat backstory! Rider and his ostrich Fright were once the best jousting team in Skylands, but when a rival sent Rider to the underworld, Fright turned himself into a skeleton and journeyed there himself to rescue his longtime friend. They are now dedicated to helping others all across Skylands. An added cool factor is that they're one of the two Skylanders that are actually composed of two characters, the elf and the ostrich.

Speed: Average

Fright's movements can be a little awkward, but I wouldn't call him slow. If you still don't find him fast enough, I'm sure a hat would fix the problem quickly.

Primary Attack

As a jousting team, you can easily guess that the attack one button is used for spear related melee attacks. If you press attack one three times in a row, Fright will lash out and bite at enemies as well. The spear is eventually upgraded first to a powerful Ghoul Glaive, then to an even more powerful Halberd of Horror; both upgrades cause your spear to change in appearance. If you choose the Sir Lance A Lot upgrade path, your melee attack becomes more powerful, you gain the ability to hold in attack one and release several small undead ostrich heads to attack your enemies from underground, and you get much better combos. Attack one, attack one, attack two gives you Spear Vault, where Rider will vault off the back of Fright and slam into enemies. Attack one, attack one, attack three gives you Skull Slam, where Fright will rear up and slam his head down.

Secondary Attack

Also related to their way of life, Fright Rider's secondary attack consists of them jousting forward in a short, fast charge with the spear. It's eventually upgraded to be more powerful, and lasts a bit longer. A lot of people don't seem to like this one, but I use it quite frequently. It's especially good for the Arena Battles where your enemies are invincible and need to be pushed off or into things. If you choose the Joust Jockey upgrade path, the attack becomes more powerful and even faster, the spear can be swung at 360 degrees while charging, and while charging you can press attack three for a downward strike.

Tertiary Attack

My favorite of the three main attacks! Fright burrows his head underground (the direction of which is controllable) and once the buttom is released or the max amount of time for the attack has run out, Rider will be dragged underground and pop up where Fright's head has ended up. This is good for getting away from smaller and slower enemies quickly, and for getting out of places where you've gotten yourself stuck. The best part of this is the Soul Gem ability, which will be addressed below.

Soul Gem:

Another great Soul Gem attack! When you burrow underground, instead of Rider just traveling underground the spear remains above ground and drags down enemies that get caught in its path. It's very effective if you start getting swamped. The only downside is that large enemies, like crystal golems or Blaze Brewers, cannot be dragged under.

Overall:

Definitely a worthy Skylander. I was a little leery about purchasing a Skylander that does their melee attacks from the back of a steed, but it actually opened up the windows to some interesting attacks.

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I bought this for my sons once the new Skylander's Giants were released. The package was in great condition and showed up quickly as scheduled. The kids love this game.

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Fun game to play with the kids! Each character is different and unlocks new features on the game. Great Buy!

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The figures were sent right away and we were very happy with the conidition that they were in. I now have a very happy son.

Cheap Digimon Rumble Arena 2 - PlayStation 2

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This game is one of the best digimon games their is.I only wish that they would have all the characters from all the seasons of digimon in the game. But sad to say only a couple were choosen. The game is quite easy, but trying out every characters moves is the best part. Some characters from Digimon Rumble Arena were choosen to be in this game, but not many. The new characters have astonding techniques, and the old characters from Digimon Rumble Arena 1 have new techniques.I am 14 and just realy adore this game. I advise you to go buy it.It may not me the hardest game you have ever played. But it is a game that you will enjoy.Also remeber sometimes the game is not on the stores shelf. So just ask they do have it. Have a fun gaming experiemce.

Reviewer,

Scott A.

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For my son and I, this was a lot of fun to play. I know nothing about the Digimon universe or any of the characters, but it was a very fun and simple. The controls were easy to master as well as the special moves all the little Digimon characters can do.

If your kid likes playing video games and you want to play them with him this is a great game to pickup. The only bad part was for, at 31 years old, getting 'sea sickness' after playing for more than a hour.

The only downside was no cooperative play and it was...well, like the name says a big rumble arena. No fault of the game design that's just my personal preference when playing with my son.

Bottomline, if you are looking for a game to play with your kid then might want to check this out. I'd also recommend the Lego Star Wars (which has cooperative) for some more father/son entertainment.

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Hi I have played this game many of times when i rented it and it was alsome. I played it so much that everytime i play it my eyes turn red because i play it so long. I just wish like every other reviews that it had all digimon charters of all of seasons 1-3. My sixteen year old sister played this game she liked it so much as i did that she loved it. I recommend this game to any teens. Some teens might think this game is lame and it is for little kids but when you try it you will change. Got to buy this game.

I bought the game because i liked it so much

Honest reviews on Digimon Rumble Arena 2 - PlayStation 2

70$ for used game..?

That's expensive.

This game is so so amazing, I know it must be rare now since it was from 2004 but still 70$ is very expensive.

I wish to buy it...=_____=

Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Digimon Rumble Arena 2 - PlayStation 2

First off let me start off by saying that if you are a smash bros fan you will probably enjoy this game. It gives justice to any digimon fan/fighter genre fan, there are tons of character if you include the different forms you can digivole to during the match (one of the reason I like the game better than smash bros). The only downside to this game in my opinion is the price I paid 40 bucks for my copy and the case was not in very good condition but other than that if you have the cash pick up the gem of a game and give it a go.

Buy Xbox 360 Wireless Speed Wheel

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List Price: $39.99
Sale Price: $21.97
Today's Bonus: 45% Off

First off, I'm a racer. I've been racing since I got my hands on Test Drive III in 1990. Stunt Driver, that same year... followed by the birth of the NFS series. I bought a PS solely for Gran Turismo. Marathon races baby! Anyway, my point bringing up my past is that we've been racing with keyboards and controllers for over 20 years, wheels are a relatively new thing (unless you count that one that clamped to the desk and you strapped a mouse to it). So take that into consideration when you say, "It's hard, the controller is better!"

That being said... it's actually not. I owned a Fanatec Speedster 3 for the Xbox and the learning curve on the Speed Wheel was much much shorter. I had the Speed Wheel down in under half an hour (although some games I'm still fine tuning it... just to tweak it out)... More like 3 races. Think about how long it took you to learn how to control a car with the analog stick!

The responsiveness of this thing is immaculate. I was greatly impressed. There is ZERO lag. There was a video on youtube I watched before I bought this and it showed like half a second lag... well the dude's editing must have been off, because it's 1 to 1. (in fact... I'm gonna go leave a comment on that guys video telling him it's BS!)

The lack of bumpers? I haven't experienced a game* where this matters (in-game), most games that support the wheel allow remapping of buttons. A few games assign the bumpers to shifting, but since they aren't sims it doesn't really matter. Which brings me to the next section, the games (note: I didn't include most of the sims because they've pretty much been covered in other reviews):

++Grid:

The first game I tried. Performance is incredible and blew me away. It was hard to put it down to continue testing the other games!!! Setup is precise, allows for remapping of buttons and configuration of wheel's: deadzone, saturation and linearity. Allows changing of config IN-GAME (as most Codemasters games, I found out).

--Pure:

Not supported. 180 degree deadzone basically, no bumper for special move, no Y-axis for certain moves.

++FlatOut Ultimate Carnage:

Beautiful integration, full configuration of wheel. Buttons are choice between 2 presets (one assigns gas and brake to bumpers... you don't want that one!) . Small glitch is saturation is very low... I had to turn it all the way up (or down according to the slider) just to get decent handling... but decent is an understatement. Two other very small setbacks include; no in-game config and no rumble feedback.

-NFS Most Wanted (2005):

Not supported. 60 degree dead-zone. 7 different button presets for regular controller.

+NFS Undercover:

Support, no config. Bumpers as shifting. Standard handling is jittery and too sensitive (although it's like that with the controller also, this game is meh)

++NFS Hot Pursuit:

Total button remapping. Uber-decent handling... actually I had sworn this game off as I really disliked how sluggish the controls were using the regular controller. The wheel brought this game back to life for me!

+NFS The Run:

Supported, but no setup. Remappable buttons. Decent standard handling, although sharp corners require lots of twisting.

+Sega Rally Revo:

Supported as Force Feedback Wheel. Only customization is amount of feedback (which I assume translates to rumble). Bumpers assigned to gears. FYI, glitch in game: don't exit a race mid-vibration of the wheel... it won't stop. I started a new race and it went away. I could have also taken the batteries out I suppose. Handling decent, I never liked this game that much though.

--Full Auto:

Dead in the water. Not even recognized as a controller. You need RB to access menu anyway.

+PGR3:

Recognized, but no customization. Sluggish handling and drifting is hard (but possible... I'm sure after an hour I'd have gotten it down).

+PGR4:

Support and 3 button configuration options. That's it. Some sluggishness like in PGR3. 10 degree dead-zone.

+-Burnout Revenge:

No support, and 50 to 60 degree deadzone... however for this game it actually isn't half-bad. It just feels like I'm in the arcade! (btw, after-touch after a crash works with the D-pad)

-Blur:

No support. 45 degree deadzone. Bumpers assigned to either drop or change powerup. Powerups can be fired backward with the D-pad. Not too bad, I'd stick with the controller though.

++Midnight Club: LA:

Support and works well, no wheel config however. Buttons can be remapped. Menus that require bumpers can be navigated with D-pad. Handling impressive!

--Driver SF:

No support. 180 degree dead-zone... assuming you can even get in a car. "Ghost-mode" requires use of Y-axis.

++Sonic & Sega All Stars:

The Mario Kart of the Xbox!!! Take that Wii! Wheel works great (no config aside from vibration). Super fun!

--Cars 2:

No support. 180 degree dead-zone. Crap handling indeed.

--Split/Second:

No support. 180 degree dead-zone. Disney seems to not like the wheel!

+Test Drive Unlimited 2:

Support and auto-recognized... well all the ones that do, do. But in TDU2 you can't get to the controller menu config because you need bumper use (check in the discussions below how to get around that). But it's not that important as the default settings are pretty decent.

--Burnout Paradise:

No support. Need bumpers to access some menus. Dead-zone 50 degrees, not bad for not being recognized... but gameplay still suffers (not like in Revenge).

--Fuel:

Huge dead-zone 180 degrees. Needs bumpers for vital menu nav.

Nail'd, MotoGP and the MX vs. ATV games also don't work.

I'm really really really sad there's no decent off-road arcade game that works with this (I'm not counting Dirt, that's more sim-ish). Excite Truck was one of the few reasons to own a Wii. FlatOut comes the closest... and now with Bugbear developing Ridge Racer Unbounded, I'm curious as to how awesome that will be!

I'll revisit this review later and add NFS Shift 1&2. I've read they are supported but I'd like to know the extent considering the other NFS games don't allow wheel sensitivity settings. I'm only assuming they do since they're sims. In fact I'll add the other sims too just to make this review all encompassing.

F1 2011 is FUN... turning the sensitivity up and zero deadzone and you got a twitchy responsive little zoom-machine of awesome!

BTW... I got this thing earlier today. I'm already leaving a review. That's how awesome it is. I just put in 10+ hours testing all these games so I could leave this review and shut down all the haters as well as inform all the skeptics and anyone curious as to whether or not their favorite game would be supported by it. If you have any questions or if there's a game I might have and forgot to test, leave it in the comments. I'll get at you dawg.

*worthwhile game

P.S. I'm not just some fanboy jumping on the bandwagon of 5-star reviews. If this thing blows up in my hands or something later on down the road... I'll change my rating. Best believe. Till then: 5 solid stars earned.

P.P.S. Another reviewer said something about his arms getting tired... well I lean forward and rest my arms on my knees, not only does that avoid fatigue, but it allows greater accuracy as well.

Edit 3-27-12:

+NFS Shift: Works, buttons not configurable. Steering wheel settings accessible in game menu, (not race menu).

+NFS Shift 2: Works, buttons remappable. Steering wheel settings accessible in game menu via bumpers.

++WRC2: World Rally Champion: Works well, total customization and configuration. (not mid-race)

++Dirt 2: Works beautifully. As previously mentioned, wheel config accessible mid-race. Great for tweaking minor settings and getting it set up just the way you want.

++Dirt 3: Ditto. Despite this being the least impressive of the Dirt series. I need to get my hands on a copy of Dirt 1 again. I miss Rallisport Challenge 2.

++F1 2011: Total support. In-game config of everything. This is where the response of the wheel really shines. I grip the thing so hard when I'm racing the plastic creaks! White-knuckle racing!!!

Edit 4-2-12:

+Ridge Racer: Unbounded: Not recognized but supported. Good standard handling, button config of 2 presets (one assigns stuff to bumpers, one leaves bumpers unassigned). This makes up for the wheel not working in Split/Second and Blur... Way to go Bugbear!

Edit 11-24-12

+ NFS Most Wanted (2012): Works great. No fine tuning of the wheel sensitivity but default settings are pretty nice. Buttons are customizable (except the d-pad, so button assignment is pretty much limited to the 4 buttons and the triggers). EDIT: No Rumblz.

++Forza Horizon: Works awesome and full customization as expected from a Forza title. Bumpers not an issue unless applying decals and painting your car (no biggie). Rumblz.

Click Here For Most Helpful Customer Reviews >>

I purchased this wheel last night to go along with my new purchase of Forza 4, which I bought at 8AM on the day of it's release. I played Forza 3 since release, and have been a huge competitive player of Forza for some time now, spending much of my time on my Xbox tuning, upgrading and making cars specialized for certain tracks, and most of my lap times are in the top 1%, albeit at the wrong end of it. I'm not trying to brag here, I'll explain in the next paragraph.

All of the reviews I read about this wheel said that it's for "casual" gamers and wouldn't really suit the needs of anyone who's competitive or plays on the Simulation steering selection

Many reviews, including CNET and IGN and others, really made it sound like this wheel isn't for anyone who is serious about forza, and rather illuminated it as if it's a neat little toy for someone who wants to get someone into the game and doesn't race very often, or plays Wii a lot. I want it to make this VERY clear;

THIS IS NOT THE CASE.

This wheel is fantastic, it simply takes some getting used to. The movement of the wheel is 1-to-1 on the screen, meaning that in "cockpit view" in Forza 4, your wheel will turn at the precise time, precise angle, and in the exact velocity that you turn the Speed Wheel.

My first race using it, I wrecked all over the place. I tried to dive right into an un-assisted A-Class race in a '69 Fairlady Z, and it became apparent to me after a few attempts that I'm going to have to re-learn how to play this game. I proceeded to start a hot lap on Infineon Raceway (Sears Point, screw you infineon) in a A class '65 Mustang that loves to drift, and practiced for about an hour. Soon enough my laps got within 2 or 3 seconds of the top in the game. Later, I posted a 1:45.8-on "Star in a reasonably priced car" Top Gear Challenge, faster than several times of my competitive friends who race with controllers. No assists on anything I did.

Conclusion; it's a great wheel, a lot of fun, and makes for some fantastic drifting experiences, throwing the wheel from left to right and back to correct and re-correct... incredibly accurate, fast, and fun. The people who reviewed it didn't spend enough time to get good with it. They played for a few minutes and came to an inaccurate conclusion that didn't reflect the true potential of this fun little controller that makes the Wii Wheel look, and feel, like a joke.

Downside: No left/right bumpers or a slot for your wired microphone. The former is annoying because not all the menus in Forza can be navigated without the LR bumpers, mainly in the Community section and decals/paints. However, I can understand the omission of the wired microphone slot, I can see myself getting frustrated and tangled in the wire of the headset while throwing the wheel around.

Pick it up if you play Forza, practice for a bit, and you'll have a blast.

Race with me! TM SlinkyBlue

Best Deals for Xbox 360 Wireless Speed Wheel

My Logitech G27 is great for my PS3 and computer, but unfortunately, it doesn't work with my XBox. I can't/won't race with a thumbstick, so I needed a solution to play Forza 4. I saw the Wireless Speed Wheel at my local electronics store (So-So Buy), and if I bought this wheel and Forza together, I received a $25 gift card. I originally thought you needed the Kinect camera, but the salesperson said I didn't, so I bought it!

I really didn't think I would be happy with the Speed Wheel having been spoiled by my G27, but I was pleasantly surprised by its responsiveness and accuracy. Even the "force feedback" vibration added a sense or realism to the racing experience. I don't write many reviews, but I just had to give this thing 5 stars, which is based on its performance when taking into consideration its price and target market.

Two advantages this wheel has over my G27 is that it's wireless and very portable.

I haven't been able to locate the left and right buttons (it only has left and right triggers as far as I can tell), and I sort of miss those, especially when the Forza 4 menus require them. But that's my only issue so far, and maybe I just need to read the manual.

Thanks Microsoft for building this thing.

Honest reviews on Xbox 360 Wireless Speed Wheel

I have been thinking about getting a serious racing rig which would include a racing wheel with integrated seat and pedals etc. The problem is space and cost ($500-1000). Now, there is no way this wheel would fit in with those plans but it will give you a taste for the next level of racing without much of the cost.

To do that, the Speed Wheel will need to be responsive and precise. This is something that "motion control" has severely lacked. The Wii can barely read gestures correctly, the Kinect is also flaky and laggy, and PS move has similar issues. So, with all this, I was pretty skeptical that a digital motion sensing device could work well for steering controls.

The good news is that motion sensing in the Speed Wheel is in a completely different class the from that on the Wii. The Speed Wheel is both precise and responsive as long as you are playing a game that has good "Advanced Wheel" settings. Games like Forza 3/4, Dirt 3 and a limited number of other car racing games on the Xbox 360. When used with these games, the steering input excellent and as responsive as a standard controller. In Dirt 3, you can (and should) change adjust the sensitivity and linearity depending on the style of driving. For drift heavy events, this can make a big difference. I believe similar settings are available in Forza 3/4 and the wheel probably works even best in Forza 4 since it was pretty much designed for that game. In Forza 4, for example, the lights on the end of the wheel will indicate advanced steering feedback (indicating shift change is needed?).

In initial use, its also unlikely that this device will make you a better driver (much like other racing wheels) because it takes some time to adjust to throwing you hands around to quickly impart opposite lock without loosing all control. But it does feel more real than just flicking a thumb-stick back and forth which is sort of the whole point. Once you learn the basics, your scores will fall back in-line and you may even improve but that will based on your skill not the controller.

One nice improvement on this wheel is the triggers are larger and have a longer and lighter throw. This makes precise throttle and brake control much better than with the standard controllers. The buttons on the right a much smaller than the standard controller and may even be too small for folks with large hands. the D-pad is also a bit smaller than standard but at least it properly oriented up/down to be used for gear changes.

Overall, the motion control of this device is excellent but what about the rest of the package? Well, one minor issue is the lack of bumpers. The reason they left them off is that most games that support advanced wheels don't use them for anything that is not typically mapped to the d-pad like shifting gears. Because you don't have pedals, any LB/RB control would have you lifting off gas/break which is why LB/RB are not often used during racing. However, they forgot that people also need to deal with menus and the LB/RB can also be used for switching settings. You could even use them for linear gear shifts (i.e. paddle shifter) if you use two trigger fingers instead of one. Its possible, if the wheel sells, they could release a 2.0 version that fixed this but I doubt they will have the kind of sales to justify a new production run.

Another issue with this controller is the limited number of games that can be controlled. You might think that arcade racers would also work well. But from what I have seen, that is not always the case. If the game does not have "Advanced Wheel" or support , the steering may have a huge dead-zone (45-90 degrees) and basically make the wheel unusable. And because the controller lacks RB/LB and there's is no way to configure the wheel outside of the games, its nearly impossible to use this controller with many/most arcade racers. You really need the advanced wheel support in-game for this controller to be any good. I did find that this wheel did work surprising well with some arcade racers like NFS Hot Pursuit and Split Second but not with other games like NFS San Francisco or Pure. So, its hit an miss if the game does not support advanced wheels.

I have a bit if a problem with the fact that Microsoft does not supply this list of games along with the Speed Wheel advertising or documentation because anyone buying this for other games will generate and RMA. That is bad for both Microsoft and the consumer.

As far as feedback, the rumble is very light, and it can't give you that kind of feedback you would get from a typical high-end wheel and pedals but you are only spending a fraction of that cost. In Dirt 3, you can turn up the rumble setting to its max which helps quite a bit.

You should really only consider purchasing the Speed Wheel if you are Forza/Dirt fan who wants a different way to play those games. Don't expect to be using this wheel for Driver San Francisco or for driving in GTA 4. But if you really like those games and don't want to get into full racing rig, this is the only game in town. And for that, it succeeds extremely well in what it set out to do.

P.S. I would hope that this kind of precise left right motion control will be built into the next generation Xbox control so that it could be used for more games. I could see this working well for all car games even casual ones. It could also be used for leaning in FPSs etc. Perhaps, this motion control is a test-bed for next gen controller features. I certainly hope it is.

Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Xbox 360 Wireless Speed Wheel

I got an Xbox 360 and Forza Motorsports 4 for the holidays and being a pretty big racing enthusiast I had to get a steering wheel.

I originally had purchased a different wheel, one with pedals and that clamps to your coffee table (Thrustmaster Ferrari 458 Italia wheel) but I ended up returning it and getting this wireless one instead. And I'm glad I did, here's why:

What I realized in researching steering wheels is that for the most part it's an "all or nothing" proposition. Either you get a dedicated setup with a racing chair, pedals, wheel, etc or else you just play with the standard controller. I have my Xbox setup in the living room and I don't want a wheel permanently displayed like a piece of furniture. Nor do I want wires running all over the place. At the same time, setting up one of those "full on" wheels takes a lot of work and you're unlikely to want to go through the effort just to play a quick game or two. As you can imagine, you have to get it out, hook up the cables, plug it in, clamp it to your table... The other downside to those big setups is that you need a ton of space to store them. Even if it's just a wheel and pedals that clamp to the table, they are still bulky and have a bunch of cables so you need a closet or something to store it in.

So that leaves you with the standard Xbox controller, which frankly, isn't great for racing games. It's OK but not great.

This wireless wheel though is the first thing I've seen that's right in the middle of the standard controller and a full, dedicated racing setup. It's small so it can be stored easily in a drawer and there is no time consuming setup process whenever you want to play. Just turn it on and your ready to go.

Considering that though, I figured it couldn't be very good in terms of gameplay but I was wrong! This wheel far exceeded my expectations. There is a bit of a learning curve associated with it, but the steering response is great and very realistic. The portability, lack of wires, and easy setup make this a winner for me. Note that from what I read online, this wheel was designed in close collaboration with Forza 4, so I suspect that it may have better gameplay with that game than any others.

But there are a couple of cons to be aware of:

When playing on the couch, your arms can get tired holding the wheel up in front of you since it's not mounted to anything. But I find this doesn't happen as much if I play standing up.

As noted in other reviews, it's missing the left and right bumper buttons. Not a big deal for gameplay, but in Forza 4 these are used when applying graphics to the cars and doing some other setup stuff.

Overall, this is a great wheel but I'm only going to give it 4 stars because of the lack of the bumper buttons.