The Punisher - Xbox Reviews

Customer Ratings:
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I've been waiting a long time for a Punisher game. I played the demo in Game Stop and it is awesome. A lot like Max Payne, but populated with various Marvel Comics characters, including Black Widow, Nick Fury, the Russian, Bullseye, Kingpin, Jigsaw, Iron Man, and even Matt Murdock.

All kinds of exotic Punisher weapons, Punisher attitude and Punisher humor. You can make the Punisher interrogate crooks to gain health. One example is by stuffing them into a pool of piranhas to make them talk. But don't keep them under too long or the piranha will eat their face off before they talk.

You can use the crooks you catch as human shields until they are shot to death by their own guys. Great graphics and a good-looking Punisher character. Lots of shooting and situations. Just awesome. It get progressively more difficult as you make your way through the game.

After buying the game I'm even more impressed. The Punisher in the game has Tom Jane's voice from the movie. Great writing and quotes. The opening movie is CG but so photographically stunning you're not sure if it's live action. You unlock other CG movies along the way and they are something else.

The Punisher gets additional health from interrogating bad guys and breaking them for info. He also has a Slaughter Mode that gives him superhuman strength and restores health. The music is top notch too.

This game is rated M for a good reason. There is a lot of obscene language and the Punisher tortures crooks for info. Sometimes they die if you push to hard. So, maybe not for young kids.

I hope there is a Punisher 2 and that it involves him going after Middle Eastern terrorists. I could really get into a game like that. Here they limit it to safe Russians. In a CG movie by Kingpin it is implied that there may be a Punisher 2. I will be looking forward to that. This one had some great chapters. My favorite was at the funeral home where he hides in a coffin and pops up during a funeral to mow down "the family".

You'll love this game if you like single player shooter games or Marvel Comics. And once you've worked your way through once, you'll want to go through again, increase your score, and more fully explore Slaughter Mode and the Quick Kills.

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This Game MIGHT just be the GEM of 2005 It's so Cool and fun to Play.. Does have a few Prob. The Audio during the Cut Scenes Being one of them But, that can be over-looked The Story Line is Smart Takes Place after the events of the Movie Saint's Name is Brought up a few times The Voice Acting is Realy Good,(Tom Jane returns as the Punisher) The Gun Play is Fun and Looks Sharp! Has some Unique Moments One takeing Place at A Wake!

Without a Doubt Not for Kids The Mature Rating is Pushesed to the Limits (More Violece & Extreme Gore Then The GTA Games)

The Prev. Punisher Games in the Past have been very Lame

You can tell Both THQ and Marvel did a Great Job on this Action title

If you Enjoyed The Movie or a Fan of the Comic Books you will like it! If you Loved the Max Payne Games you'll Love it

The Best Comic Book Game I've ever Played! Hopefuly if sales are High on this title they can Make a Sequal to the Game and The Movie!

Close to A Perfect Game I give it a 9.5/10

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The Gameplay, the graphics and the soundtrack are great! The Voice acting is impressive and it is great that we can connect the voice of the film Punisher with the game Punisher since they are one and the same! The unexpected appearances of some much loved or loathed characters added to the gameplay! I won't say who for those who have not finished the game yet but you will be somewhat impressed. The controls on the X-Box version are smooth and the controls on the Playstation 2 version are good too.

Remember to interrogate as many as possible. Even in a fire fight, you can move back to a more secluded place to interrogate.

Remember to take your time with a boss if you have a weaker weapon. The onslaught of typical bad guys gives you ammo.

Stick to the walls or some kind of obstacle in the large gunfights (That is probably just common sense but I thought I'd add it.)

During your second time through try to hop on higher platforms if you can and crouch to avoid damage.

Great game and when you defeat it, play it again!

Semper Fi!

Honest reviews on The Punisher - Xbox

"The Punisher," Marvel's anti-hero with powers more befitting an avid member of the NRA than your typical superhero (in fact he has no super powers to speak of save a seething hatred for all things criminal), finally makes his way into the world of video games post "Max Payne" and "Dead to Rights," and it's immediately clear that he belongs here. Despite simple, derivative gameplay in settings and scenarios that do little to surprise, "The Punisher" manages to entertain thanks in no small part to the character's cold, remorseless demeanor, conveyed in the game via special kills, brutal interrogations, and a John Woo style ballet of bullets.

The game's story, though penned by respected comic book writers regular to "The Punisher" series, does little to envelop the uninitiated in the ruthless world of Frank Castle (aka, the Punisher) beyond the bare bones minimum, but it's enough, coupled with Tom Jane's excellent vocal portrayal. The plot's potential for suspense is foiled by the game's penchant for flashbacks, which represent every mission in the game until the finale, thus killing most any tension it might otherwise have provided. Still, in the most basic fashion, it provides ample excuse to terrorize the criminal underworld and commit unspeakable acts all in the name of cold-blooded vengeance.

It's immediately apparent that "The Punisher" owes a considerable debt to "Max Payne," in that, aside from bullet time, both games are rather identical. Even Castle's forward dive, guns out, looks strikingly Payne-esque. Regardless, "The Punisher" mixes things up a tad by replacing Max's aforementioned time bending fete in favor of slaughter mode, which essentially allows Castle to temporarily throw aside his firearms, flick out a never-ending supply of knives, and have at the bad guys with brutal efficiency. Though it's rarely if ever necessary to switch to slaughter mode, thanks in no small part to the Punisher's resistance to bullets and anything that really resembles pain, it's still a hell of a lot of fun, and some of the quick kills are gleefully sadistic no matter how many times you see them.

With guns blazing, "The Punisher" is a fairly standard and less than awe-inspiring third person shooter, but again the aforementioned quick kills, though perhaps to easy to actually pull off, liven things up considerably. Add in location-specific special kills that allow you to sacrifice thugs upon a pagan alter in a museum or throw old mafia moms from five story windows and you've got a good variety of death-dealing tools at your disposal, and as long as you're not squeamish about violence in your shooters, that's definitely the game's strong suit.

Interrogations are also an option. You can capture bad guys and beat, throttle, or otherwise threaten information out of them, which provides you with a health bonus and, on occasion, some extra goodies for your efforts. None of this is particularly necessary, but of course the true reward is the sadistic practice of draining criminals of all information they possess and then killing them anyway as they plead for mercy they won't actually receive.

"The Punisher" offers a fairly large assortment of weapons, but only a few of them really feel all that different from the rest, and later in the game you'll almost certainly find what you like and stick with it `til the end, essentially killing the initial sense of variety here. And no matter which weapons you take into battle (and you're realistically limited in your selection per mission), the game is far too easy. In fact, it's an out and out cakewalk. Despite Castle's lack of superhero powers, the man is either wearing mithril Kevlar (which is strange) or he's entirely unbothered by your garden-variety bullets (which is stranger). Walking directly up to your standard villain and quick killing him is exceedingly easy because said villain's constant stream of ammunition seems more irritation than out and out threat.

Though the game provides some stirring set pieces (such as a funeral home slaughter), most of its levels are of the "been there, done that" variety especially the docks and warehouses which are enough to elicit groans. What's more, the gameplay rarely ever offers up anything new as it goes, what with its lack of puzzles (at least any that are remotely challenging) and lack of combat diversity. Thank god it's so much fun to interrogate, assassinate, and throw your enemies, because if it weren't the game would proffer little else of value.

What with its linear gameplay, lackluster story, and grossly simple action, "The Punisher" definitely won't tickle every gamer's fancy, but I dare say its sheer, shameless brutality will certainly win over many who give it a chance. All in all, it equals a fun romp that, while not devoid of problems, does a fine job of bringing the comic book character to life in a brand new medium. A tighter storyline, more interesting environments, and a tad more challenge would go a long way toward making a sequel glisten with quality.

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Outstanding! From the graphics to the music, dialogue, storyline, and of course the blood and gore. A perfect 10. I do wish the game had been a little longer, but I guess I'll wait on pens and needles for the second in the series. Who would have thought a game would translate this well from the comics to the xbox?

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Customer Ratings:

Let me start out by saying that I'm currently 56 years old and everything I know about video game consoles can fit on a fingernail clipping. A couple of years ago, my companion bought me a PS2, because she had recalled my mentioning in passing (after seeing advertisements for some pretty interesting sci-fi-themed games) that I was curious about what's going on in that medium. The game technology seemed to have progressed light years since I last paid attention, sometime in the late 80s, early 90s, which went something like this: you start out with some objective, and then the game play steadily quickens until you eventually lose against the computer. It was very dull. After she bought me the PS2, the only game I bought was Grand Tourismo 4 (she had given me with the console itself Superman Returns, but I didn't like it), with which I relaxed by racing the realistically rendered cars around some impressively detailed tracks, but never getting into the more sophisticated levels of the game. Then about four months ago, my son lent me Resident Evil 4. Of course, you gamers know this was a benchmark in game development, and can understand why I became completely immersed in it. It was truly a creepy experience. You weren't just WATCHING a horror movie; you were IN it. Here I was, at my age, suddenly finding myself lost for literally hours a day -one weekend, twenty hours straight; my body ached -then thinking about the game when I wasn't playing it, looking forward to the moment I could resume the story. After I beat it, I went through it three more times. Then I bought God of War II, quite by accident (I selected it for the price, a mere $20), unaware that this, too, was a hit game, and another benchmark. The graphics were so good, so stunning, so grand and sweeping, I played it six times. Again, hours seemed like minutes; I'd simply lose time. I was now addicted, and taking into account how good a PS2 was, I figured that the PS3 -with its Blu-ray technology -had to be out-of-this-world incredible. Four weeks ago, I bought this PS3 slim, and it has given me enjoyment that made it worth every penny, and then some.

I can't speak to the technical specifications of the PS3, or how it compares to other consoles. I'm writing instead to other middle-aged customers who might have stumbled on this page, perhaps shopping for some young relative -son or daughter; niece or nephew; or grandchild -to suggest that you should consider buying one of these babies for yourself. This is one powerful piece of entertainment technology. Not only does it exceed my expectations as a game console, it's also a BD player, and using the WiFi connection, it permits access to the PlayStation Store, for free demos and exclusive content; plus BD live material, and downloading movies and TV episodes; and you can import your CDs to the PS3's hard drive, to create playlists or just randomize the tracks for playback. It's become a virtual media center for me.

And the game play? Oh, man. The PS3 advances even further the features that make gaming so addictive. To those of you who snuff that it's a juvenile waste of time, I suggest you ask yourself, is it any different from watching sitcoms or reality TV? A video game requires you to REACT, to THINK, to ANALYZE. That is NOT overstating the stimulative benefits. While they are in fact merely games, game-play itself is a complete immersion in an experience, while requiring good hand-eye coordination and some mental agility. All the games I've played so far included puzzles as part of the story, and it's a very satisfying feeling when you finally solve a particularly challenging one.

If the middle-aged shopper I'm imagining I'm writing to is inclined to wonder if all that tapping on those buttons in specific patterns is difficult to learn, this is my honest answer: At first, yes, it is. But eventually your fingers learn what button is where, and it becomes second nature, like typing. To those even older, it's recommended by doctors that as you age, you need new stimuli to keep your acuity. You won't find a more fun way to do so than this. Ignore your previous misconception that video games are for teenagers. An article in USA TODAY from 2004 stated that ". . . the average age of game players was 29 and the average age of buyers was 36, with men making up 59% of the playing audience." So you can add about five years to those figures, making the average age of video game BUYERS about 40. I have spent untold hours on my PS3, and connected to my 47" HDTV, it's the ultimate entertainment. The graphics are sharp and clear, movement of characters is realistic, making it even easier to get totally engaged in the environments. I just finished Batman: Arkham Asylum, a great game with easily mastered moves, some tough puzzles, and a very dark, decayed ambiance.

True gamers who are reading this are probably chuckling right now, because this is all pretty much a no-duh to them. Well, let me offer a hardy THANK YOU for supporting the industry with enough of your dollars to permit it to advance as an entertainment medium in such awesome bounds. This is the next step toward the future of the ultimate video game experience. Oh, what will the technology deliver? A virtual reality, perhaps?

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UPDATE (November, 2010):

Before you decide to buy this model, note that the PlayStation 3 160 GB and for fifty dollars more you can get the PlayStation 3 320 GB. You may also want to consider the PlayStation 3 320GB System with PlayStation Move Bundle

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RATING

I will begin with the rating part so that those who are already familiar with the PS3 line may save a little time.

On balance, I found the PS3 Slim or the 'PS3 120GB' to be a worthy addition to the current PS3 line. It comes with several major improvements over its predecessors and the 'trade offs' are few and, to most us, insignificant.

This how the new model compares to its predecessors:

PS3 SLIM vs. PS3 80/160GB

+ $100/200 less

+ Smaller

+ More energy efficient

+ More quiet operation

+ Cooler

+ Smaller Cell processor manufactured using a 45-nanometer manufacturing process

+ New, more advanced HDMI 1.3 chipset

+ Easier HDD upgrade

No Linux support

No on-off switch in the back

Push rather than touch 'On' and 'Eject' buttons

Not as pretty

= Unchanged game-playing experience

= Same great Blu-ray player

= Same PSP integration

= Same WiFi, Bluetooth built-in

= Same Dualshock 3 rumble, motion sensitive controller

= Same I/O options

The PS3 Slim is a superior product when compared with the PS3 80/160GB models. This relatively inexpensive, feature packed, versatile gaming machine, multimedia hub and outstanding Blu-ray player, earns back the 5th star that I granted the Classic models and I didn't feel that the PS3 80/160GB models deserved.

Granted, when compared to the PS3 Classic, the PS3 Slim lacks PS2 compatibility, has 2 fewer USB ports and and it lacks media card slots but these shortcomings are offset by the significantly lower price, energy efficiency, larger storage and an updated CPU and HDMI. And, keeping hope alive by feeding it rumors, who knows? Sony just might add PS2 software emulation once it stops manufacturing the PS2 sometime, next year.

MY TEST DRIVE IMPRESSIONS

The good news is that you can do just about everything you did with the PS3 80/160GB models and in the exact same way. During my test ride, I was able to play all the games I brought with me without a problem, the Bluetooth remote controller was recognized immediately and so was the Playstation Eye. Both a USB-dongle full-size wireless keyboard, a USB-connected wired keyboard and Sony's own Bluetooth mini-keyboard worked as expected. I was able to upload pictures, videos and music from a USB thumb drive and a USB-connected SATA 2.5" hard disk and play them in the same way I do it on my own PS3. The person who allowed me the test drive suggested that I do not sign into the PSN but I have no doubt that the Slim behaves exactly like its predecessors on the PSN, running HOME or while browsing the Net.

The Slim has the exact same ports in the back, the same buttons in front albeit 'push' buttons instead of the 'touch' buttons, the same 2 USB ports, comes with the same Dualshock 3 controller, USB cable and Composite AV cable accessories.

The older PS3s weren't particularly noisy but the Slim seems to be more quiet and, after several hours of play, it didn't get as warm as my Classic. The ONLY 2 USB ports bother me a little because I brought along the Eye, a USB-wired HDD, a USB keyboard and a dongle-based wireless keyboard. That meant that I had to do a lot of plugging and unplugging when testing. In real life, it's not so convenient to charge a controller and access more than one USB-connected peripheral. There are third party generic USB hubs (ugly) or PS3-specific port extenders and media hubs that could be used to increase the number of USB ports and bring back the media card slots.

My overall impression of the Slim is "nothing new" at least on surface. The "cooler, quieter, smaller, more energy efficient" you don't notice while playing a game or watching a movie. The really great news about the Slim is that so many more will be able to afford it and, with a larger user base, more developers will feel more strongly motivated to publish more, better games that all of us will enjoy.

THE SLIM (PS3) vs. THE 'XBOX 360 ELITE FALL 2009'

This is not meant to be a 'fan' statement. I don't own a Wii but I do own an Xbox 360 so I will be able to discuss PS3 Slim vs. Xbox 360 Elite and, hopefully, it may help a little those undecided between the two or those thinking about getting a PS3 as a second gaming console. Please be aware that, even though I own both consoles and I try to be as objective as possible, I do tend to favor the PS3.

Parity

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Storage: 120 GB on both systems

CD, DVD playback: both

Bluetooth/IR: Bluetooth included with PS3, Infrared remote for Xbox

Community: PSN/Home memberships are free, Xbox Live includes free Silver membership and one-month Gold subscription, paid thereafter

Advantage PS3 Slim

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Blu-ray: PS3 only. Blu-ray disks aren't used for HD movie playback but to deliver games as well. Since they store several times more data than a DVD disk, PS3 games can be 'bigger' and be still delivered on one disk, eliminating the need for swapping during gameplay.

WiFi: included with PS3, available as an add-on for Xbox.

HDMI 1.3a on PS3 (more vivid colors, better sound) vs. HDMI 1.2 on Xbox

Controller: wireless on both systems, rumble on both, PS3's only is motion sensitive, rechargeable batteries built into PS3's, Xbox rechargeable battery packs available for purchase.

Integration with a handheld device: PS3 integrates with the PSP, the Xbox offers Zune integration. I would call it 'advantage PS3' because the Zune integration is limited to file transfers.

Internal power supply: yes for the Slim, a large external 'brick' for the Xbox.

Ability to upgrade the Hard Disk: the PS3 could use any cheap 2.5" SATA on the market (a 500GB can be had for $90 at the time of this writing and the existing PS3 disk can be recycled to upgrade a laptop or as external storage) without voiding the warranty. I am not aware Xbox HDD upgrades beyond 120GB but, judging by the 120GB upgrade HDD for the smaller models, they are likely to be proprietary, more expensive solutions.

Slim comes with USB, Ethernet and Composite cables, Xbox has only Composite in the box.

Advantage Xbox 360 Elite Fall 2009

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Headset: not included with PS3 but any Bluetooth device will work, wired headset included with Xbox Elite.

Ethernet: PS3 supports Gigabit Ethernet, Xbox is limited to 100BASET-T.

USB ports: Xbox comes with 3, Slim has only 2.

It seems that a PS3 Slim can be brought to parity with the Xbox 360 Elite by purchasing a Bluetooth headset (possibly for less than $10 and that would make the PS3 a superior choice since the Xbox headset is wired to the controller. For the amount, the PS3 will match and surpass Xbox feature for feature if we don't factor in exclusive Xbox games or unique Xbox Live features.

To bring the Xbox 360 Elite to parity with the PS3 one would need: a WiFi adapter ($70) and rechargeable batteries ($10). I will not add the various cables to the list because, depending on setup, they may or may not be needed and PS3's Gigabit Ethernet is not likely to make a difference in anyone's gaming or movie streaming at this time. $80 would bring the Xbox closer to the PS3 but the Xbox won't support Blu-ray, does not have a motion sensitive controller, can't function without an external power supply and, Zune withstanding, it does not integrate with a hand-held gaming device. In addition, continuing the Xbox Live Gold beyond the initial month would be another $30-50 per year for the life of the Elite.

I chose not to factor in the quality of available software because it's impossible to be even remotely objective when it comes to judge Sony's exclusives vs. Xbox exclusives. My guess is that, in the end, those who must have Halo will buy a Microsoft Xbox regardless of cost or other features and those who fall in love with Little Big Planet or Uncharted have no choice but a Sony PS3. The general consensus is that, at this time, the PS3 has the superior hardware (see above) while the Xbox has an advantage in exclusive titles and some exclusive content. In addition, many multiplatform games are developed on the Xbox first and then ported to the PS3. That can make the Xbox versions appear to be superior and, more importantly, the PS3 versions do not always take full advantage of PS3s superior hardware. This seems to be less the case as developers are becoming more familiar with the PS3 platform the software gap, if there is one at this time, it is closing fast.

Update on PS3 vs Xbox 360 (July 2010)

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Quite a bit has happened since I posted this review and almost all of it was good news from a user's point of view. Microsoft got 'the message' and there is a new, slimmer, quieter Xbox with a larger but still proprietary disc and with built-in Wi-Fi, plus a proprietary Kinect port. Sony, on the other hand, has launched a premium 'pay' service on the PSN featuring Hulu 'plus' and maybe other goodies to be added in the future but the 'free' PSN service is still superior to its 'free' Xbox rival, in my view.

So, revisiting the comparisons above, the PS3 still holds the advantage when it comes to Blu-ray and motion-sensitive controllers. The PS3 120GB's drive while smaller is still easily upgradeable while the Xbox is not (my 120GB Slim got its 500GB upgrade within days of purchase at almost no cost given that I was able to reuse the 120GB drive for other purposes).

ESSENTIAL ADD-ONS AND ACCESSORIES

For those who decided that the PS3 Slim is what they wanted, the list below may help them budget for the extra purchases they may want to consider. There are surprisingly few extra a PS3 REALLY needs and I listed them in order from what I view as the more to the less important or needed. Those at the top are, in my view, more 'essential' than the ones at the bottom, but with the exception of the HDMI cable which is a must have for an HD TV set, you could easily do without the rest or get them later if you really feel that you want them.

HDMI CABLE It's a must for anyone who already has an HD TV. It's not included in the box and I am not going to provide a link because there are dozens of vendors at Amazon, competing and that's a good thing because one can be had for only a few dollars. Just make sure it's HDMI 1.3. A 'High-Speed' rating is not necessarily a plus if the cable you need is only 3 ft. or 6 ft. long. All HDMI 1.3 cables should be High-Speed rated and only High-Speed cables support 1080p resolutions. At these lengths, paying a premium for 'quality' can't be justified because the odds for the digital signal to be misinterpreted are close to non-existent.

REMOTE CONTROL Unless your HD TV supports CEC (Consumer Electronics Control) which allows for the user to command and control multiple CEC-enabled boxes with one remote control and for CEC capable devices to command and control each other, Sony PlayStation 3 Blu-ray Disc Remote could make the operation of the PS3 a lot easier when you are not playing a game. It's optimized for movie viewing but XMB navigation, running slide shows and shopping at the PSN store are easier with the remote control because it does not need two hands to be operated. In fact, it can be operated with one thumb.

WIRELESS HEADSET This is the one important component that the Elite bundle includes (theirs is wired) and the PS3 does not. Any Bluetooth headset would do which is why I am not going to insert a link to Sony's product or to anyone else's.

SECOND DUALSHOCK 3 CONTROLLER Even if you play solo only, a second controller may be charging while the other is in use.

USB PORT EXTENDER Again, there are many competing offers. I would prefer one where the ports are powered. Some singing games may come with their own extenders.

PS3 EYE CAMERA This is not exactly a 'must have' but it's definitely a 'very nice to have' as the Eye is not only a camera but also a stereo microphone depending on your needs, it may eliminate the need for a headset. I obtained mine cheaply, with a used copy of Eye of Judgment. If you decide to go that route, be VERY careful and ensure that the camera is indeed included before your order.

MEDIA CARD READERS They would plug into a USB port and will allow your PS3 to read/write to Media/Multimedia/Secure Digital, Memory Stick (PRO), Compact Flash, or XD Picture cards. They can be had for anything from $1 to $20.

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Note 1: MY OWN BIAS

We own a 'Classic' 60GB PS3, currently upgraded to 320GB, DualShock 3 and complemented with various peripherals: PS3 Eye, Logitech Driving Force GT Racing Wheel, Bluetooth keyboard attachment, headset... etc. We also own an Xbox 360 Elite, 3 PSP 3000's (got 3 kids) and a second-hand DS. We used to have a PS2 but we sold it shortly after purchasing the PS3. I've helped several of my neighbors purchase, install and upgrade their own PS3's. I am posting this review because I had the opportunity to test drive a PS3 Slim for several hours a couple of nights before the official launch someone I know works at a store that sells gaming consoles.

Speaking for myself only, I tend to favor the PS3 for several reasons and here they are:

WiFi This is a major convenience for me. I hate 'wires' and the PS3 has the WiFi built in and it's VERY easy to set up.

Blu-ray I was an early adopter and I haven't bought 'new' DVDs in more than a year. Having the PS3 doubling up as a Blu-ray player is another major convenience for me.

HDD Storage upgrade I don't believe that 120GB is sufficient these days and our console has exceeded the 120GB threshold already after lots of downloaded games and movies and transferring thousands of photos and songs to it. A PS3 can be easily and inexpensively upgraded to 500GB today and this is a big plus.

Little Big Planet It's a Sony exclusive and my kids just love this game. They would probably run away and resettle with a family that has LBP if I got rid of the PS3.

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Note 2: THE SLIM'S SPECS AND FEATURES

45nm, 7-core Cell processor CPU

RSX Based on NV47 Chip (Nvidia GeForce 7800 Architecture) for graphics

Updated HDMI chipset (bitstreams hi-res DTS-HD, TrueHD)

256MB XDR Main RAM and 256MB GDDR3 VRAM memory

120GB Hard disk 2.5" SATA can be replaced with any 2.5" SATA and a compatible 500GB HDD can be had for about $90 at the time I write this review

Blu-ray 2.0 player (possibly still the best) that also plays DVDs and CDs

Ethernet 10/100/1000Base-T wired networking

WiFi 802.11 b/g (from 10 Mbps up to 54 Mbps) wireless networking I couldn't live without

Bluetooth 2.0 for game controller, headsets, keyboards and so on

Video resolution up to 1080p

Audio supported: LPCM 7.1, Dolby Digital, Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby TrueHD, DTS, DTS-HD, AAC

Other outputs: HDMI, Optical, Composite AV

Other I/O: 2 High-speed USB 2.0 ports

Power: dual 120/240V

Power consumption: 250W

Weight: about 7 lbs.

Dimensions: about 12" x 2.5" x 12" (my measurements)

Included controller: DUALSHOCK 3

Included cables: USB and Composite AV, power chord

Additional features:

Displays JPEG stills.

Multi-featured, surprisingly good slide show functionality.

Plays MPEG-1, MPEG-2, and MPEG-4/h.264 videos.

Bitstreams DTS-HD and Dolby TrueHD to receiver

Upconverts DVDs to 1080p over HDMI

XMB in-game access.

In-game and off-game text and voice chat (headset, keyboard or Eye are needed).

Video chat with up to six people (PlayStation Eye is required)

Can discover media servers on the home network and stream content from any DLNA-compliant device.

Web browser (still has some usability and compatibility issues) but plays YouTube well.

Google Web search.

Remote play on a PSP connected to any wireless access point play music, videos, show pics, turn on the PS3 remotely if on stand-by

Upload PSP games purchased from the PSN Store to the PSP.

Online software updates improve PS3 functionality and keep the Blu-ray player features current.

Online third party updates.

Online gameplay.

Download and play PS3 games and demos from the PSN store.

Download and play PSOne games.

Download and play movies and shows from the PSN store.

Supports HDMI Consumer Electronic Control (HDMI-CEC) control the Slim through the remote of any CEC-enabled TV such as a Bravia.

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Note 3: HDD UPGRADE

If you are on the upgrade path, less than $90 would buy you a 500GB drive. The one that I tested would be the 500GB Scorpio Blue Mobile Sata 5400RPM 8MB 2.5IN which replaced my laptop's 60GB drive and a friend's 80GB PS3 HDD. The nice thing about upgrading your disk is that you are also going to be left with a perfectly good 80GB or $160GB or 120GB drive which you can place into a cheap enclosure, and the StarTech AT2510U2 InfoSafe 2.5-Inch USB/SATA Hard Drive Enclosure worked for me. After I upgraded my own console to 320Gb, I used the free leftover drive as a backup device for family photos.

Best Deals for PlayStation 3 System Slim 120GB

As a proud owner of a PS3, I was closely following developments of when the rumored (and highly-anticipated) PS3 Slim would come out. After shelling for the PS3 80GB back in 2008, I was really excited to hear that Sony not only announced a smaller version of the PS3, but also implemented a [long-overdue] $100 price cut. I immediately went out and bought the Slim as soon as possible, and am very happy with it so far. Here are my impressions:

COMPARED TO PLAYSTATION 3 "FAT"

A LOT SMALLER

I heard that it was smaller, but seeing is believing! The photos don't do the system justice, and it's not really till you see and feel the difference that you are impressed with it. If you can, go into your local game store and check it out for yourself! If you've previously owned a Playstation console, you already know the difference the slimmer version makes when compared to the original, bulky ones. What's really convenient is that the slimmer PS3 not only means your video gaming is more portable, but that you have a really convenient Blu-Ray player.

NOT A FINGERPRINT MAGNET

I love the sleek look of my PS3 Fat, but don't like how it constantly needs to be cleaned. The glossy finish is a fingerprint magnet! The matte finish on the Slim is much easier to maintain. That being said, it doesn't look as shiny and cool, but I think its convenience outweighs that.

MORE STORAGE

Storage was never an issue for me on my 80GB system, but for those who wanted more storage, you get 40GB more with this system (120GB in total). It may not seem like much, but you can hold MANY movies, pictures, and music albums with 120GB. If that's still not enough, you can always install a 2.5" hard drive yourself, or better yet, plug in an external hard drive in one of the USB ports. You can easily get a portable 500GB external hard drive for less than $100, or a bigger, bulkier one with around 1TB of storage for roughly the same. That being said, I think 120GB for $300 should be more than enough for most users, and is a significant improvement over the 80GB for $400 that people were paying just a few weeks ago!

STILL NOT BACKWARDS COMPATIBLE

This is my one major gripe with the Playstation 3. It really wouldn't have killed Sony to include this feature, as the original Playstation 3's did in fact include backwards compatibility with older Playstation 2 games. A lot of people counter by either saying (1) it doesn't make sense to buy a PS3 to play PS2 games, (2) the graphics on the PS3 are better anyway so why bother with older games, and (3) including backwards compatibility would cannibalize PS3 game sales.

While those arguments might have their merits, I'm still frustrated that my massive PS2 library can't be played on the PS3, and was really hoping that Sony would include backwards compatibility on the Slim! I loved the fact the PS2 was backwards compatible with PS1 games, and really wish that Sony would reconsider this decision.

COMPARED TO OTHER SYSTEMS:

PS3 vs. WII

I think comparing the PS3 directly to the Wii is a bit like comparing apples to oranges, since they offer such different experiences. The Wii in my opinion is more family-friendly, while the PS3 is better for more graphics-intense games geared towards different gemographics. I'm a huge fan of Nintendo, and I love their very family-oriented game offerings. I own a DS and Wii and still love Mario as much as the days back when I played the original Nintendo (NES). In addition, I think Nintendo's motion-sensitive controllers for the Wii are very innovative and fun to play with! Unfortunately however, for most gamers, the difference in game quality is noticeable when comparing the two systems. The PS3 has AMAZING graphics. On an HD Television, you notice such crisp details while playing the PS3. The Wii features only Standard Definition output, which noticeably weakens it when compared to the other next-gen consoles such as the PS3 and Xbox 360.

PS3 vs. XBOX 360

Microsoft has an impressive gaming console in their Xbox 360 and there are some amazing titles exclusive to the Xbox, but in the end you get less bang for your buck when compared to the Playstation 3:

(1) Online gameplay: You can use the Playstation Network's online features without having to pay a subscription fee like you do for the Xbox. I was never a big online gamer but now I enjoy playing against opponents online.

(2) Internet connectivity: Built-in wireless internet connectivity on the PS3 is a much better bet than having to buy a wireless network adapter for the Xbox. Of course you can simply rely on a wired Ethernet connection, but this might be inconvenient depending on your set-up.

(3) High-Def Video: The Playstation 3 doubles as a Blu-Ray player. Microsoft bet on the wrong horse when they were hoping that HD-DVD would come out the winner in the high-def format wars. If you want a Blu-Ray player/video game system combo, the PS3 is a great device.

(4) Failure rate: The Xbox 360 has an absurdly high failure rate, with estimates ranging between 30 to 50% (). I can't verify the numbers, but know from my friends who own the Xbox 360 that they've had a fair share of grief with their systems.

Microsoft does have a few edges, namely the upcoming Project Natal, unveiled at June's E3. While Natal may ultimately be one of the most amazing advances in video gaming, it unfortunately is still some time off from being implemented. That being said, the Playstation 3 is much more worth the cost than the Xbox 360 at least for now.

FINAL THOUGHTS

system that doubles as a Blu-Ray player. Keep in mind though that the bulk of money spent on the video game system will not be in the initial down payment, but the subsequent games, extra controllers (only comes bundled with one controller), and other peripherals/accessories. . Sony's refusal to incorporate backwards-compatibility for PS2 games on the PS3, however, might make your gaming library obsolete in a few years, so if you have the money, you're best off going for the PS3 Slim. You won't regret it.

Honest reviews on PlayStation 3 System Slim 120GB

I'll try to break this down for normal folks as I own both units and I had a heck of time finding any unbiased reviews. The short answer is you can't really go wrong with either, but the ps3 price drop IMHO makes it the better buy. My main reason for buying the PS3 was my xbox 360 died RROD for the fourth time and I decided to try the ps3.

OK here goes:

-Graphics: The two units are pretty close on quality here, in my case the PS3 has better graphics because my xbox had no HDMI, apples to apples I think it would be hard to pick a winner.

-Controllers: This is really a matter of preference. Some say the xbox controller being bigger makes it more comfortable, from a technical aspect I would have to give the ps3 the win here as it has both vibration and motion, the xbox lacks the latter.

-Online Community: Xbox is the winner here with some serious drawbacks to note. For one it costs $50 per year, if you use the voice chat, group chat, etc, etc... then the xbox is the winner. If you are like myself and you hop online to play games with your friends and prefer to use a phone or email to chat with them then xbox online advantage are pretty much null.

-Netflix: this is a big one for me, now both systems have netflix, the navigation is similar, both are usable however for the moment you need to insert a DVD to play netflix on the ps3. No winner here, it's a tie.

-BLU-RAY: this is a big one, the xbox hd-dvd format died leaving it without an HD disc format, this means if you want to play HD movies via a disc you need to have a blu ray player separately, obviously PS3 wins here, but is the future of HD movies in disc format or streaming?

-Fan noise: This IMO opinion gives the new PS3 the hands down win, my ps3 slim is so quiet i can barely tell it's on, my xbox sounded like a jet engine, i often had movies cranked all the way up just to hear them over the xbox, again IMO this is a HUGE asset to the PS3 Slim.

Breakdown:

Ps3 Pros:

1) Quiet

2) Motion sensitive controllers

3) You can use any Bluetooth headset, keyboard, mouse, etc....

4) Blu-ray

5) Lack of flashing lights on front of machine!

6) Built in wi-fi card

7) HDMI included

8) Free Online Community and Game Play

9) Tech support speaks english and appears to be located in America, they understood my name and my question.

10) Controllers come with built in rechargable battery and can be charged with any usb port.

11) easy to navigate menus

12) No ridiculous power brick, one cord, if you want to take your ps3 with you somewhere you only need the controller, the unit and the power cord.

Ps3 Cons:

1) No IR receiver, you can't use your regular universal remote to control the ps3 you need a bluetooth which means an extra remote.

2) Shape, this one sounds stupid, but the rounded shape of the ps3 really annoys me because you can't stack, say your wii, or even lay your remotes on top of the unit. (maybe you shouldn't do that anyhow LOL)

3) Less games, or at this point I guess the better point would be less games made for the ps3, instead of built for the xbox and ported to the ps3, this is however changing and in the future will be less of an issue.

Xbox 360 Pros:

1) Great online setup, lots of features which some may miss on the ps3, many probably will not

2) great game line up with a head start on ps3

3) Easy to navigate menus

4) Native Netflix Support

Xbox 360 Cons:

1) Noise

2) Build Quality ( i don't have enough time with my ps3 to comment on build quality, but it appears to be well made)

3) Online service is $50 per year.

4) Tech support, I have called xbox live support several times, it is impossible to get them to understand what the issue is or even my name, I even gave up once.

5) Controller Batteries, I have had several sets of the Microsoft brand batteries and I have their charger, they don't last as long as I would have hoped.

Like I said before, you can't really go wrong with either, each side has a huge lists of hates for the competition, the reality is none of them are deal breakers. With the ps3 price reduction I think the playstation is now the clear winner. it has blu ray, plenty of games, large hard drive space, HDMI. From what I understand the xbox build quality has improved, I for one had lots of issues with my xbox and my second one was supposedly one of the better ones.

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I was looking for a Blu Ray player and realized that if I paid just a little more, I'd also be able to play some excellent games. If you're looking for something that will play Blu Ray and Games, the purchase of a PS3 is truly a "no brainer" move. I now own the 360, Wii, and PS3. Each has its own qualities and drawbacks. What I really appreciate about the PS3 is they don't try to nickel and dime you to death.... Wi-Fi is included... as is a rechargeable controller (with the charger included)... as is online game play.

The nice thing about the Blu Ray capabilities on the PS3, if you're old, is that it really provides you nice cover for getting a game console "No, I am not a 50 year-old who plays video games, I just wanted to watch Blu Ray, and I guess I picked up some games as well."

Review of Rock Band Triple Tree Guitar Stand

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The Rock Band Triple Guitar Stand is PERFECT for Guitar Hero and Rock Band guitars!! It doesn't take up much room, is easy to assemble and is a nice addition to the room. Instead of tripping over a guitar or knocking one over, you can easily place the guitars on the Stand, and when you want to get a different one, it will be right at your finger tips. It definitely makes a nice gift or a treat for one's personal collection. It is too small to hold full size guitars, which makes it all the more special for the Guitar Hero/Rock Band Super Star, as it was made just for them. Rock On!

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I was happy this tree could hold 3 guitars since that's how many I have now. I'm guessing it was designed this way for stability and it worked. The hooks and guitar rests are nicely padded; no worries over your guitars getting scratched. The stand also fits very nicely in tight spaces. This is a very useful product if you're looking for a way to protect your guitars from damage and get them out of the way when they're not being used.

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This stand is not huge so it doesn't take up a lot of space. It looks nice and it keeps our Rock Band guitars neat and from getting hit or kicked. Since Rock Band is set up right in our living room we needed to make our accessories look a little better when not in use.

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Purchased this guitar stand along with the Dreamcast Warbeast guitar controller. I already have two RB2 strats in my collection and adding the Warbeast made this guitar stand a necessity.

The stand itself is built well and looks to be a quality product. Good weight makes mounting 1, 2, or 3 guitars possible with no worries of tipping over. Because the height is adjustable, the Warbeast fits perfectly... so don't hesitate buying if you are worried it is too short for this full-sized replica guitar controller. I'll post pics soon!

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Wow what a difference, no more guitars leaning against the wall on top of each other. The Rock Band Triple Tree Guitar Stand can securely and safely hold up to 3 guitars without worrying about scratching or damaging them. The guitar's neck hangs off soft padded hooks and the backs are kept away from the stand by another padded bar that rests against the back of the guitar. Since the stand's height can be easily adjusted, this can be used with different gaming guitars. I personally use it for the Guitar Hero gaming system.

Made of heavy duty metal, it will securely stay in place without any worries of it tipping over. Much better "eye pleaser" to see the guitars nicely hanging on the stand than just laying around. Great buy!

Super Smash Bros. Brawl Reviews

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My 10 y/o son LOVES this game! I am usually pretty careful about how much and which video games I let him play (this is the only "T" rated game he has, and he only has 1 E-10 game, everything else he has is "E" rated). The action/violence level is relatively tame -all cartoon characters battling eachother, no blood, no visible injuries, the character who loses the battle kind of flies out of the scene. The battling itself isn't very graphic, with highly fictionalized "weapons." That said, my son and his friends love the game, lots of interesting "level-ups" and plot twists, plus fun characters you'll recognize from elsewhere.

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I wasn't much of a console gamer for a long time after the N64, but one game that stood out on it was Super Smash Bros. Fast forward to 2008 and I broke down and got a Wii for the party-gaming potential. I have not been disappointed. Yesterday, this game arrived.

Oh boy. This is a heck of a lot of fun. The number of things to do is incredible. You can even practice your character's moves against your choice of inert or active opponents. Nintendo seems to have intended this game to be epic as they not only include an in-game retrospective of the entire line of Nintendo gaming products going back all the way to the NES, they include time-limited trial versions of the classic games.

Wifi works wonderfully. Online matches are frantic and fun.

One odd thing is that the wireless pointer feature of your wii controller is completely inert once you load the game. This is one area where they shouldn't have stuck to their rootsit feels silly to move a token with the analog joystick when I could theoretically just point at the character I want to use. But you get used to it.

If you have a kid, he will spend months getting all the unlocks (there are lots). If you have a kid inside you, you will rediscover some console joy.

The maps are pretty amusing/crazy. They touch on many themes/ideas from previous Nintendo works. Put it this way: There is a Pictochat map. The terrain is drawn as you play... Many maps have destructible terrain or areas you cannot jump up through, which adds a strategic element.

The characters are varied and seem very well-balanced against each other. (Aside: I love how the announcer says "KING DEDEDE" so seriously.)

If you are completely new to the game, you still have a pretty good shot at winning by button-mashing, which I consider a good feature. If you have mastered the combos and moves however, you still have the advantage.

I haven't played the adventure mode much but it is also fun.

You pretty much have to buy this game if you own a Wii. This is as much a Wii-defining game as Super Mario Galaxy or Wii Sports is.

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Even though I was Nintendo label die-hard and fan of their coin-op franchise from the beginning, Super Smash Bros or brawl titles in general haven't interested me too much.

So the most anticipated title of 2008 wasn't guaranteed to strike my electric fancy. But, when you add WI-FI play for free online brawling and custom controls in order to configure anything from the Wii controllers to the old school (4 variations on play) you've got me curious. Add to that the longest list of cross-title cross-era characters ever produced (Thirtysomethings: remember "Battle of the Network Stars" ). Characters from `87s' Kid Icarus (Pit) and Metal Gear's Snake, Pikachu and various Pokemon. Loads of Mario characters including the man himself: Diddy and Donkey Kong (Donkey Kong dating from Mario's 1981 coin-op premiere of the title of the same name), Wario, Yoshi, Princess Peach, Bowser, and more. Other melee cameos include the Ice Climbers, Metroids' Zero Suit Samus, Kirby, King Dedede and his Meta Knight, Sonic, LINK & Zelda (from '86 and on), Star Fox, Lucas & friends from Mother 3... and lots of other unlockables. Some noteable, but Non-playable, assist trophies include Devil from Devil World, Star Fox's Andross, Mr. Resetti from Animal Crossing, Little Mac from Tyson's Punch-Out and even Excitebike ('85) is on the scene. What is particularly cool about these appearances is the consistency of style for each character regardless of genre or era of the characters. Nintendo has outdone itself on graphics on this one, even when they are "dumbing" down the graphics for cross-game effect. The sound effects are true to this as well, with as many retro SFXs as cool new ones.

Options for play include Solo vs. PC, Multiplayer play vs. 3 friends or on-line options. Other options include the Classic game (you beat `em you advance) or a storyplay campaign which is surprisingly worthwhile. The variety of Brawl locations and is amazingly broad as are the detailing of each location gimmicks. From Yoshi's Island to a stadium to the exterior of a StarFox ship sailing the stratosphere, this alone will extend the life of BRAWL's replay longevity. Characters move satisfyingly fluid, and their variety per character is exciting.

The Mini-games are fun and nice samplings of other titles, both new and old. If fact, many of these made me ready to seek out some games I hadn't looked at before. If anything BRAWL is a great sampler title.

Super Smash Bros. Brawl is going to be top of the "4 player fighting" genre for some time to come, I think. Well worth the release push-back.

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We can play for hours doing different things different ways. My kids are 7,7,8,16,16,20 and we never get bored of playing this game. There are plenty of options for playing teams, opposition, or single player. The configurations and characters are almost endless. The review title says it all. I wish they could just figure out how to make it a motion sensitive game; When you jump it jumps; when you swing, it swings.

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During the past year, Nintendo really showed what it takes with the success of the Wii. Dominant games like The Legend Of Zelda: Twilight Princess and the definitive Super Mario Galaxy, really proved the Wii with its ultimate gameplay. But, that success has also been as a dominant question with Super Smash Brothers Brawl. While its prequel, Smash Brothers Melee was the biggest-selling title from Nintendo's last home console, the Gamecube, many still had wondered if Nintendo was going to be able to top that outrageous game of madness and excitement. Well, Nintendo has done it, and taken the brawl to a whole new level of fierceness. Its time to brawl!!

Super Smash Brothers Brawl for the Nintendo Wii, is one of the most anticipated games to be released this year, and it absolutely dominates the competition. The gameplay is very addictive as you play with all your favorite classics characters like Mario, the adorable Yoshi, Link, the fierce Bowser and many others. There are also a lot of new characters here to unlock too like Sonic The Hedgehog, Wario, King Dedede from Kirby's Dream Land, Diddy Kong and Olimar from the overlooked Pikmin series. There are also secondary characters which have been added as well, that come and assist you to the depth of the gameplay like the Nintendogs, which block the screen so you can't see where your opponents are during the game, and Andross from the Star Fox series. The graphics look great, and appeal to each and every level you can challenge on from the abstractism of Warioware, to the madness of racing along the Mario Raceway from Mario Kart. Each level is packed with excitement for gamers of all ages.

The control is also new to some gamers, and traditional for veterans too, as you can manuver your favorite characters 4 different ways: the Wii Remote alone, the Wii and Nunchuck controller, the Wii's classic controller and even the Nintendo Gamecube controller. The Wii controller and nunchuck take awhile to get used to, but the classic and Gamecube controllers work very well, making it simple and addictive gameplay. On top of that, you also can now challenge against others not just in the living room, but you can now also play against other Brawlers online through Nintendo's Wi-Fi connection, which makes the gameplay even more addictive for anyone who wants to brawl farther than they've ever done before.

All in all, Super Smash Brothers Brawl is a must buy for anyone who owns the Nintendo Wii. It is just great from start to finish and brings in every depth of excitment and gameplay for a super smash for anyone who has the need to smash the competition. It is definitely a great game all around and a great addition to your Wii video game library.

Graphics: A-

Sound: A-

Control: A for Gamecube and Classic Controller; B for Wii Remote & Nunchuck

Fun & Enjoyment: B+ for solo gamers; A for multiplayer action

Overall: A-

Cyber Troopers Virtual-On Force Reviews

Customer Ratings:

first i want to say you really should try to find a pair of HORIs twin sticks made especially for up doing 5 this release. i think they ended up doing 5 manufacturing cycles they became so popular and are among the most sturdy and quality controllers the company (known for its very nice arcade sticks and such)has ever produced.

now to the game.

this game is like the tekken tag of virtual on. imagine voot with 90 variant mechs and a tag team style to both the arcade and the mission modes. there are 2 brand new playable/unlockable mechs, 1 is a samurai with a katana and a masamune. the other is a midget like little effeminate magic casting angeleon style mech with far more ability to do major damage fast (or get killed just as fast due to her lack of size and armor.

after seeing tekken tag 2 (which is incredible) i appreciate this game even more. v-on and voot were both great but the tag team component adds what was missing from the series and i love it......now time to go dump my 360 version of tekken tag 2 for the wii u version with all its extras inspired by miyamoto.

this is a 5 star game hands down and will play on any slim version of the 360....theres no lockout and you can even score it for less than 40usd now that the platinum version has made t to japanese store fronts.

best feature: the seemingly endless variations of temjin. there are over 7.

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Global Game Gear GGG0021 Grey Xbox Thumbsticks with T8 L Key Reviews

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Maybe I didn't read the fine print or I just got lucky, but this kit came with the joysticks and the tool necessary to change them out. I fixed the controller that our dogs chewed up in under 15 minutes. Just a note there is a sticker under the battery compartment that hides the last screw that needs to be removed on the controller.

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Controller thumbstick replacements occur, whether you're a casual gamer or a gamer that plays in tournaments such as myself.

Usually if you get a controller you use a lot and get into the groove with thumstick use, it's to of no surprise you don't wish to drop $30+ on a new controller.

Installation is a snap and the thumbsticks should be worked in circles afterwards to ensure that they are seated on their connector rod.

Also, these are made by the same OEM that produces the thumbsticks for Microsoft, so the quality is the same, which is great :)

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These thumbsticks were the perfect replacement for my old worn-out originals. Installation was relatively easy and straightforward and the thumbsticks even came with the T8H Torx allen wrench that you need to open your controller. After installation, I doubt anyone would even be able to notice that they were replaced. Great product!

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I bought these since my original thumbsticks had lost their grip, and they really serve their purpose. Although they are not OEM, they have a decent quality. Do not order a Torx T8H to open your controller, they come with one. Also, in the beginning the thumbstick may stay get stuck, but this problem will be gone after the first couple of days.

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I lost a thumbstick to a friend's rage awhile back. He replaced the controller, but I kept it around and now I'm glad I did. Installing these replacement thumbsticks was a snap, especially with the help of the included key (don't let Amazon's suggestions fool you into buying one you don't need). The stick snaps right onto the control stalk, then put the controller back together and you're done! They feel just like the stock sticks and move very naturally and easily. I'll probably pick up a few more just to have some spares around.

Cheap Mad Catz Rock Band 3 MIDI PRO-ADAPTER for Wii and Wii U

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I pre-ordered this adapter with the assumption it will support any MIDI keyboard (or drums or guitar) and was a little shocked when I read in the manual it was only tested and guaranteed to work with 5 keyboard and 4 drum sets. That was not mentioned in the product description, and my keyboard is not even a synth like you see in electronics stores, it is a silent MIDI controller I bought in the late 1990s with which to write music on my computer. I began to worry.

I really started to worry when I first hooked it up and nothing happened. Had I been paying more attention I would have noticed the adapter's MIDI activity light was blinking "SOS" in Morse code (cute!), and had I read the manual I would have known that meant it wasn't getting an Active Sense signal from my keyboard. Once I changed a setting on my keyboard to look for an external MIDI device it worked perfectly. After that the activity light blinked for every key down, key up, and pitch change.

In Pro Keyboard mode the keys map from C3 to C5 which is the top half of my keyboard, but even my ancient keyboard lets me move up and down octaves so you can probably locate the notes further down if you prefer. The manual says that in Keyboard mode the 5 keys map to C4 to G4, but in my experience they also map to C3 to G3 with one extra green note at C5 (which is where my keyboard ends, perhaps there are more notes if I shift octaves?). The pitch shift wheel lets me gain more power for overdrive, much like the whammy bar in guitar.

RB3 includes lessons on how to play the keyboard and I've gone through a few of them. They teach you the basics and don't get impatient with you. Between that and the guitar lessons I may be a real musician soon! I still find it easier to play keys on the RB guitar, and easier with my left hand than right, but hopefully that will change. After a few days of using it, the only problems have been from accidentally shifting octaves during play and one momentarily stuck key.

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For starters, this product works very well with keyboard and I'm sure it will be fine with drums. If I have one criticism, it is the necessity of the game forcing you, at times, to press the overdrive button on the controller, which is rather inconvenient. Darting for overdrive, whilst trying to play with the other hand is difficult some times the game will want overdrive, then pitch bend. Another headache. I have not yet tested my drums with it but if I have to hit the overdrive whilst drumming, I'm going to be a little disappointed. The lead that it comes with is long enough that you can have the controller sat next to you, but it's still a difficult prospect.

To clarify to the previous reviewer, this unit will not work with guitar midi systems such as the Roland / Yamaha systems and so forth. The rock band guitar controllers use SYSEX messages to refer "note pressed" commands (ie, where on the fretboard you are) and not just general "note pressed" vanilla midi commands. As a result, you cannot, for instance, transcribe parts and play them on different places on your fretboard, as the game knows exactly where you are it also means that you cannot use your keyboard to play the guitar parts. Whilst this was clearly stated on the Rockband forums, to have to dig for information to that degree betrays a failure on the part of the manufacturer to provide adequate information.

Conceivably, you might be able to use your guitar->midi system for playing the keyboard parts, but you cannot use the guitar side.

Despite all this, the product is excellent. It does exactly what it is billed to do.

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Wanting to add keyboards to Rock Band 3, you have a choice between the keytar and this unit. Since we already had a MIDI capable keyboard, and the adapter was the cheaper option, this was the one we chose. This is for the Wii version, by the way.

The unit is a little lightweight (but since I'm in Australia that helped with shipping costs, I guess...) but then it isn't going to get pounded like a guitar controller or drums. It connects to the console using a long USB cable (about 3m) and to the MIDI instrument using a standard MIDI cable. One is NOT supplied with the unit, but these are quite cheap to buy if your MIDI instrument did not come with one. From a Wii perspective, it's nice that the unit doesn't use up a wiimote.

On the back is a bi-directional clip that can be set to either clip on a belt (for guitar use) or to make a right angle with the case (for placing it on a ledge, such as with a keyboard). This seems reasonably sturdy.

Buttons mimic the standard wiimote ones: A, B, 1, 2, +, -. As well there is a power button (labelled with the Rock Band "RB"), a direction pad, a volume wheel and an overdrive button on the lower right corner. This latter may be a questionable design choice, since it is quite easy to knock the unit off the keyboard in the heat of the moment. A possible solution is to look at attaching your adapter more firmly, perhaps with velcro dots? There is also a switch to set the unit to Keyboard, Guitar or Drums.

Had no problems with the unit connecting and using it, but did discover a limit on Rock Band 3 itself which was NOT documented in either the game or the adapter. In normal play mode you are limited to any two of guitar, bass and keyboard. To play with all three at once you need to set "all instruments mode" (which the game DOES ask you about as soon as you connect the third instrument it's user friendly that way), but that itself has a couple of limitations. Firstly, no online play, though you can access other modes fine. Secondly, and more annoyingly, vocals are set to Easy mode and lose both scoring and overdrive. Sure, you no longer need a wiimote for them, and you can have three people (lead and two backups), but that doesn't help if you wanted to have (scoring) Vocals, Keys, Guitar and Bass. Harmonix should fix this. However this is not a point against the unit itself, but the game, and a minor one at that.

In use, the unit works fine. Since most of the actual hands on stuff is with your connected instrument, mileage will vary. As usual you can tweak the response times within the game, anyway. Easy keys are just one note at a time with five keys (c through g) assigned to each of the five notes. Medium adds chords. Have yet to try higher levels or Pro mode (I'm a wimp).

The adapter can also be used to make your keyboard play guitar or drum parts have not investigated this in detail yet since we have all the other instruments.

In all, a very good little unit that does exactly what it is meant to. I also see it as the blueprint for future music games in bringing together real instruments with the game itself. In theory there's no reason something like this couldn't be made cross platform, too.

Honest reviews on Mad Catz Rock Band 3 MIDI PRO-ADAPTER for Wii and Wii U

The instructions were a bit vague, but it works.

There were some questions about whether the Pyle PED02M works with the MadCatz. I can attest that it does work! I connected the Pyle Ped02M to our Wii using a MadCatz MIDI adapter for Wii and a MIDI cable and played Lego Rock Band for Wii. No configuration pf the drum kit or changing of "Midi Notes" required; just plug it in, change the MadCatz to the "D" setting (D for drum) and use it.

It acts like an additional Wii remote. It has the four blue lights at the bottom and will register as one of the up to four Wii remotes that can connect to the Wii.

I also successfully used a 15 foot active USB cable to extend the range.

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So, this thing is fairly basic.

It is supposed to take a midi signal and feed it into Rock Band, and it seems able to do that job well enough.

I got this for use with my keyboard so I won't be touching on drums or pro-guitar.

I think though that it deserves fewer stars for coming out two months after the game itself came out. I was beginning to think that it didn't actually exist.

one little thing I don't care for is that the game doesn't recognize any octaves above the one starting with middle C. Not a big deal, I was just expecting to be playing in the middle of the keyboard, but it seems that the game sticks you on the low end. I understand that is because the game was made for the keyboard accessory and they didn't really put a lot of thought into people playing the keyboards with their own midi compatible keyboard.

That just means that they didn't really care too much about this product and people that would use it with their keyboard.

DDRgame Playstation 2 - USB Energy Metal Arcade 3 in 1 Dance Pad Review

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List Price: $229.99
Sale Price: $226.90
Today's Bonus: 1% Off

I bought one of these Dance pads after doing tons of research. It came in the mail very quickly (though I bought from step2ddr, not amazon). There is a connector box that goes between the pad and the system for some reason that has the "start" and "select" buttons on it. This is the only stupid feature about the product. It has caused the pad to short out a couple times. My SO and I play very heartily on this pad (about 2.5 hours a day since June 1) and it is sturdy enough to handle our constant barrage of steps. The buttons work great in terms of sensitivity! There has been no cracking on the arrows, the sensor zone is large, and the sunken arrows really create an ease of play. You must wear shoes for this pad or you will hurt yourself!

UPDATE: It's been about 6 months of owning the dance pad, and a week ago, one of the buttons finally cracked. This hasn't affected gameplay at all, but if it ever did, you can purchase new ones (they're easily removeable). The pad will short out from time to time, but that happens to me a lot less than it does to my SO maybe it's a weight thing. It's corrected by disconnecting and reconnecting the cables.

If I didn't own this pad, I wouldn't be nearly as good at DDR as I am now. It's very fun and pretty, and I'm proud to own it. There's no feeling like being able to play DDR on a hard pad every day for as long as you want without having to pay. It's well worth the initial money, and the small issues are pretty standard on many gaming items. I have a feeling I'd still be shelling out $20-50 every few weeks or months if I continued to try to use the soft/semi-hard pads.

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レビューが英語ばかり（当たり前ですが）なので参考になればと思いここに書かせて頂きます。

当方日本に住んでおり、日本に発送してもらいたい、という人向けのレビューです。

まず注文から発送までの流れですが、他のコントローラーが送料だけで数万円もかかってしまうのに対し、このコントローラーは米Amazonが発送を行なってくれるため、１０００円程度で済みます。

なので私は18000円ぐらいでこのコントローラーを手に入れることが出来ました。

発送から到着まで４日から２週間程度かかる、とのことでしたが、注文してから５日で品物が届きました。

購入のしやすさはさすがAmazonだと思います。

コントローラーとしての感想。

PCと接続してStepmaniaで遊んでいます。（判定を合わせるのが簡単なため）

そのため、遅延等はよくわかりません。

ただパネル自体の反応はよく、フリーズアローも抜けることなく快適にDDRを楽しむことができます。

踏んだ感じが沈む、というレビューがよくありますが、感じ的には基盤とかについているペコペコするスイッチを踏んだような感じがします。

ただ、逆にこれが踏んでいるのか踏んでいないのかを感覚的につかめるようになるため、ものすごく遊びやすいです。

裏が全面滑り止め加工してあるため、現在の難易度表でいうところのLv17等を踏んでもコントローラーが動くことなく、快適に発狂譜面を遊べます。

ただ、パネルを固定しているネジの山が大きく、裸足でやるとこのネジに足を引っ掛けて怪我してしまうため、靴が必須となります。

自分は普段からACは裸足で遊んでいるので足の裏の皮が硬いため、特に怪我をしてはいませんが、普通の方が裸足でやると間違いなく切り傷ができてしまうかと。

裸足でやりたい方は対策として、5mmの超低頭ネジをホームセンター等で購入してネジを交換することをおすすめします。

これで引っかかりもなくなり、スライド踏みも安心して行えます。

はじめはバーが無いと辛いなぁと思っていましたが、バー無しになれて家でDDRをすれば見違えるようにACのスコアの精度が上がっていきます。

家でちゃんとDDRをやりたい、と思っている方は是非迷わず買ってみてください。お勧めです！

Let me write here and I think it would be helpful so review (but of course) English only.

It is a review for those who have lived in Japan for us, that, I want you to ship to Japan.

It is the flow of the ship from the first order, while they also took several hundred dollars just another controller carriage, for the U.S. Amazon will do the shipping, this controller requires only about 1000 yen.

I was able to get this controller so in about 18000 yen.

Were to be with, take about 4 days to 2 weeks to arrive from the ship, the goods arrived in 5 days from order.

Ease of purchase, I truly think Amazon.

Thoughts as a controller.

I'm playing with Stepmania connected to the PC. (The judgment is easier to fit)

Therefore, delay, etc. I do not know.

Reaction of the panel itself and you can enjoy a comfortable DDR without well, slipping out just freeze arrow.

The reviews often feel that you step on, sinking, feeling like stepping crawl to a feeling that the switch is attached to the base or to.

However, in order to grasp so sensuously whether or not this is in stepping are stepping in reverse, it is incredibly easy to play.

without moving the controller for the back is machined entirely non-slip, even stepped on Lv17, etc. For the purpose of the current table difficulty, play the music mad comfortable.

However, because you just hooked a leg injury to this screw pile of screws that secure the panel is large, and do it barefoot, shoes it is mandatory.

Because the skin of the sole of the foot is stiff, his Although not hurt, especially AC so playing barefoot regularly, and I do it and be cut definitely towards the ordinary and do it barefoot.

If you want to do with barefoot is recommended that as a measure, replace the screws, etc. purchased at home centers ultra low head screws 5mm.

No longer caught in this, I can with confidence slide step.

I thought that the beginning is painful and there is no bar Naa, the accuracy of the score of AC is far better off now I will go up if you do DDR accustomed to at home without bar.

Please try not hesitate and buy all means those who are, I think I want to do a DDR perfectly at home. It is recommended!

Best Deals for DDRgame Playstation 2 - USB Energy Metal Arcade 3 in 1 Dance Pad

i couldn't get my hands on a cobalt flux so i went with this pad instead:

* three weeks in and the right arrow started to malfunction. i got it working again by removing the panel (four screwed brackets) and cleaning the sensor surface.

* four weeks later the same thing happened to the up arrow. same problem, same solution.

* four more weeks and the down arrow stopped working. i had to add some sheet metal under the panel to get the sensor to start registering again (the trick was that one end had to remain in contact with the metallic frame).

so the sensor design is rubbish (copper plated, activated by foil under the panels), but i think the sheet metal solution (26 gauge, $5 at home depot) will hold up and i plan on redoing all the sensors this way if/when they break down.

other than that the pad is decent:

* it moves a little bit on carpet but nothing worrisome.

* the select and start buttons are located on the control box rather than the pad.

* the arrows don't light up when you step on them.

their website indicates no refunds after 30 days and their tech. support is exactly as useless as you can imagine so be prepared to DIY if you want to get your $230 worth. bottom line is that i would now go with one of the $150 pads instead of this one since i believe they use the same sensor design and would require the same level of maintenance.

Honest reviews on DDRgame Playstation 2 - USB Energy Metal Arcade 3 in 1 Dance Pad

I am running windows 7 64 bit home premium. The instructions below will not be exact for anything but windows 7 but if you're half computer savvy, or know someone who is, it's not a hard translation.

Out of the box my computer registered the buttons for this dance pad as a joystick which eliminates all possibility to do left+right arrows simultaneously and up+down arrows as well. st first i thought it was the sensors were touchy or the control box was broken (which in fact 1 of them was broken and I bought a new one from DDRgame for like $30 which was acceptable for such a high quality dance pad.)

After a few days research and a little tinkering I found that the pad was being discovered as a HD compliant game controller and a unidentified device when i plugged it in even though it was just 1 dance pad. and started working out exactly what I could do to fix it. many people were swearing by this adapter and that cable and this program and that other BS something. I didn't want to have to rig something to make my investment work so I spent my weekend finding a way to fix the problem instead of going around it, and here's what came of my weekend.

INSTRUCTIONS HERE Make sure everything is unplugged.

Go to Start menu>Devices and printers>Plug in your dance pad and watch what changes>right click on the unidentified device that pops up when you plugged in your dance pad>Click properties>Hardware tab(if there are no tabs skip this step)>Click on the USB device>Click properties>Click on change settings>Driver tab>Update Driver>Browse my computer for driver software>Let me pick from a list of drivers on my computer>Select USB device>next

READ THIS

It should then merge the two devices into one which works properly. If this does not work on the first try go back to printers and devices click on the new device that represents your dance pad and update all the drivers the same way I just explained. The only difference is when you get to the last step, Make sure you select the same driver name as the one you wanted to update. EX. you update the HD compliant game controller drivers. On the last step choose HD compliant game controller instead of USB device. etc.

For those who want to use StepMania Make sure you remap your dance pad keys (arrows and all buttons) after doing this because the arrows will now be mapped as buttons instead of joysticks and your game won't recognize that you're pressing them until they are mapped properly.

I've had this pad for some months now and it still works to this day. on occasion if i leave it unplugged i'll have to go back and reset the drivers again but all the buttons and arrows are just as responsive as day 1 even after months of daily use by two teenage 200 pound boys with their shoes on. I have 2 of these pads and couldn't be happier.

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I ordered two of these units to replace an aging metal pad I bought ages ago. I've had these for a few months, and darned if they can't take abuse. I wear shoes when I play, and these things take it like a champ. They're very sensitive, the control boxes are sturdy, and there isn't much interference. I use this on a PS2 for DDRMAX and DDRMAX2, as well as In the Groove on PS2 and PC (StepMania on PC as well). I can't vouch for the Gamecube or Xbox connectors.

The buttons are slightly recessed, which is good, and the corners are protected with metal plates. I would recommend against playing on these with just socks on -you'll slip and cut your foot open on the corner.

Wonderful buy. I plan on keeping these for a very long time.

Microsoft Xbox 360 Black HDMI Cable (Retail Packaging) Reviews

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List Price: $49.99
Sale Price: $8.50
Today's Bonus: 83% Off

I Love my XBOX 360 with it's Microsoft VGA Cable.

Just wanted to Clear this up for people with the older 360's looking to boost their graphics. (This Cable dose exactly what it is meant to do, that is why I give it 5 Stars).

I have a non-HDMI XBOX 360 core system mfg. 7/2007, the picture doesn't show it well, but all this package contains is a Standard HDMI cable and a adapter that connects to the large A/V port on the back of the 360 and goes out to SOUND ONLY.

This WILL NOT Adapt your Standard 360 A/V port to HDMI.

This product only works if your XBOX 360 Already has a HDMI port in the back and it just gives you ports for audio so you can attach your 360 to HDMI and your surround sound receiver. where as with just HDMI cable, the sound is just coming from your TV's speakers.

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What you see is what you get. Take a look at the package. You see two ends of an HDMI cable. That is a plain vanilla HDMI cable that you could get anywhere. Over on the right is the audio dongle, and you are seeing just about the whole thing except for the part that connects to the Xbox 360. It all works fine. This audio dongle is slimmer that the standard Microsoft A/V progressive cable, which is what gives you the room to put the HDMI cable in.

Don't get this unless you have one of the newer HDMI Xbox's. This is not a conversion kit.

Don't get this if you plan on running the HDMI cable from the Xbox 360 to your receiver, with another HDMI out from your receiver to your TV. If that is your setup, just get a plain HDMI cable and save money.

Don't get this if you plan on running the HDMI cable from the Xbox 360 to your TV, AND you have a Digital Audio Out on your TV that you can run to your receiver, AND you have verified that the Digital Audio Out will not truncate any Dolby Digital 5.1 HDMI signal down to 2 channel audio, which can happen with some TVs. Of course, you'll need a spare HDMI cable to test with first, but if you still get DD 5.1 out of the Digital out on your TV, then no need to get this.

Otherwise, if you still need this for the separate optical audio connection between the Xbox 360 and your receiver, then this is perfectly acceptable, though much more expensive than a plain HDMI cable you can get online.

Best Deals for Microsoft Xbox 360 Black HDMI Cable (Retail Packaging)

Maybe I'm dumb, but it wasn't clear from the other reviews that all you need to hook up your XBox360 elite to a HDMI connection is a regular $5 HDMI cable. Period.

The only reason you need to buy this (except if you're dumb like me and didn't pay enough attention to the other reviews) is if you want to hook up video to one place (like your tv) but have the audio go somewhere else (like a receiver that doesn't have any HDMI inputs, or has run out of them).

Unless you are in this rare case, go to your cable closet, pull out a spare HDMI cable, and you'll be fine without wasting your money on this.

Oh, it works fine, just like any $5 HDMI cable would. :-P

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To clarify and hopefully help some of you; from what I understand, the Xbox HDMI only supports 2-channel PCM audio over HDMI. Also, if your tv happens to have an optical output, it most likely only outputs 2 channels and not 5.1. It is therefore that microsoft includes the adapter in this package so that you can get 5.1 true the optical output. There is a hack you can do if you have a component cable, however, leaving the metal part exposed, increases the chance of a short circuit. In short, if you'd like to have Surround sound, you may need this, else, you don't need the adapter and are better off buying a cheap $5 HDMI cable.

It is unfortunate that MSFT didn't build this into the system and is charging this much for it.

Edit: As T Berry clarifies in his comment, you can get 5.1 through the HDMI cable if you have a reciever that supports hdmi (which I don't) and go from there to your tv. This cable is needed if you need optical audio. The xbox supports HDMI 1.2 and not 1.3 and so you cannot get Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio streams through HDMI (if that's important to you).

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The HDMI AV kit includes an HDMI cable (which you can find online for about $5.00 if you look around) and the XBox HDMI AV adapter. The reason they sell this kit is because they designed the standard HD-AV (component) cable connector to be too big to work in conjunction with an HDMI cable, so if you want HDMI video -ANDoptical or Red/White RCA audio, you have to use this adapter to get the audio connections into the XBox 360's rear port.

...Or so they want you to think.

The truth is that this is just the same connector as the HD-AV cable (Component cable) but it lacks the video connection, and the housing is slightly smaller. No technological wizardry involved. It's just a smaller plastic box, and thus your HDMI cable will fit next to this in your XBox 360's connector port.

You could spend the money for this if you're not very handy. By all means, I'm sure Microsoft needs the money!

OR, you could take a dremel to a used XBox 360 HD-AV (component) cable, cut out some of the extra plastic, and use THAT in conjunction with your HDMI cable.

I take no responsibility for your clumsiness or if you mess up your XBox 360, but I can attest to the fact that a cut-away HD-AV cable works fine for transmitting audio while your HDMI cable transmits video.

So the choice is yours: $50 for this thing, or use your existing cable (the one that came with your XBox 360) and a Dremel, and save yourself some cash.