Buy Call of Duty: Black Ops II Care Package

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List Price: $179.99
Sale Price: $157.40
Today's Bonus: 13% Off

omg the drone was useless! my coworker got the hardened edition, i got the care package. only difference in the two was the blasted drone. its literally Styrofoam. cheap as hell, and out of the box one propeller didn't work. i was sooooooo beyond disappointed with this. i mean every "collectors" package in the past was amazing, night vision goggles, real sturdy rc car, and then this? shame on you activision. my 20$ rc helicopter is better built than this. its what i get for splurgging on something that sounded too good.

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Ok, before you buy the Care package edition think about it. The Hardened Edition is 95 bucks and has everything in the Care Package Edition except for the Helicopter. Do you really think that dumb helicopter that you'll never use and breaks in 5 minutes is worth 100 DOLLARS! HELL NO! So just buy the 60 base version (which is also an awful game, I would just get MW3 or BF3 instead) of the game and save 140 dollars that you could spend on something that is helpful in your life. I bought the normal version of this game because I'm smart, but my friend bought the Care Package Edition and boy was he upset when he flew his helicopter into the wall and it shattered. All the Care Package Edition is, is a way for Activision to scam you out of your money. So don't buy this game or this edition of this game and don't trust Activision because this is only one of many times they've tried to scam 13 year old kids out of money.

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I normally don't write many reviews but as I had recently purchased the Care package for my son I felt compelled to provide some feedback. I purchased this package for the "normal" price of $179 and I was fully aware I was paying a premium for the helicopter. The unit arrived on launch day which was very good and 5 stars to Amazon for getting this to my house on time. My son, thus far, really likes the game so the game overall receives 5 stars. The problem I have is that the helicopter was defective on arrival. The only option available by Amazon is to return the entire package and order a new one separately. That is a bit annoying. I understand that there is little that can be done, but to package everything back up and ship it out and then wait for a refund (that could take 2 weeks after arrival) it's just a bit much. I also had to order and pay for the replacement as an exchange was not an option.

Overall, I think the game is worth it but the helicopter is not. I asked my son (14 years old) if he wanted the helicopter replaced and he said yes so we'll see if the new one works. I will update this review upon receipt of the new package.

Honest reviews on Call of Duty: Black Ops II Care Package

Great package! The case is well built and the drone is fun to mess around in the house maybe even outside on a windless day. They even included the 4 AA's needed to power the controller. The controller has a cord you could use to charge the drone along with a USB cord if you wanted to charge it from a computer. Could not be any happier with my purchase.

Side thoughts.. (Not meant for those whose drones were defective)

For those not impressed with the drone I wonder what you thought you'd actually be getting. Any high end package for a game offers nothing more than something to display. Yeah it works but is not meant to be what you are paying for.

The R/C car with the Prestige edition of Black Ops while cool requires 14 AA batteries, not included, to run and honestly eats them up. It is seriously a noisy piece of equipment of the same quality as any cheap R/C car you get from Walmart, Target, etc. The only bonus was you got a camera and mic that were of mediocre quality. Again it is more for display than actual use as the range you could control it was maybe 25 feet at most before it'd start glitching.

I know some will point to the night vision goggles of MW2 saying that was well made and they were BUT you could easily find a set of NVG of the same quality for less than the extra cash you paid for the package at the time.

A "collector's edition" for any game is just that, for collectors. Those who like a product and want to have something that you can not get anywhere else to display in their home. Anyone who expects more is foolish.

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The "special" extra merchandise is in fact cheap and flimsy and does not compare to the high gloss pictures in the advertizing.

That, however, is nothing new.

All in all, I as the dad, find this still a worthy collectible for the fan boy.

What really irritated me, was the fact that the first delivery got "lost" on the way from one postal warehouse to the next.

That also happens, especially around christmas time.

The third party CS agents, from the accent and level of English language skills sitting in a Call Center in India, did nothing but feed us template lines and drag things out day after day after day, and even had the nerve to suggest that we indeed had received the package and were attempting to commit fraud.

Amazon's own CS then, however, was most professional and immediately went after the case. In the end we received a new shipment, free of charge, and had the shipping costs refunded.

Thank you very much for that!

The game itself is what it is you love it or hate it. I personally stopped liking the franchise after Black Ops 1, but then that is only my personal taste and opinion. My son loves it and I have to admit it looks cool.

Reviews of Halo 3: ODST - Xbox 360

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List Price: $14.99
Sale Price: $12.91
Today's Bonus: 14% Off

Concept: 7/10

Halo 3: ODST introduces a new Special Forces Recon Soldier for the Halo Universe. The Orbital Drop Shock Trooper is a darker, ligher armored version of a Spartan with silent weapons. That's pretty much it.

Story: 9/10

The story is very well written, well told, and well acted by Firefly and BSG veterans. It is really entertaining and one of the best parts of the game. However, it is told through flashbacks and is somewhat difficult to understand your first time through. You might be confused at times, but in the end, it all makes sense.

Gameplay: 8/10

It's Halo 3, with a couple new guns and a slight improvement to the health system. Your character sounds 'in pain' when your health is low, reminding you to stay behind cover. There's also a night vision visor that you can toggle on and off. Unfortunately, the game seems too dark if you don't have your night vision on, and if you use it in areas that are fairly well lit, you're almost blinded. In the end, the night vision seems extraneous. The game would have been better if the dark areas were just a bit brighter, but still cloaked in shadows.

Level Designs: 6/10

There is an open ended city area where you can explore and Convenant troops are being dropped in to battle. This is new to the Halo Universe and it works quite well. Most of the game takes place in New Mobasa, a futuristic African City that is being invaded by the Covenant. The look and feel of the city is pretty impressive, but overall, the levels feel redundant. Fight in corridors, defend an area... You know you've got problems when the Campaign is only 5 hours long, and the Missions feel repetitive.

Sound: 9/10

The music is foreboding and adds to the grim atmosphere while the effects bring the battles to life.

Replay Value: 7/10

You can start the campaign after lunch and finish it before dinner.

There is a Firefight Mode which is like Gears of War 2's Horde Mode, but ODST features an additional challenge where each wave of enemies has a special behavior like "Dodges Grenades." This mode is for friends and invites only. I understand that Bungie is trying to prevent the Leroy Jenkins of the world from ruining the fun, but it really sucks to not be able to play a pickup game.

There are 3 new Multiplayer Maps for Halo 3, too.

Maturity The game is rated M because the Halo series is rated M, even though the action is pretty tame.

Overall: 7/10

Buy this game if you're a Halo Collector, you've got a bunch of buddies that still play Halo 3 and will use the Maps and Firefight Mode.

Rent this game if you just want to play the Campaign. It's only 5-6 hours long.

I'd recommend waiting for the price to drop before buying ODST because if you spend $60, you're going to feel ripped off.

$35 for this game feels about right.

NOTE: Amazon and a bunch of other stores are selling ODST for under $40 now!

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I've read a few reviews here, and I think that, although there are some valid points, people are treating ODST as something that it was never meant to be.

So, what is ODST? It's an expansion. Expensive? Yes, but one has to realize that in reality, it's several expansions built into one, a `collectors pack' for Halo 3 fans. (After all, it's named Halo 3: ODST, not just Halo: ODST)

So, before I break the game down, let's examine what ODST really is.

1. Campaign (Short, yes...Fun? Very.)

2. Fire Fight (One could say a different campaign. After all, a single match with good people can be hours long, and that's one match.)

3. All the maps (A $20+ value, considering there's two map packs worth 1600 Microsoft points, not to mention the three new ones.)

4. Halo: Reach Beta (Remember lockdown, with it's Halo 3 Beta? Yeah...)

Okay, first things first. The Campaign:

This is fun. It's far more tactical than any Halo game before it, and allows for so many new opportunities. Once in Heroic, you find yourself planning assaults, sneaking, factoring in how many grenades you have. Ammo is so sparse that you're constantly forced to re-adapt and pick up new weapons, rather than keeping with the same two weapons (As was much the case with the first three halo's). The characters are new, which again, is interesting. The Visor?...Man, probably my favorite addition. It's so cool to able to switch around views, to get tactical or go all out. Wonderful. Not to mention the addition of engineers, which do nothing but add to the depth of game play and emphasize strategy.

Fire Fight:

Let's be honest. Mention Gears 2? You hear about horde. Mention Call of Duty WaW? Nazi zombies. Now halo has it's own, and it is beautiful. Fuller maps, with each offering their own advantages and disadvantages. The new call-sign features allow for quicker identification, and the new drop-off system (The enemies come in on Phantoms, rather than just spawning) allow, again, for strategy. Ammo shortages are common here, so know your weapons. The skulls always add a bit of flair and make each and every round a new experience. My only complaint? When I play with my Australian friends, the game is pretty laggy.

All the maps:

I wish I had known this going in. Woulda saved me twenty bucks. You know about new maps, right? The new three; awesome. A much called for remake of midship, an open map that will make for interesting swat, and a dock that features dingies and floating crates. Awesome, right?

Halo Reach: Beta trailer:

-Thisis Halo 4. This is the one that's going to blow people away. (For those who know the story, well done. Reach is actually...er, Halo -1? It's a prequel). This is the unsung hero of ODST, as I already can't wait. Remember people buying Crackdown ($60) for Halo 3 alone? This is much the same thing; only you also get the above mentioned features. No brainer, right?

So, overall? If I knew someone who only had 60 to spend, I'd point them in the direction of Oblivion or Fallout or the like. But, for someone who knows they're getting a huge expansion, and loves Halo? This is all but a must have. Just know what you're getting into; it's not a standalone, but it's still pretty awesome.

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First off, that's pronounced Oh-Dee-Ess-Tee, fellow gamers. The game store clerks wish to punch you in the face when you attempt to say a game's acronym as an actual word. Trust me. Anyhow, "Halo 3: ODST" is a separate Haloverse story that strips itself of the series' iconic hero Master Chief. There are no super-powered Spartan cyborgs to pull humanity out of the fire in this one. Just you and your squad of Orbital Drop Shock Troopers standing between the hostile alien alliance known as The Covenant and the death of humanity. No pressure, though. The game was originally formulated as a mere add-on to Halo 3, but eventually grew to full-fledged game status. This has offended a lot of sniveling whiners who ran out and pre-ordered their copies based solely on the typical Halo hype and then sobbed themselves to sleep because they have no concept of story and ran through the game with 3 friends on Easy difficulty and found it too short on action for the money they spent. Real gamers will find that while the price tag may be a bit high if you already paid for all of the downloadable maps and don't gather your friends together regularly to partake in the phenomenally fun "Firefight" mode. But if you plan on enjoying this game to the fullest, you will not be disappointed.

As a single-player game, "ODST" runs a bit short and may be less bang for the buck then one might hope for. However, the manner in which the story is told is absolutely phenomenal. You begin your ill-fated mission hurling towards the Earth (which has just been invaded by Covenant forces) on a special-ops mission. But something goes wrong and your pods are separated and crash in different locations all over the Covenant-occupied African city of New Mombasa. You wake up as a trooper known only as as "the Rookie" many hours after hitting the ground in the dead of night. From there you search the city for clues about the whereabouts of your comrades. Each time you find a clue (such as a fractured helmet or bent sniper rifle) the game flashes back to a different member of the squad and you play out the scenario as that character and witness the events leading up to the object finding it's resting place where it will be discovered hours later by The Rookie. In addition, there is another side story littered throughout the city in the form of 30 audio files that chronicle the adventures of a young girl caught in the middle of the invasion. It's quite enthralling and I found myself looking forward to finding more pieces of that puzzle even more then the main story. "ODST" is a masterpiece of storytelling in that rite and it's why a lot of people won't enjoy it. They prefer to skip past the story segments and run around with their friends teabagging each other along the way. To really experience the game as it's meant to be played, you need to go it alone and absorb the atmosphere,loneliness and ambient noise of the ruined cityscape. Half of this game is enjoying the tension of relying on cover of darkness, using your excellent night-vision visor to it's utmost, hearing the amazing soundtrack, and exploring the city looking for audio files or finding the best ways to get the drop on roving patrols of enemies or the entrenched Covenant forces.

Same old Halo gameplay here. That is to say it's as good as first-person shooters get. But since you are not a Spartan, there are differences. First off, no shield. Your armor can take a few hits before your screen will turn red, indicating that you are fatigued and are taking damage to your health bar. To recover, you must stay out of combat for a time. It's not a lot different from past games, but you can't take quite as much punishment. You also no longer have gravity-defying jumps or one-hit kill melee capabilities, and no more dual-wielding. Don't go jumping off any cliffs either. Wipes your stamina right out. You also get one new Covenant race -whose mystery turns out to be central to the story-, a brand new weapon in the form of a silenced SMG which quickly became a favorite of mine, and the extremely welcome return of zoom capabilities on the pistol. I was hoping for more of a focus on stealth aspects, but Bungie couldn't help but make most of the levels typical shoot-em-ups. This definitely diminishes Master Chief's importance as I felt I kicked as much or more tail as an ODST compared to when I played the penultimate Spartan. But I sure as hell did have a great time doing it. There's also plenty of vehicular mayhem to enjoy. They could have easily recycled the epic score from previous games, but instead they crafted a new one that is as good as any they've done. And that says a lot considering every Halo score is among the greatest in gaming.

Okay, enough about single-player. Games like Gears of War 2 and Left 4 Dead gave us a new mode of gameplay where you are challenged to take on wave after wave of increasingly difficult enemy attacks and survive with a little help from your friends. Not to be outdone, Bungie has crafted their answer in Firefight mode, which can go on for hours at a time if you're good enough. If the campaign wasn't action-packed enough for you, get three buds together and get ready to be dropped in a very defensible position with a set number of lives (more can be gained) to endure endless waves of attack from every baddie in the game. Watch those snipers! The longer you survive, the more difficult the game makes it for you. It will start turning on "skulls" which make the game harder by decreasing ammo drops, empowering enemies, or otherwise making your life harder to keep. This mode is ODST's crown jewel, for sure. They've even added extra kinds of medals for you to earn based on your performance in battle. Firefight is unlimited fun and a FPS fan's co-op wet dream, plain and simple. If that still is not enough, the second disc of the set contains "the complete Halo 3 multi-player experience" which consists of every map ever made for the game and three brand new ones. 24 in all. That is a ton of maps and seeing as they run a few bucks apiece if you download them from Xbox Live that is a large value if you've been holding out. Even if you haven't bought Halo 3, you can join in the fun and madness of murdering complete strangers and then desecrating their corpse while they are forced to watch with all of the extra content using this bonus disc. If you are that guy, then this game is a steal. But I don't know that that guy exists.

Killer story: check. Awesome action: check. Multiplayer badness: check. New additions to the ever-growing Haloverse mythology: check. Incredible soundtrack: check. Yup; this is one fine game. Haters, keep on hating. Bungie gave the hardcore fans a treat with this. I'd have liked to see it priced about $20 cheaper, but I also want my very own Spartan armor and that ain't happening either. The fact is, I'm happy with this game in spite of it's brevity and the fact that I've already purchased most of the maps. If you've no interest in the story and mythology of Halo, I'd suggest you pass on this. The campaign is no challenge with 4 player co-op even on Legendary difficulty and there often are not enough enemies to go around so you will have to look for trouble to find it at times which will enrage many a fratboy. Firefight mode will still be a blast, but one can hardly be expected to shell out $60 for a single gameplay mode. And considering their is no matchmaking on that mode, you can only play it with people on your Friends List which is a pain. ODST isn't perfect, but it's obvious a whole lot of care went into it and it's a great experience all around. Plus, with a dream team cast featuring a Firefly reunion of Nathan Fillion, Alyn Tudyk, and Adam Baldwin plus Battlestar Galactica sex goddess Tricia Helfer and voiceover mainstay Nolan North -who has provided the voice for Deadpool and various other animated comic book characterswho the hell can really complain? It's more Halo, and that's never something to whine about.

4 1/2 stars, rounded up for a new wrinkle in the series.

Honest reviews on Halo 3: ODST - Xbox 360

There are plenty of detailed reviews for this game here already. With that said, I won't breakdown the finer points of the game. I will say that this game is somewhat underrated and quite a gem amongst the other 4 Halo shooters. Those players that enjoy some story and a bit more strategy in their Halo experience will definitely enjoy ODST in my opinion.

I first saw the game in action a few days after release. Someone I know purchases games 1-2 days after they come out. I was not really impressed at the time and had lost interest in Halo since the second game. Didn't even want to play it. Fast forward some years; I enjoyed Halo:Reach. Finding ODST here on Amazon for $14 new -vs$20 used at Gamestop, I decided to give it another chance.

The first 30 minutes of the game were a bit awkward. Playing the campaign on heroic wasn't a problem. Playing and being acquainted with Reach was.

No sprinting

No radar

Can't sneak up on enemies for stealthy melee kills

Patrols?! And they are fairly frequent

Patrols can aggro

Jackels with beam rifles can be head-shot deadly

No shields.

I continued playing however and soon realized how much I was really enjoying such a change in pace.

1) It was critical to "choose" your fights. If you had to fight, you quickly analyzed the threat and prioritized targets.

2) If you do engage some enemies, don't linger in the area too long. Other nearby patrols could be rushing in after hearing the fire fight you just survived.

3) Finding cover and checking your map is a must almost every minute to get the latest intelligence on patrol movement in relation to your position.

4) As you travel through the city, you learn to take note of the environment so you can always engage the enemy on your terms. You also learn areas are never "clear" in ODST.

5) It seems ammunition is a bit scarce as compared to other games. You try to utilize specific weapons for specific enemies rather than just pouring it on and wasting ammo.

6) The visor is a nice feature and the fact that you need to keep it on 80% of the time helps remind you how human your character is.

Gameplay, plot and the story are a unique aspect in ODST. While playing an elite Spartan super soldier is enjoyable, it is refreshing to have another take on the battle against the Covenant.

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A side-story taking place in the Halo universe, "ODST" puts you in the role of the titular Orbital Drop Ship Trooper a regular marine compared to the Master Chief, the series' normal protagonist. Using the basic gameplay and graphics of Halo 3, ODST is neat and different in some ways and disappointingly samey in others.

ODST follows a squad of drop troopers primarily through the eyes of Rookie, a silent protagonist. Rookie proceeds through the abandoned, dead city of New Mombasa looking for records of his teammates, who he was separated from. Finding these records allows you to play a segment as another trooper Buck, the leader, Mickey, the tech specialist, Dutch, the tough guy, or Romeo, the sniper.

Rookie's segments are really freeform and open you explore the city, going through apartments and back alleys and occasionally running into random patrols of Covenant soldiers. The city's AI, the Supervisor, will occasionally try to get your attention by hijacking various city systems signs will change to point you in the right direction, phones will start ringing, ticket machines will start spewing tickets, crosswalks and traffic lights will change, and so on. These directions will lead you to audio diaries clues to a side-story or weapon/ammo caches. All in all, it makes for a really great feel almost to the level of Silent Hill and it's backed up by some of the best music in the series.

The action stages are pretty good, too, but far more traditional. There is some openness in the levels, but for the most part they're similar to normal Halo 3. This is where the main promise of ODST the fact that you're playing as a normal soldier kind of falls flat. You can basically do everything that the Master Chief can do, including but not limited to flipping over cars and punching through tanks. Your health works slightly differently, but it still basically equates to "if you get hit, go duck behind cover until you recover". You can get away with running up to Brutes and punching them in the face until they die. All in all, you basically demonstrate the same level of "super-soldier" that the actual super soldiers have, as opposed to having to rely on your wits and your guns to overcome your weakness.

In addition to the campaign mode, ODST also offers a four-person co-op mode called "Firefight". In this mode, the human players attempt to hold out as long as they can against waves of Covenant troops. Like Gears of War 2's Horde mode, this can be a blast with the right people. To add a bit of difficulty into the mix, each wave of Covenant has a special effect attached to them the ability to dodge grenades, or being more resistant to plasma, and so on. This ensures that the endless waves of Covenant continue to be challenging for as long as you play.

The graphics are similar to Halo 3's, but the urban environment is much more well-designed than those in Halo 3. A lot of care went into designing the city and the various signs and objects scattered around it, and the end result feels pretty natural. The sound is really good, too. The most obvious change, sound-wise, is that an injured ODST will pant and groan realistically instead of offering a single grunt like the Master Chief does. This makes it feel a lot more immersive, and is almost worth the fact that for game reasons you can heal up really easily and dying's not really that big of a deal.

On the whole, I understand why ODST didn't take a more realistic approach, but that doesn't mean it's not disappointing. As a game, ODST is good, but with some eye-rolling flaws that could've been turned into something more meaningful than "another Halo game".

8/10.

PopCap Arcade Vol. 1 (Bejeweled 2, Astro Pop, Feeding Frenzy, Zuma) Reviews

Customer Ratings:

If you price these separately on Xbox Live Marketplace, you'll find that this collection on disc is actually a decent value. And unlike purchasing the digital download equivalents from Xbox Live Marketplace, you will be able to resell this disc later if you no longer want it.

Of the four games, the most entertaining games for me are probably "Feeding Frenzy" and "Zuma". "Feeding Frenzy" is somewhat easy to complete, offering two different modes -a basic 'career' mode and then a 'timed' mode. The controls are decent, requiring twitchy thumb movements because your "fish" never actually stops floating in the play area. "Zuma" is addictive -it gets very fast-paced and hectic and you'll find your heart racing at times just trying to stay ahead of the increasingly challenging levels. The music is extremely entertaining and addictive. "Bejeweled" comes in as my third favorite, and is a very simple game to understand and play. If you've played Hexix HD, and you can find patterns in colors, you can play "Bejeweled". "Astropop" made the least impression on me, and is not the type of game I enjoy playing. It involves building groups of like-colored blocks in order to "pop" them, as they descend from the top of the screen, with the goal to clear the screen. It's not a difficult game, but after a short while I did not find it very entertaining.

What is odd about the collection is the way it runs from the Xbox 360 console. When you insert the disc, the game disc will load, and then deposit you back on the 360's dashboard, in your list of Arcade titles where the games will be listed. When you select a game from the list, the disc spins-up, and the game starts. I probably would have preferred an on-disc menu -in other words, if you start the disc, you can select one of the four games from a "game" menu. The game disc runs/spins the entire time you are playing, so your console ends up being much louder than if you purchased the downloadable content versions from the Marketplace. This is unfortunate since the games are very small in size.

The games include the same achievements that are available in the downloadable versions, so there is a total of 800 achievement points available. The achievements are somewhat challenging, which gives this collection excellent replay value, depending upon how much you like each of the individual titles.

Overall, a good collection for the money, with decent replay value, and potentially good future resale value as well.

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PopCap Aracade Hits Vol. 1 is a collection of games that were playable through Xbox Live. Now, if you missed out on any of these games, now is your chance to play them!

Bejeweled: Probably the best game of the bunch. A modern-like Tetris involving jems instead of blocks, and they don't come free-falling so you have time to make a match. Match three identical jems in a pattern to blast them off the board. There are four different modes to play, and I would recommend first-timers play endless mode to pratice before you start problem solving mode or building a score in the normal mode. This game is truly addictive!

Astro Pop: It's like a classic arcade game, grab blocks and blast them away. For me, I didn't prefer this game much.

Feeding Frenzy: Fun for any age! Eat fish that are smaller than you to grow bigger and advance through the different stages to become top of the food chain. The last floor is the most challenging, and it might drive you nuts after awhile!

Zuma: Problem-solving game. Shoot balls to make a combo and keep the balls from falling into the golden skull. The further you advance in the game, the faster the balls move. You've gotta' be quick fingers to do this game!

Overall: A nice set of arcade games that are hours of non-stop fun! Custom soundtracks are available for all these games if you want to play by your own tunes. Recommended for all ages!

Best Deals for PopCap Arcade Vol. 1 (Bejeweled 2, Astro Pop, Feeding Frenzy, Zuma)

bought this for myself since these are the games I play online. but then my wife took over & I'm even lucky to play it at all. the controls are different from playing on my computer, but with a little time easy to master on my 360. would recommend this game for a good past time.

Honest reviews on PopCap Arcade Vol. 1 (Bejeweled 2, Astro Pop, Feeding Frenzy, Zuma)

I don't play this game much any more, I merely got it because I jumped from lightly using an n64 to an xbox, so not much of a gamer I was nervous about how to handle the controller and work it.. This buy was for all intensive purposes to get acquainted with software... it did the job.. and I have young neighbors who like to come over and beg to play the thing so instead of handing them something like fable (Adult content, lots of reading, of which they are currently learning), this is a great crowd pleaser to them. Hours go by and parents come looking for them, laughing all the way over.

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This game is a great addition to you Xbox 360 library! You'll have fun trying to beat your friend's high scores or even your own!

Discount Xbox 360 Extension Cable Twin Pak

Customer Ratings:

You can't really screw up a cable. As long as you plug it in properly, it'll work. The only problem I did have with them was when I used it during a Rock Band party. I used the extension cord for the microphone and the game did not register my singing notes. However, when I detached the extension cord and just used the regular length cord, it'd worked fine. So for regular controllers/guitars, it's fantastic. For a microphone, will give you problems.

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My wife had gotten me a set of these cables so I could use my Soul Calibur Arcade Stick and wired guitar hero controllers without having to worry about my kids tripping over them.

Worked great the first time or two that I used them. Then after not using them at all for awhile I connected my fighting stick and just got a red flashing indicator light. No matter what I did I could not get the device to be recognized while using these cables!

Might have somethig to do with microsoft updates or whatever, but either way this turned out to be money wasted.

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Simple and work well. I have used these with several different joysticks for fighting games in my theatre as the xbox is set up across the room. No problems, they work as designed

Honest reviews on Xbox 360 Extension Cable Twin Pak

Unless you have a Theater screen these cables just wont do. They make your cables near 15 feet long! They should have simply made 360 controllers with the USB plug BUILT IN. But no they want you to spend the extra money.

New - Xbox 360 Slim (120 GB) Hard Disk Drive HDD for Microsoft Xbox Reviews

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NEXTEK's HDD was the only choice for a less expensive hard drive for the XBox 360 Slim for me. As a PC gamer, and not knowing much about the XBox, I spent hours researching for the best hard drive to get. I took a chance on one with ZERO reviews, and I am happy I did. Took it right from the package, and after a quick inspection, right into the game console. The XBox recognized it immediately and was able to load Battlefield 4 onto my son's XBox 360 Slim with no problems. Western Digital Hard Drive ensures that I will be able to play all the old basic XBox games. Even comes in a XBox 360, labeled "Authentic Product". I was expecting a generic box, so this was a nice surprise.

Word of advice to Amazon, as this came from your warehouse, you just might want to start marking these electronic component packages as "fragile". Nothing like hearing the UPS driver open the door to my front porch and then the THUD! as my hard drive hit the floor. F'n morons.

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Metal Slug Anthology - Nintendo Wii Review

Customer Ratings:

Rather than write a long review about Metal Slug Anthology for the Nintendo Wii. I decided to give a simple pros and cons review. I hope this review is easy for you to read and understand.

Pro.

* 7 Metal Slugs games in one (Metal Slug 1, 2, X, 3, 4, 5, 6).

* Metal Slugs fans finally get a chance to play Metal Slugs 6 (The arcade game was available to play in Japan but not here in the USA).

* 6 unique, odd, and interesting ways to play Metal Slug Anthology for the Nintendo Wii including the uses of the Nintendo GameCube Controller.

* You can play Metal Slug Anthology anytime you want so no more bringing a butt load of quarters to the arcade plus if you prefer a real challenge you can turn off the Unlimited Continue options and go for the Limited Continues option. (Easy-30 Credits, Normal-20 Credits, and finally Hard-10 Credits. Good luck for those who choose hard mode.)

* Rapid Fire Mode-No more button mashing (You can turn this feature off if you like in options menu or the pause menu.)

With all the good things I just wrote about Metal Slug Anthology for the Nintendo Wii now come the bad things.

Con.

* Annoying loading time between levels. (Don't worry the loading time only last for about a few seconds)

* Out of the 6 ways to play Metal Slug Anthology only 3 seem useful. The other 3 seem useless. (Nunchuk mode should be dubbed lazy mode, Tilt Wii Remote mode and Arcade mode are very difficult and almost impossible to play because you have to hold the Wii Remote up or on it side and tilt the Wii Remote Up, Down, Left, and Right.)

* Depending on which way you play Metal Slug Anthology (not counting the GameCube Controller option.) you have to flick the controller to throw grenades. (which can be a pain sometimes)

* Metal Slug Anthology won't support the Wii Classics Controller. (Come on Nintendo and SNK. A game like this has Classics Controller writing all over it.)

* If you are using the Wii Remote or Nunchuk and you have the Rapid Fire Mode on be very careful because if you are in any slug vehicles and you push the jump button while rapid fire mode is on the game will think you activated the metal slug attack thus you lose your slug vehicles easily especially when you are in a tight spot. ( In case if you are wondering the metal slug attack happen when you push the jump & fire button and the same time thus killing any enemies and enemies vehicles along the way.)

Overall I still recommend Metal Slug Anthology to anyone. Especially those who are looking for some good old 2-D shooter games.

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The Metal Slug games are arcade classics. Giving classic shooters such as Contra a run for their money, Metal Slug truly made shooters a completely different experience. These arcade classics are now available in an anthology package. The games include Metal Slug 1-5, Metal Slug X and the never before officially released Metal Slug 6.

When you begin the game you have all the Metal Slug games from the get go. So you don't have to unlock any of the games, they're all right there from the get go. It's fun to play these games for two reasons. One, it's nice to see just how each game changes from one to the next. The series really evolves as time goes on. Also, they're really tough games that even the most experienced of gamers will have trouble with.

Each game has a unique art style going for it. Each level in every game is literally littered with thousands of enemies and troops. You'll be able to get a hold of weapons like a flamethrower or shotgun to thwart your enemies. You'll also be able to throw grenades. The challenge in these games don't let up, though. It's a good thing that you can give yourself infinite continues. You'll certainly need them. The look and feel of these games hasn't really changed much. It's all still there. The blood, the explosions, the tough bosses. They're perfect emulations.

Part of the excitement with the Metal Slug Anthology, specifically for the Wii, is the immense number of control set ups you can have. There's the standard classic set up which involves you holding your wii remote horizontally (as if you were playing Excitetruck or a Classic NES title from the virtual console) and mowing through your enemies in a classic fashion. You'll flick the remote to use grenades. Another style involves you using the wii remote as a joystick. Another is the basic nunchuck for movement/wii remote to activate actions. There's even a control mode for you to use just the nunchuck. Another control mode involves you tilting your remote to do certain actions. Finally, the Gamecube controller itself can be used to play these games.

All these control set ups seem fantastic, but only two of them are really all that comforting. The wii remote being used like an NES controller and the Gamecube controller setup. Other than that, most of these controls mode are a pain. Also, it's a shame that the classic controller isn't one of the controller setups at all. Metal Slug Anthology is a classic game, yet it doesn't utilize the classic controller at all.

The extras are even more mundane. As you complete games you'll unlock some neat artwork for the art gallery, and some interviews but that's about it. Nothing really outside of that. The interviews aren't spectacular at all. No audio or video to speak of. Just text on your screen for you to read. While the art is nice, it seemed that far more extras could've been included.

To give credit to the Metal Slug Anthology, however, you are getting seven games for a relatively cheap price. To make it even more worthwhile all seven games are actually good, unlike some anthologies where there's usually one black sheep. In the Metal Slug Anthology there is no "blacksheep" in the flock, they're all marvelous games. It's just sad that there weren't enough extras to be included here, and that the majority of the six control schemes are just worthless.

They're fantastic games, but they could've done more with the package.

The Good

+For seven games, the price tag is just right

+All seven games are good games

+Intense, fast, and exhilarating gameplay

+Quite a challenge

The Bad

-What extras there are lack; there could've been more extras

-Of the six control schemes, only two of them seem particularly useful

-Of the six control schemes, the classic controller isn't one of them

Best Deals for Metal Slug Anthology - Nintendo Wii

Metal Slug Anthology provides Metal Slugs 1, 2, X, 3, 4, 5 and 6 all in one package. There are a few extras as well, including artwork and text interviews.

This includes every Metal Slug game made, and includes the brand new, never seen Metal Slug 6. In Metal Slug 6, the enemies of the old games join forces with you against a new, nasty enemy. You also get new characters the Ikari Warriors Clark and Ralf from the Kingdom Fighter game.

There are varying levels of difficulty, and also a variety of controller setups to choose from. For example, in one mode you hold the Wii controller sideways, use the buttons to move and fire, but have to actually make a throwing motion with your hand to launch a grenade. Be sure to experiment with all of the different controller styles for a little while to figure out which one best suits your style. It's going to be an adjustment no matter which one you go with, compared with the old style standard controller with lots of button pressing. Yes, it'll be annoying at first. Just tough it out through that period and soon it'll start to seem second nature to do the movements.

The graphics are typical Metal Slug, which means they're not incredibly detailed close-ups of human style faces they are just flying bullets, scrolling landscapes and lots of explosions. Really, you don't play Metal Slug to ogle at finely detailed castles and flowing capes. You play it to blast away thousands of bullets at a never ending stream of enemies, alone or with a friend. These are the types of games where you have a buddy over for the afternoon, sit down for a few hours with a bowl of popcorn and rip through an entire game for fun. It's mindless, it's relaxing, and it's satisfying to win the game.

If you're a fan of the previous games, it's of course great fun to play Metal Slug 6, with its all new enemies, storyline, and levels. If you've memorized all the previous games and levels, this gives you a new challenge to take on. If you've not played the others before, you can catch up on the entire franchise all on one game disc. It's pretty amazing that you can get seven full different games on one disc, for one price.

There's still no speech, but they do provide cut scenes to give you a sense of the story that is unfolding. Easy mode gives unlimited machine gun fire but not as many reward tokens graduate up to harder mode to get the standard pistol fire as your default and to unlock secrets more quickly.

It's a little frustrating when you take on the enemies, because they do not flash to show you if you're hitting an area that can actually take damage. Still, that's a minor complaint in a game this fun. Highly recommended for old school side scrolling fans!

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The Metal Slug arcade machines are notorious for being unbelievably hard. It's not uncommon to find yourself feeding well over $10 into a machine just to finish the game. Multiply that by 7 and you might come close to even $100 if you are playing with a partner.

Instead, invest your dough in the Metal Slug Anthology. The games are perfect arcade emulations and you get infinite continues. They are still very, very hard and you'll never finish a single level with all of your stats intact, but it's a fun ride nonetheless. Some of the games can be a bit samey and you'll finish them all in about an hour. But for chaotic, button-bashing mayhem with loads of explosions and firepower, you can't go wrong with Metal Slug.

Graphics A

Sound B

Gameplay B

Lasting Appeal B-

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Classic games and motion control do not mix.

I bought the Wii version of the MSA as it was cheaper than the PS2 version. I figured since there was a GC controller option, I could hook up my PS2 controller via my controller adapter. I was disappointed to find out the D-Pad does not work. And it wasn't because the adapter isn't compatible since I also tried hooking up a GC controller and using the D-Pad on that, and it turns out that the D-Pad is just not activated in GC controller mode. So the only way to play with a D-Pad is with the Wiimote, which would've been fine, except you have to shake it to throw a grenade. They didn't even give the option for the classic controller. I like using motion controls on Wii games meant for motion control. I like thumbsticks for 3D games. For classic 2D gaming, however, I prefer to keep the controls classic; with good ol'-fashioned D-Pad and buttons.

I highly recommend Metal Slug Anthology; just not on the Wii.

Cheap Karaoke Revolution Glee: Volume 2 Bundle - Nintendo Wii

Customer Ratings:
List Price: $39.99
Sale Price: $26.00
Today's Bonus: 35% Off

Just got the Glee Karaoke 2 bundle, and it's SO MUCH FUN. I have volume 1, and it's great, but vol. 2 has much better songs (even though #2 only has 20 songs and #1 has almost 30).

More features have been added to the game, including a "versus" setting, where you can compete against each other, as well as new audio features and voice applications. While it's essentially the same format as Glee vol. 1, it's more refined.

HOWEVER. As you may have read from other reviews: two songs are missing--"Ice Ice Baby" and "Pink Houses." For God knows what reason, you have to unlock these songs. Luckily, a little Google magic helped me find the codes:

Unlock code for "Pink Houses": DD6C62

Unlock code for "Ice Ice Baby": A64112

Hope that helps!

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I liked the game but wheres all the Madonna songs and the journey songs ?

and I would of liked it to be like "rockband" where there is "NO Vocal" mode so you can hear YOURSELF SING no try and hear yourself with one of the glee kids.

its so dissapointing. maybe Konami will listen and make the next one with a Auto Tune and "Turn OFF The Vocals Mode" for Us GLEEKS!

i dont understand why they didnt imlement that in the first game, who wants to try and hear themself sing to Merecedes ,Finn, Kurt and Rachel? It would be nice if you could TURN IT OFF!!

grrr

Best Deals for Karaoke Revolution Glee: Volume 2 Bundle - Nintendo Wii

SO disappointed by this. Terrible selection of songs. There are 20 songs listed on the box 12 of them are male tunes. Now don't get me wrong, some are good songs. For example, I love "Lady Is A Tramp", but it's too low in Puck's octave, and it's too high to take it up to the next octave. Call me crazy...I doubt most of the people buying this game are tenors and basses. Where's the Madonna songs, or the Journey songs from the finale? Why are there rap songs included? Does anybody really want to do rap-karaoke? What's the point?

There's also the MAJOR PROBLEM that two of the songs listed on the box (Pink Houses & Ice Ice Baby) AREN'T EVEN IN THE GAME! There are only 18 songs to sing.

Song list:

Bad Romance

Beautiful

Beth

Boy Is Mine

Dream a Little Dream of Me

Dream On

Gives You Hell

Good Vibrations

Hello, I Love You

House Is Not A Home

Ice Ice Baby**

Jessie's Girl

Lady Is A Tramp

Like A Virgin

Over The Rainbow

Pink Houses**

Shout It Out Loud

To Sir, With Love

Total Eclipse of the Heart

U Can't Touch This

Maybe I got a defective copy or something...I'll have to watch the reviews as they come in.

Honest reviews on Karaoke Revolution Glee: Volume 2 Bundle - Nintendo Wii

The volume bundle was as we expected and the kids love it. Friends come over for karaoke night on a regular basis.

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total hit at christmas with grandchild number 3, singing up a storm, couldn't be happier, would recommend to everyone..she was thrilled.

Best Sega Classics Collection - PlayStation 2 Deals

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At first glance, this Sega Classics Collection appears to be a great buy for it's price. The packaging states that classic Sega games from yesteryear such as Golden Axe, Alien Syndrome, Space Harrier, Outrun, Columns, Fantasy Zone, Virtua Racing, Monaco GP, Tant R, and Bonanza Bros are here, but these games hardly resemble the classic favorites from Sega's heydays. Maybe that's because the games are supposedly "remastered" with different graphics, sound, and music; and none of it is for the better at all. The graphics on all of the games look like polygonal messes, the music is atrocious, there's way too many load screens, and plenty of more gripes that are too many to mention here. Space Harrier isn't challenging here, Golden Axe is annoying with some just plain bad hit detection, and the racing games are almost uncontrolable. If you have fond memories of the aforementioned games, avoid this at all costs, and others who may be looking to pick this up, be warned: these are not the classic games the way you remember them. Sega usually has a good history track with classic game compilations (the various Smash Pack volumes for example), and why they would try something like this now is just mind boggling. Avoid at all costs.

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Yes, unlike similar compilations by Midway, Taito, etc, most of these games are remakes, and a bit challenging (I couldn't get used to the "new" Golden Axe, for starters). However, both Virtua Racing and OutRun seem to have made it relatively unchanged (though there must have been licensing issues over OR, since the familiar Ferrari has been replaced by a larger car that looks out of place, IMO), as did Space Harrier, so that's a redeeming factor. My take? If you like the new and different, it's worth picking up, but if you're looking for actual arcade ports, better try some other compilation.

Best Deals for Sega Classics Collection - PlayStation 2

These games are REMAKES of arcade games. The remakes are WORSE than the original, especially Golden Axe! The only decent game is Space Harrier and Out Run.

Overall DON'T buy this game. I recommend Capcom Classics Collection, Midway Arcade Treasures 1, then Namco 50th Anniversary Collection.

Dear SEGA: Why not make a collection of true original Sega arcade hits. Game like Altered Beast, Shinobi, After Burner, Metal Slug, Zaxxon, Frogger, Choplifter, Planet Harrier, Golden Axe, etc.... Alex the Kidd, Phantasy Stars from Sega consoles. The fun brawler similar to Kung-Fu Master from the Sega Master System.

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With the exception of Virtua Racing and Columns, these are all "remastered" editions of the listed Sega arcade classics. I'm giving 3 stars because I absolutley love Virtua Racing; it was the only reason for me to purchase this collection.

V.R. is nearly a perfect translation. In fact, they have gone a step further by incorporating some anti-aliasing and realtime lighting...the result is astonishing (be sure to check out the photos I uploaded!). The only downfall is that the controls are a little touchy and the driver animation is inaccurate while playing in first person mode (the on-screen steering wheel barely turns at full steer). Otherwise, this is very close to the original arcade, Yu Suzuki classic.

If you're not into V.R. however, pass this up. Hopefully Sega will soon wise up and "open their vault" of arcade classics. It amazes me that they have not done so in light of the success of classic compilations from Midway, Capcom, etc.

Come on, Sega!

Edit 03/04/2008: I decided to give Alien Syndrome another try since I had a second player to play it with. This game is considerably more fun to play with a second player than playing alone. The controls are very similar to Smash TV and Robotron; both analog sticks are utilized. My only complaint is that you can only shoot in eight directions despite using the analog stick. This collection is now a good buy at under $10.00 along with both Alien Syndrome and Virtua Racing.

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I had the urge to play some classic games and purchased this thinking that it would be a collection of original arcade classics, however on playing the games on the disc, they are remastered versions of the originals. Some are good remakes, outrun being particularly impressive but far too east. Space Harrier also has done well from the face lift and Alien Syndrome. However the others are not great by any means i have to agree with one reviewer that Golden Axe is Awful! Bonanza Brothers is ok. The only real original looking and feeling game was the VR racing which bought back some childhood memories. This collection is not that bad and at $20 it isnt ripping you off..but you can go to target and they are selling them for $9.99, at that price it qould be a bargin.

Look at other classic hit titles before buying this one!

Best Skinit San Francisco 49ers Microsoft Xbox 360 Wireless Controller Deals

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This is a cool little product for your favorite sports team...or maybe the one of your other half. ;-) While the decal is well sized and properly aligned for the holes it buckles a little bit around the edges where there are some arches of the remote. Other than that the actual product is pretty neat.

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Discount Power Rangers Dino Thunder - Gamecube

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My son, 4 years old, loves this game. It is very easy for him to play. A power ranger tells you what your objectives are and basically leads you to them. I don't believe this is a game for 7 year olds and up. It's to easy. My son loves being one of the dino thunder characters and is able to shoot enemies without any violence (i.e. blood gore, adult language, etc.)

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My 10 year old finished this game in under six hours (including many of the bonus levels). That's 6 hours.

Visually OK, the graphics are nothing special and glitchy in one or two places.

Thst said, the kids (5+10) certainly enjoyed it but I'd suggest anyone with children older than 8 get something else. Children love to finish games off but I don't think it indicates good value for money.

Best Deals for Power Rangers Dino Thunder - Gamecube

As a seventeen year old girl one wouldn't expect me to love a game designed for boys but I really did. I won't say it was extremely challenging, as it was designed for little kids, but it was very fun for a hardcore Power Ranger fan like myself. The voices were some what annoying. I was able to get over the voices for Conner and Ethan but Kira was far to valley girl and Tommy's voice was terrible. I'd recommend this game for any PR fan or anyone just looking for a nice little game.

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This is a very easy game and kids under 6 will learn a lot about control and following instructions but that is it. It is a good game for kids under 6 to learn the basics of how to control characters, etc but nothing beyond that. So as a starter game buy it. For someone who knows games wellpass on it.

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bought this for my grandson andhe plays it over and over,the item arrived fast and in great shape...as quicker arriving then i thought it ould be

Buy Kinectimals

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List Price: $19.99
Sale Price: $10.99
Today's Bonus: 45% Off

Kinectimals is structured and directed more to a younger audience. My 5 year old daughter is addicted! The game is however quite inviting to the older generation, especially when I see how much my kid was enjoying her new pet!

Kinectimals isn't too advance in the form of a Sims game, but you do get to teach your pet several tricks (i believe there is like 10). You teach your pet to do tricks by performing them yourself, and after he/she has learned the trick you can either perform the trick so your kinectimals will mimic you or you can just give voice commands. Also, you have to show your pet love--to do this you will take care of it by petting it, congratulating it, brushing it, playing fetch or with other toys, buying accessories for it, and more! All these actions help build up a type of discovery meter, the more you do with your pet the more the discovery meter builds up and in turn the more of the map/island you discover. The more you discover, the more you unlock!

There isn't much of an actual storyline, except for the introduction you get on how everything came about and how the previous pet owner (some pirate/captain) left many years ago. Overall, your main objective is to eventually discover the whole island and defeat mini games on the way. You can also, use a magnifying glass to scope out your surroundings in the meantime to look for buried hidden treasures.

The mini games are creative and fun but a little bit repetitive. They utilize the same games but dress them up differently so they appear different. "Bumble" the guide of the game, a half bee/half mouse looking animal, flies around talking and sometimes I found to be quite annoying. There is a marketplace within furr town which you can purchase items from all the discovery points you receive. The items sold there can be used to decorate the interior of your home, accessorize your pet, etc etc etc.

My daughter and I are still discovering the island and the game for now, but I will post more as more comes. I believe this is a great game and great buy if you have a child in the age range of 5 15. But, if you are just an adult looking for a Kinect game for yourself, you will find yourself bored with the title quicker then a child would be. I only played a few times, and don't care to play to much more except for letting my daughter play.

*For people who are wondering if you can buy the plush animals and use them over multiple gamertags--well you can! The scan card on the plush animal isn't unique in any way and can be scanned multiple times to any gamertag.

**For people who have pre-order bonus codes for exclusive animals (i.e. the gamestop exclusive red-n-black tiger), after redeeming the code and downloading the content, the game will not let you choose the red-n-black tiger from the start. You must pick any animal, and after you leave the bonding circle to head towards your home...a pop up message will show up in the top left corner of your screen alerting you of a new friend in furr town. That will be your red-n-black tiger.

***For achievement hunters, the achievements on this game are extremely easy to get because this game wasn't made very challenging at all.

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I was astounded when Gametrailers gave this game an 8.5 rating and immediately had to pick it up for myself and my son. He is in love with this game and cannot stop talking about his pet Bengal tiger cub in which he affectionately named Patrick. Yes, he watches too much Spongebob.

The visuals are breath-taking; I didn't expect the game to look this polished as a launch title. The gameplay is fun; you go around learning and teaching your pet new tricks while playing mini-games and unlocking new sections of your island. It has some mystery involved, but nothing too advanced that my son can't handle.

I highly recommend this game to ANYONE with children, it's a must have.

Best Deals for Kinectimals

Most video games seem to be made for older kids, but not Kinectimals. My daughter and her friends absolutely love playing this game. In fact I have to ration their playing time because they could play for hours if I let them. The interaction is great and the interface is easy to learn, even for little kids. Definitely glad I decided to purchase this game what surprised me is that I also found it fun to play with my daughter.

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OkayI am a 29 year old male, and I have no childrenyet I still played through this game. Why?because out of the many Kinect games I had the opportunity to try (I work in the game industry, and have the chance to play a lot of games), this stood out as something creative and appealing in a new way. Sure, virtual pet games are nothing new, but in the case of Kinectimals, the body motion driven interaction really adds something to the concept. Also, the execution and presentation of this game are very nice. I was honestly just refreshed to see a game that was clearly designed for kids, but wasn't rushed or lazy feeling. Oftentimes, games for children tend to be pretty... meh... like, the reasoning is that kids won't know any better; they won't realize that the graphics are mediocre or that the design is bad. But here, you have something that was approached with far more care, and even adults will enjoy it.

The game structure is very simple, and quite forgiving if you only want to 'finish' the story; the only real challenge lies in obtaining a few of the gold medals in the various contests.

Overall, this is a great game for families and kids. It is engaging, entertaining, appealing to look at and listen to, and manages to be fun yet non-violent/aggressive (which is pretty hard to do in game design).

If the idea of this looks good to you already, don't worrygo ahead and pick it up, it is very well done.

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If you have a little boy or girl, you can't go wrong with this game. It's probably the best Kinect game next to Dance Central. The game is easy for anyone to jump into. My 7yo learned everything it had to offer in about an hours time. She has never been so addicted to a game before. It gets them off the couch, and is a very active game. Lots of kicking, rolling, running and jumping. Considering it's a launch game, I was very impressed how in depth and how much the player was able to do. Besides the kinect motions itself, what really impressed me was how great this game looks. It's obviously the best looking pet game in existence and kids will fall in love with these furry funny felines as soon as the game starts. It's a good mesh of taking care of your pet and setting off a big adventure with your pet on this tropical island. I myself find myself playing it a little bit and I was amazed how much I enjoyed it.

The only down side with the game is that the controls can be frustrating for little ones and patience is the key. The kicking of the ball and throwing balls and toys at targets can be challenging. But it takes some patience and adjusting to the controls to get it down. The game also has voice recognition for your pet and sometimes it doesn't seem to always respond to your orders or tricks when called out. But overall, it seemed pretty consistent.

This is a must have game if you have the Kinect, and if you have children, it's a no brainer. Just make sure your kids do their homework before they play this one, because they won't want to quit!

Buy Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine

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List Price: $39.99
Sale Price: $20.77
Today's Bonus: 48% Off

Space Marine's campaign is quite literally the most fun I've ever had playing through a single player campaign. From what I understand, the game underwent quite a lengthy overhaul in the design phase, probably aiming to sufficiently distinguish the game play from Gears of War.

In that regard, they absolutely succeeded. A better game to compare Space Marine to would be Ninja Gaiden. While there is no "snap-cover" mechanic like in Gears of War, there *are* absolutely mind-boggling numbers of enemies throwing themselves at you pretty much all of the time. In that respect, I couldn't help but recall the frenetic against-all-odds feeling of Ninja Gaiden. In that game, you are supposed to prevail because, hey, you're a @#$ing NINJA. In Space Marine, you are supposed to prevail because, hey, you're a @#$ing SPACE MARINE.

Like Ninja Gaiden, you have a variety of close combat weapons (though not the same breadth) each with their strengths and weaknesses. However, in addition to the "hundreds versus one" in close combat, Relic has managed to incorporate the most fluid ranged combat/close combat system I have ever used. You can literally snipe an enemy on the high ground one second, and then spin around and decapitate another enemy with your bare hands, and you don't even think about the control scheme at all!

The campaign could have easily gotten repetitive, considering that your main staple weapons only gradually expand in variety, but intelligent level design consistently creates new puzzles for you to solve, by having you fight in a variety of terrain heights, against different mixes of ranged, close combat, and heavy hitting opponents. I found that on the "hard" difficulty setting, I literally needed to rely on every aspect of my arsenal to survive. That often meant anticipating a charging crowd with some well placed grenades to soften up the ranks, then using my range weapons to take down some high priority threats, and finally crashing into the wave of enemies to slash and dismember anyone who survived my opening salvos. I can't think of a more cinematic, and pulse racing game in recent memory. There are several set-pieces like action sequences out of the movies that just feel unbelievably epic, but I won't ruin them for you. All I'll say is that clearly this campaign was designed with a lot of careful planning and inspiration.

The multi-player is also worthy, and rewards strategy and practice. It copies the customizable weapon loadouts you find in the Call of Duty series, while also incorporating the different weapon classes found in Warhammer 40k (Tactical, Devastator, and Assault). As you play more and improve, you unlock more weapons and armor options, which can greatly increase your lethality. They were smart to include a feature where you can copy the loadout of the last person who killed you, however, so if you find yourself fighting someone who has hopelessly more toys to fire at you, you can level the playing field.

I've been playing Halo Reach for a whole year, and at first the Space Marine multiplayer experience was jarring to get used to, since it feels so different. After playing for a few hours, however, I had become sufficiently acclimated to the pace of Space Marine multiplayer, and it was incredibly satisfying. You will spend far more time practicing how to be effective with a broad range of tactics than you will in Reach, because the permutations and perks you can customize can really necessitate that you alter your tactics.

I have a few minor gripes as well. In multi-player, the teams are divided between Space Marine loyalists, and Chaos Marines (instead of say, Red VS Blue). You get to customize an armor set for both (sort of like how you customize both Spartans and Elites in Halo Reach), but you don't get to choose which armor set you use in a match. Personally, I'm all about playing as the Blood Angels chapter, but sometimes it feels like 4 out of 5 games I'm arbitrarily assigned to the Chaos team, which is a drag. This has no effect on game play, but it still bugs me. I can understand that if the designers let us choose, perhaps there would be too many Chaos players, or too few, but it seems like they could have at least included a "preference" option, so that wherever possible you are assigned the faction you identify best with.

I also think that some more multi-player features wouldn't hurt. Right now it's basically "king of the hill" or team deathmatch, which is fine, but we have all been spoiled by the variety of game modes in other shooters. Of course, there's no reason why these things might not be added on in future patches. I know for a fact that they are going to be adding a free multiplayer "survival" mode where you can just kill waves of orks with a friend on the same console. Hopefully they will continue to support and expand on the game, because they really made a winner!

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I have to preface by saying that I am a huge Warhammer 40,000 fan, and, as such, have waited not a little impatiently through its development. I was not dissapointed. This game is beautiful, absolutely stunning. The world is epic is scale, dark, and detailed. The soundtrack is deep and suspenseful. Please don't believe those that say this game is a button mashing repeat-fest. I assure you it is not. The combat can get a bit repetitive after hours of game play. It can also be mundane if you simply wade into enemies and swing your chainsword. However, that is a crappy (and difficult) way to play the game. Using the different weapons to strategically take out important targets and tackle different situations can have devastating results on your enemy. Further, the levels are constantly changing, as are the configurations of enemy parties, and even the enemies themselves. The game is actually extremely fun.

Some have said that is plays a little like Gears of War. I would say that it "plays" very little like gears of war. This game includes much more melee and a unique health system. The game's weapons are also not really like Gears. Finally, the cover system, something absolutely integral to the Gears experience, is completely missing. That said, the game does, in many ways, "look" like Gears. Some reviewers claim that the hulking Space Marines look like Cogs, the looming stone architecture looks like Jacinto, and the Adeptus Mechanicus insignia and its focus on gears and mechanical insignia are all too familiar. How dare they copy these things from Gears of War, right? Well, wrong. For anyone that has almost any experience with the Warhammer 40K universe, playing this game is like stepping into a perfect embodiment of a fictional universe that has been around for decades. The fact is that Space Marines do wear hulking armor (or "armour" if I was to be true to the genre), the gothic architecture is key to the ships and buildings of the Imperium of Man, and the Adeptius Mechanicus is embodied by cast iron and mechanical workings. This game looks great and is true to its roots, so don't feel upset by its few but noticeable similarities to Gears of War.

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To Start off I will say that I know there will be 200 people on here posting reviews that this is a Gears of War clone. Space Marine plays similar to Gears but with some BIG differences. Number one the Lore and History of the Warhammer 40k universe is huge and it has also been around for around 30 years so it already has a pretty sweet backstory. Secondly the whole cover system is gone which personally to me is a great edition because it seems like in all shooters you do the same thing. Step one: move into room Step two: take cover behind something Step three: kill everything Step four: go back to step one. Space marine has you hold the line until your enemies are all over you then pull out your power sword and go to work melee style. The Story seems more interesting to someone who enjoyed Dawn of War or someone who enjoys the books. If your not familiar with 40k the story will probaby be really boring and it uses terms only fans would recognize such as Astartes, Adeptus and Xenos. All in all I think this game is great, mainly because i'm a really big fan. My advice to non-fans is to go play Dawn of War 2 or read the ultra-marines books and then come back to this. The game will be a lot more fun.

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I got this game at the midnight premiere, and boy it is quite an experience. First thing you will notice is that it is one of the most visually captivating games you will play. The characters and enviroments have a great amount of detail that truely is game art at it's finest. The story is very interesting with a right amount of mystery, suspense, and action. The online playing is fun, with a good amount of in depth customization of your character. Online play does have a level-up system, letting you unlock stuff with every level. No matter what side you play on, he may be any color or design you would like. To be completely fair, there are some things that did dissapoint me. First off is that the story is kind of short, in the sense I beat it on normal mode in about 2 days. There is only two modes of online multiplyer which are Anialation (Team Deathmatch) and Sieze Ground (Capture The Command Posts). Those two things there are what is holding me from giving it 5 stars. Gameplay is very fun, making you have to balance between melee combat and ranged combat, and the same carrys over for online play. This is a good buy for anyone who enjoys shooters, classic fantasy lore, sci-fi space battles, or any combination of the three. I really hope they make a sequel.

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What is WARHAMMER 40K? I knew next to nothing about this campaign setting going into W4K: SPACE MARINE, but now I have a bit of an idea. It's a setting in which the galaxy is in a constant state of war, where entire worlds are hollowed out to fuel a galactic war machine, and space marines fight on the same battlefield as sorcerers and orcs. (Orks, that is.) It's a setting that you get by taking a gritty, war-bound, Tolkien-esque universe and throwing it thousands of years into the future 40,000 years to be exact. I wasn't a fan of WARHAMMER 40K before SPACE MARINE, but I think I'd like to be one now.

The story of SPACE MARINE picks up nine days after the invasion of a Terran "Forge World" by a massive Ork army. They've since taken control of the planet's orbital defense cannons, effectively keeping the human fleets at bay. So it's up to Captain Titus and a group of Ultramarines (one of many groups in the Space Marine Legion) to disrupt the invasion and keep the Orks from obtaining crucial military weaponry that could turn the tide of the war. This begins only after the player character, Titus, single-handedly takes down an Ork attack ship, just so you get the idea that space marines are NOT your average soldier; they're practically walking tanks.

After that amazing opening (and it really is amazing) you progress toward your objective at the whim of circumstance and Ork counterattacks, and you get a feel for the gameplay going forward. This is where I'm going to have to stress that opinions in this regard will vary. The gameplay of SPACE MARINE feels very much like a cross between GEARS OF WAR and DYNASTY WARRIORS, in that you're either running and gunning, or hacking through waves of Orks with whichever melee weapon suits you.

Playing through SPACE MARINE is not a very deep experience. There's no cover system ("Cover is for the Weak"), no way to get the drop on your enemies or flank them, and while there is a sufficient amount of weapons, managing them can become a pain. So you're left sorta blasting or hacking your way through a thousand enemies across very linear levels. This means that unless you'd like to play through the story again, there's not that much of a reason to return to the campaign. The variety just isn't there, and neither is story mode co-op in any form.

So... why the four stars? While it's unfortunate that the gameplay doesn't bring anything new or exciting to the table, it's the story, level design, atmosphere, and fierce commitment to the WARHAMMER 40K setting that elevate SPACE MARINE well above its faults. The campaign is simply an exciting thing to play through. Whether you're bringing down an Ork attack ship, defending a squadron of Imperial Valkyries (from Orks riding rockets), or clearing your way to a factory so huge that it practically takes up one of the planet's hemispheres SPACE MARINE always found a new way to keep me engaged. Sometimes I kept on playing just to check out more of the Forge World, since each level is typically gigantic in scale with lots to see.

The multiplayer is also an added bonus, though it lacks an abundance of game modes. The game also requires a product code of some kind that comes with new copies of the game, so if you're thinking of buying the game used, you'll only be able to progress five levels in multiplayer without paying a bit more.

SPACE MARINE succeeds in delivering what it set out to do. The campaign is exhilarating and, at times, awe-inspiring, thanks to the scale and masterful level design. It's a shame that all the work that went into the design, writing, and lore didn't transfer well to the gameplay, though it works well enough to get you through to the ending. I think with a few more twists on the gameplay, a deeper focus on the story than destroying a thousand Orks, and maybe even an RPG element (since we're working with an RPG property and all), W40K: SPACE MARINE could've been a game to compete with GEARS OF WAR. But as it stands, this is a game where you can see the developers' enthusiasm for the W40K property throughout.

While a fine game in its own right, it's also a great steppingstone into the WARHAMMER 40K universe for the uninitiated. Now I have to figure out what all the fuss about this Eisenhorn fellow is about.

Mario Party 8 Review

Customer Ratings:

My 6-year-old daughter wanted this game and saved her allowance and birthday money to buy it. She and I have had the best time playing this. I am not an avid gamer so it is just the right speed for she and I. There are some games that are so funny that she is laughing so hard while playing. She asks me all day long if I will play MP8 with her. My 11-year-old will butt in and play with us as well.

We've only had it about a week and have opened up about 98% of the mini games but are still having a blast with it.

I've seen some complaints about the computer always rolling 10s and getting the good prizes and squares but I have not noticed this. I find the game play to be pretty competitive. We have beat the computer characters many times and there have been times where it is neck in neck and pretty exciting right to the very end.

I've even played this by myself while the kids were at school one day! Loads of fun.

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Ever since Mario Party debuted on the Nintendo 64, we've been receiving a new game in the series on a yearly basis. The last few Mario Party games have all been tiring. Almost rehashes. However, with the Wii, Mario Party has a chance to be a lot of fun again thanks to the Wii-Remote. Unfortunately, it isn't all its cracked up to be. The Wii-Remote controls work, but they feel like a last minute tack on, and ultimately some of the mini-games just aren't all that fun. Finally, there are other video games chock full of mini-games that make much better use of the Wii-Remote than Mario Party 8.

The formula for Mario Party really hasn't changed at all over the years. You and your friends (or the computer) will roll the die, move around the board at the end of each round of rolls you'll be thrown into a mini-game.

The mini-games are pretty short. Most of them being around 30 seconds long. Some of them are quite fun and make good use of the wii remote, such as the game where you have to shake up a soda can, or wipe off the chomp. However, there are not a lot of these kinds of mini-games. Most other mini-games don't make as big of an impression with the wii-remote, as most of them consist of you holding the wii remote like a basic gamepad and then tilting it left or right. Take for example, the game where you race on water skis. You don't actually do anything outside of tilting the wii remote left and right to jump ramps. It is in moments like these where the wii remote controls just feel tacked on. And unfortunately, this comes up in quite a few mini games. There are also a lot of mini games that simply have you tilting the Wii-Remote forward and backward. Again, the controls feel tacked on in instances like this.

The biggest slap in the face, however, is that there are a myriad of mini-games that don't use the wii-remotes motion sensor controls at all and you'll hold it like a gamepad, and play with it like it's a gamepad using the D-Pad to move your character and all. It's also to no credit that these games aren't really all that fun.

To the game's credit, though, when they do make good use of the wii-remote and its motion sensor controls, they really do a bang up job. Such as the mini-game where everyone shoots at the screen while one person dodges. It's just unfortunate that there aren't a lot of mini-games that do so, and instead make you either play the traditional way or just simply tilt the wii remote. There are some fun games here, but the game is populated by more games that really aren't a lot of fun.

As usual, Mario Party games are no fun by yourself. They need to be played with friends and family. Like previous installments, multi-player can be a lot of fun--provided you get a good mini-game. Some of the games are free-for-all but there are also some games where you'll be by yourself against three players, or working together with one other player. Mostly, though, they're free for alls, and playing with a friend is nice just so that you can see who's better. Multi-player has always been a strong aspect of Mario Party and it's no different in number 8. However, much like previous installments, the game is entirely left up to chance. One moment you're in first place, and after the very next roll you're in last. It's annoying sometimes because you really don't have any control. It's all a game based on luck. This is both a good and bad thing. Good because it makes the outcome unpredictable, and once more anyone can play this without any prior experience. It's bad, however, because for some who like to add a little strategy to their gaming, you just can't do it here.

Perhaps the biggest problem facing Mario Party 8 is that it doesn't really present a whole lot of new stuff that wasn't in Mario Party 7. With the game making use of the Wii-Remote, one would expect the experience to be quite different. Instead it's more of the same thing. Especially because there are other games on the Wii that are filled with mini-games that make far better use of the remote (Rayman Raving Rabbids comes to mind). In Mario Party 8 the wii remote controls either feel tacked on or you don't really use them. It's also hard to get past the fact that the mini-games aren't very inventive because of this. Certainly water-skiing is fun, but when you're just tilting left and right throughout the whole thing? You might as well have just put this on the Gamecube and let me tilt the analog stick left and right.

Graphically, it's no surprise that Mario Party 8 isn't the best looking game out there. Mario Party games usually aren't. At least it runs smoothly. There's no slow down or frame rate issues. It really doesn't look any different than any of the Mario Party games on the Gamecube however, and those who have a widescreen television will be disappointed to know that the game won't take up the whole screen, and instead will give you a boarder. Luckily, graphics don't make the game. Mario Party doesn't look bad, it just looks dated.

Mario Party 8 had so much potential. If they'd done more intuitive things with the Wii Remote, this may have been worth a buy. There are other mini-game collections out there that utilize the wii remote much better than this. There will be plenty of gamers out there that will be able to get past the big flaws and just have fun with it, but if you're one who's been playing Mario Party since the beginning, you can't help but admit a change is in order. Unfortunately Mario Party 8 doesn't do much for you.

Pros:

+When the Wii Controls are good, the games are actually quite fun

+Simplistic gameplay; anyone could pick this up and play it with no problems

+There are over 60 mini-games to play

Cons:

-There are far too many mini-games where the wii controls feel tacked on, and these games are pretty boring to play

-There are far too many mini-games that don't make use of the motion sensor controls at all

-There are not a lot of very inventive mini-games

-In short, the game doesn't do much to stand out above previous Mario Party installments. You'd think with the Wii Remote, Mario Party 8 would be something new to experience, but instead it ends up not being that much of a step higher than Mario Party 7

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This past year, the Nintendo Wii has really delivered in making a promise of delivering gameplay that is fun and addictive as the game system delivered. That has been the case with great games that really showed it like Excite Truck and the dramatic The Legend Of Zelda: Twilight Princess. With all that said about great games, mini-game excitement has also delivered too with the return of the Mario Party series. It has been almost 2 years since the franchise had its last game on the Nintendo Gamecube, and worked like a charm by being innovative and fun for all ages. Now, it has finally made its way onto the Wii, but is it worth the wait.

Mario Party 8 for the Nintendo Wii is a wild and addictive game that brings out a simplicity for gamers young and old alike, as you unlock and play over 70 minigames that are easy and fun to play. There are also a few new additions here too, as you can also unlock players including Blooper, the sea squid from the Super Mario Brothers games, and Hammer Brothers, which recently returned in a great set of guest cameos in Super Mario Strikers and Mario Superstar Baseball. The graphics are delightful but the gameplay is definitely what brings the game to its success, as you use the Wii remote to play in games like waving a magic wand and using an energy ball to strike Bowser in a one on one showdown, punching a statue to smitherines with a boxing glove, or using it you are shaking a soda can and creating a gusher in one of the duel minigames. You can also use your Mii characters that you've created from games like Wii Sports and have them play in the Star Carnival and play games like ping pong. The graphics are delightful and the sound carries well throughout each of the boards, but the gameplay really does deliver for new Wii owners as well as die hard Mario fans alike.

All in all, Mario Party 8 is a delightful game that welcomes the party franchise Wii owners well. I loved what the series brought out for so many years, and I know that this edition does a great job as well. Considering there are so many great games coming out for the Nintendo Wii like Big Brain Academy: Wii Degree, this one is definitely a wonderful addition to your Wii library.

Graphics: B+

Sound: B

Control: B+

Fun & Enjoyment: B+ for solo players; Afor Multiplayer Action

Overall: B+

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This is the first Wii game we've gotten that really engaged our 4-year-old boy. Ultimately up to now he could care less about our other Wii titles such as Cars, Carnival Games, and Playground Games.

Our boy loves that he can play a lot of this out of the box. He can choose his character and move him around the board. Because the game leverages the Wii controller quite well he can get into the mini-games. The best feature is that you can practice each mini-game as much as you want, which is good because some of them take a few tries. The variety of games alone satisfies our short attention span family quite well. There is a train map that just hooked him big-time, so if you have a boy between the ages of 3-8 it will likely hook your boy too.

The professional reviewers have to be taken with a grain of salt. The comic-book-guy reviewers with lame beards and questionable hygiene are not going to like a game that a 4-year-old does. One reviewer noted that much of the game is left to chance instead of skill. This is actually a big plus for parents with small kids. I am hyper-competitive so it's not my first instinct to let the kid (or Wookie) win. But with this game my little boy came in second place on his own, so between the game itself and the adjustable difficulty levels, my kid can kick my butt at a much younger age, which keeps me in check!

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Nintendo has done a great job with the Wii. The only problem is that most of the games for it only allow one to two players at any given time, so Nintendo comes out with MARIO PARTY 8! this game is a 4 out of 5 stars in one player mode, but when you get three or four people playing, it ROCKS!!!! this is a SPECTACULAR game to play with your friends. It will entertain you and your guests for hours! The Wii remote is the key to this games great multiplayer action. you can enjoy different kinds of gameplay like 1 on 3, 2 on 2, or every man for himself. each type of gameplay has games that are unique it. Like one of the 1 on 3 games is, one person shoots snowballs at the other three, and another is the three trying to stop the one from making it it the top of a tower. So, in summery, THIS IS AN AWESOME GAME TO PLAY WITH FRIENDS!!!!!!!