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Gaming Tales from Indonesia
by Kombo Staff | 08/27/08 | 4:40 PM PST


Having never been to Indonesia before, it is fascinating for me to observe the video game market here. Indonesia is the fourth most populous country in the world, and Java is the most densely populated island on the planet, with 150 million people in a space half the size of the UK, so clearly the potential for a thriving gaming industry is huge. Not unlike Britain, Pro Evolution Soccer/Winning Eleven, Guitar Hero and GTA are the most popular games. The market, however, is different. It is rare to see a console for sale, or a shop lined with games. It is much more likely you will see one of the many gaming centers, often little more than the back room of someone's house, but sometimes huge arcades covering an entire floor of a mall. Here you will find rows of 14" TVs connected up to PS2s and PS3s. The key thing is that you will struggle to find anyone playing a Wii or 360. Indeed, many people are bemused when I begin to repeatedly shout 'Wii' and wave my arm around like a Wii-mote in their faces.

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Win a 360/PS3 by Designing Your Own T-Shirt
by Matt Furtado | 08/27/08 | 4:34 PM PST


Looking for a free way to get a 360 or PS3? Well, how about you design your own t-shirt and win one? The fine folks at Stacker 2 are holding a contest catered to us gamers. They must know we lock ourselves in our rooms for weeks at a time and only survive on 6 Hour Energy Shots to keep ourselves at our highest working degree.

In order to win one of the said consoles, all you need to do is design your own t-shirt using the tools provided by Stacker 2. Thankfully, it's easy and fun to do. Let your creative gaming minds run wild and try to create the most unique t-shirt you can think of. After all, what do you have to lose?

Check the official details below. Quick note, this contest is only open for US residents and will end on October 8th.

• Grand Prize: One winner, selected by Stacker 2 from the top 250 highest scoring entries, will win a Stacker 2 6 Hour Power Prize Pack which includes a Stacker 2 hat, sunglasses and a one-year supply of 6 Hour Power Extreme Energy Shots. The one year supply of 6 Hour Power Extreme Energy Shots consists of six cartons (12 bottles per carton) of each of the five flavors for a total of 360 bottles - plus we'll toss in one single bottle of each flavor Very Berry, Lemon Lime, Orange, Grape and Punch to make it a square 365 bottles of 6 Hour Power Extreme Energy Shots. You'll also receive 10 t-shirts with your original design, your choice of a PS3 or Xbox 360 game console, plus a copy of Codemasters' Rise of the Argonauts on your preferred platform.
  
• Most Viral: One winner, selected by Stacker 2 from the top 250 entries that receives the most attention across the Internet, will win a one-year supply of 6 Hour Power Extreme Energy Shots and a copy of Codemasters' Rise of the Argonauts on their preferred platform. Learn about Most Viral.
  
• Weekly Sweepstakes: Each week, one winner who participates by voting or reviewing, will be chosen randomly to win one carton (12 bottles per carton) of Stacker 2 6 Hour Power Extreme Energy Shot as well as a copy of Codemasters' new game Rise of the Argonauts. Ten winners in all!
  
  How to Submit:
  
• Create an original Stacker 2 6 Hour Power t-shirt using the Entry Editor or download the provided Art Assets and create your own. Your design must include the Stacker 2 and 6 Hour Power Feel it Fast, Energy that Lasts, No Crash logos.
  
• Click the Submit Entry tab and follow the steps provided.
  
• Tell your friends to come to Brickfish and vote for your entry!

-- Stacker 2 Contest

Wii
Rumor: LucasArts Begrudgingly Working on Wii MotionPlus Lightsaber Title
by David Oxford | 08/27/08 | 4:33 PM PST

Rumor time! The October issue of EGM is on the loose, and Quartermann is spreading his vile rumor-seed again, this time about the whole LucasArts/Wii MotionPlus issue, and what they're aiming to do about it:

But that's not all, loose-lip addicts. Remember earlier this summer when LucasArts finally announced Star Wars: The Clone Wars -- Lightsaber Duels, the lightsaber-wielding Wii game that everyone had been waiting for? And then not a month later, when Nintendo announced WiiMotion Plus during E3? Well, apparently LucasArts hadn't heard anything about this new technology, so Lightsaber Duels will not be implementing it. The understandably ticked-off publisher is already in talks about another Wii lightsaber game that will use MotionPlus for sometime next year, according to our sources. -- 1up.com

At GoNintendo, RMC notes:

You know what part about that rumor I find funny? LucasArts is mad at Nintendo for leaving them out of the MotionPlus announcement, but they are quick to jump on making another game. -- GoNintendo

It's funny, but hey, it's also business. Just gotta deal, sometimes.

What's really funny is that, if memory serves, this is just what Nintendo said would happen. Actually... that may be more scary than funny.

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Nintendo to Wii Fit Hunters: Regular Supply is Coming
by David Oxford | 08/27/08 | 4:02 PM PST

Finding Wii Fit has been a real bother, quite frankly. And not just for me, but for many others as well, as it seems Nintendo has been ready to milk that cash cow for all its worth where the dollar is stronger before sating our demands.

GameStop doesn't have it-- not by itself, at any rate. And neither does Amazon. I was at Zeller's a few days ago, and turns out I had missed their last one by just minutes, with the cashier for the Electronics telling me that they sell out within minutes of getting the few they receive.

Finally having enough of being stalked for his own copy, MTV Multiplayer's Stephen Totilo put the questions to Nintendo:

What could the folks at Nintendo tell me about this shortage, why it exists and when shoppers can expect to find it in stores again?

This is the statement I received last night from a Nintendo spokesperson:

"Nintendo had a substantial supply nationwide for launch, though some stores saw spot shortages due to unprecedented demand for this unique product. The consumer response to 'Wii Fit' at launch was historically exceptional when compared with peripheral-based video game products. We are providing retailers with a constant supply of 'Wii Fit,' so you should see a regular supply of 'Wii Fit' on store shelves as we move through the summer and into the holidays." -- MTV Multiplayer

Wee. Of course, "constant" in this case may very well be the two per week which other stores, such as HMV and EB Games, have told me they get and lose within moments.

I do hope I can get one before Winter sets in.

Wii
Sebastian Stops 'First Shot Fired' Rumor on Nintendo's Next Move
by David Oxford | 08/27/08 | 3:43 PM PST

Yesterday, outlets were reporting an investor note from Analyst Colin Sebastian, wherein he purportedly implied that Nintendo would fire the first shot for a next-gen war. However, between here and there, something in his message was lost, just like many a purple monkey dishwasher before it.

What Sebastian actually said was that, while the next "significant" release of new gaming hardware likely would not happen until 2011 or 2012, Nintendo might possibly release an upgraded version of Wii with functionality like DVD playback or extra storage space.

That's not a next-gen system, guys. That's a Game Boy Pocket.

I emailed Sebastian after reading Edge's story just to confirm that he didn't mean Nintendo would be firing first in the next-gen wars, and that he was simply referring to an upgraded Wii. "Your interpretation is correct. There are clearly some features and functionality that Nintendo could add to the Wii, without changing the way the games are played, as you say," he wrote back. -- Game|Life

Frankly, the DS Lite or Game Boy Advance SP would seem like a closer parallel to me, but in the end, it's still new packaging, same product.

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New Kombo Swag Bag Prize: Madden NFL 2009
by Phillip Levin | 08/27/08 | 3:31 PM PST

Oy, it's been a while since we updated the Swag Bag. To be honest, we have no excuse for you as to why we've fallen behind on the prizes, but we're going try and get back on track.

Every week, we give away a different video game or accessory for free, and all you have to do for a chance to win is e-mail us your name, age and address with the e-mail title "Kombo Swag Bag." Every Wednesday, check back here to see who won last week's Kombo Swag Bag, and what the next prize we're giving away is.

This week, we're giving away a copy of Madden NFL 2009 (Xbox 360). And congratulations to Helena Mary Kale, who won the last Swag Bag prize, We Ski (Wii)! For a chance to win this week's Kombo Swag Bag prize, enter below.

Madden NFL 09 Publisher: EA Developer: EA Genre: Sports Platform: PC Enter to win! E-mail us and include your full name, age and address to enter.

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Penny Arcade Reveals PAX Omegathon Prizes
by Kim Fidler | 08/27/08 | 3:26 PM PST



Are you a bad enough dude to compete in the PAX Omegathon? If you were lucky enough to be chosen as one of the 20 Omeganauts, congratulations, I hate you. Along with my jealous rage, you have also been given a 2 in 20 chance to walk home with one of the sexy console bundles pictured above. The second place winner takes all 3 consoles, while the first place winner gets the consoles on top of a trip to the Tokyo Game Show, and $5000. No word has been given on what place nets themselves that bottle of chili sauce in the background.

You can angrily shake your fists at all 20 contestants when PAX gets underway this Friday. Make sure to keep it tuned to Kombo for all the moving and shaking that will undoubtedly be happening at the event.

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Media: Photos from Games Convention 2008
by Phillip Levin | 08/27/08 | 3:09 PM PST



Games Convention 2008 may be over, but we've got one more update for you. If you weren't able to attend the show (and I'm guessing that's the case for most of you), this post should interest you.

One of our contributors, David Chiu, attended GC 2008 and snapped a collection of photos throughout the week. We've uploaded them all, which you can look through after the cut.

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Rumor: Europe Prepares for Disaster; Day of Crisis Dated?
by Derek Buck | 08/27/08 | 2:09 PM PST

Europeans have plenty of potential disasters to worry about; the Dutch clutch their clogs every time the tide rises.

Rumors born today from the cynical depths of the NeoGAF forums add another Disaster for Europeans' watch-lists. A 2008 release date for Disaster: Day of Crisis, Nintendo's oft-delayed Wii action-adventure game announced at E3 2006, has appeared on a Danish retailer list.

The skinny, according to GoNintendo:

There is someone out there that is leaking release dates for Europe, and Disaster: Day of Crisis is one of the big ones. According to the source leak, Disaster is going to hit Europe come Oct. 24, 2008. -- GoNintendo

Let's hope the clouds finally break and Disaster sees the light of day. It would be nice to have a first-party game worth playing this holiday season. And even if the rumor proves false, hopeful Disaster hold-outs shouldn't despair. It could always be worse.

Nintendo could rebrand the game "Wii Survive" and turn it into a hurricane-surviving, shelter-finding, mini-game waggle-fest. That would the disaster.

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Nintendo: We Haven't Ignored the Core Gamer-- By the Way, Nothing for Early 2009, Either
by David Oxford | 08/27/08 | 12:39 PM PST

Oh Nintendo, Nintendo, Nintendo... ever since E3, many a core, hardcore, and traditional (or whatever else you may call them) gamer has looked upon you with a glare of daggers, and yet you move forward unphased. You tell us that we have seen the lineup for the rest of 2008, and nothing more will come, but left hope for early 2009. That is, until now:

"We have never neglected our core gamers. We still have developers working on popular core gaming franchises but we need longer to complete these games, approximately two to three years. These games are not ready to launch in early 2009 but are being worked on by all development teams." -- Nintendo to Edge Magazine, via Nintendo Everything

Naturally, there are those who will reply with outrage to Nintendo's rather bold claim. One such person at WiiRincontrol says that Nintendo's biggest problem seems to be a lack of communication, of allowing hype to build. On the one hand, there's Super Smash Bros. Brawl and its long, slow burn up to its release. On the other, there's Disaster: Day of Crisis. So clearly, releasing stuff early can work both ways, favorably, and one might argue negatively.

There is one part in WiiRincontrol's article that I do take issue with, however:

I personally don't want to play a 2D Wario platformer, and I'm not going to. I refuse to buy Animal Crossing with its purposely weak graphic scheme, and lack of normal online freedoms to be expected with such a game. I might check out Pikmin 3 whenever that comes out, but I'm not at all excited about it, and we really have no idea when it will be released. Another Mario and Zelda sound fine and all but that's nowhere near all there is, so it's bothersome when Nintendo acts as if a lack of announcing one is the true problem. -- WiiRincontrol

I don't think you can really call on Nintendo for a lack of traditional games, and then start to pick apart the few they do have, just because you don't want them. Wario Land isn't your thing? That's fine; there are people out there who aren't big on Smash, Kart, Metroid Prime, or Zelda, either.

You can't expect every traditional release to appeal to you, but to say that they aren't doing anything at all when what they do have doesn't tickle your fancy? Strikes me as just a little hypocritical.

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Beloved Classics Get Fan-driven Remixes
by Matthew Green | 08/27/08 | 12:05 PM PST

The video game ROM hacking world has an abundance of Super Mario Bros. hacks in which Mario and friends have been replaced by [insert immature garbage here], but that kind of trash has a bad habit of overshadowing actual fantastical reimaginings of beloved gaming classics. Enter NeoGAF forumite Mama Robotnik and a list of spectacular ROM hacks that actually aspire to become something more than their source material. Here's a brief sample of the goodness on display.

Extra Mario Bros: This redesign of Super Mario Bros is a marvel. Rather than a level-by-level system, the engine has been redesigned to be more like Metroid, with a series of linked sectors in a large world (which you can backtrack through). Through exploration, Mario earns permanent upgrades such as terrain-destroying fireballs, different types of projectile, different types of boots (so Mario can walk on Lava) keys and double-jumping, allowing him to progress further.

The Legend of Zelda - Parallel Worlds: This five-year long undertaking involved taking the Link to the Past engine, adding and reprogramming it though assembly language, and creating a brand new Zelda game from it. There are no dungeons, or any parts of the overworlds, that are not changed. The game is entirely redesigned from the ground up, and comes with new levels, new items, new music and a new story. I have only just started playing this, but have been very, very impressed so far. It feels like a new, challenging 16-bit Zelda, something which I hadn't expected to see again.

There are also some very involved and impressive creations based on Sonic the Hedgehog, Super Metroid, Zelda II: The Adventure of Link, and Super Mario World. Players are left to discover how to actually acquire and play these projects, but legalities aside, these are some very admirable projects. When gamers talk about ROM hacks, it's these kinds of projects that should be shared and remembered and not those that revolve around some fourteen-year-old's crudely edited in-joke.

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Blizzard: 'We Have Nothing Against Consoles, It's a Square-Peg, Round Hole Thing'
by David Oxford | 08/27/08 | 11:16 AM PST

There have been those who have long awaited the opportunity to experience World of Warcraft on their home consoles (why throw away your life so recklessly?), but Blizzard has been unrelenting in their stance of keeping the divide between their software and the hardware of Nintendo, Microsoft, and Sony strong. Surely, there must be some sort of vendetta or grudge here, right?

"World of Warcraft is designed as a PC game. It's designed to have a keyboard and a mouse. So the controls and the control scheme that you have are very PC centric. If you think about mapping those controls and all those different type of buttons that you have to a console without a keyboard for chatting, it's a very challenging proposition." -- J. Allen Brack, Production Director of Wrath of the Lich King

Lead Game Designer Tom Chilton added:

"It's really not that we have anything against consoles," Chilton said. "I mean we love console games also. And I'm sure there will be a successful MMO sometime on a console. So it has nothing to do with that. It's just more like a square peg round hole thing for our game. It just wasn't designed with that in mind."

What do you think? Is there room for World of Warcraft on consoles? Are they just not trying hard enough, with other games such as Final Fantasy XI helping bridge the gap to some degree? Or is this where the true divide between PC and console gaming stands?

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Here Comes a New (Handheld) Challenger!
by David Oxford | 08/27/08 | 10:53 AM PST

Looks like the Nintendo DS and Sony PSP may soon find themselves faced with some new competition. They will find themselves faced with... the Wiz!

"The most interesting thing is the Flash Player (Flash 7.0 compatible) and the planned release of commercial games. It has a LiIon battery built-in - and finally a place for the stylus! And a nice OLED display. If everything works as planned, it will be shipped in mid October."

Looks awesome cant wait to see what the price is, best thing of all is that GP2X is far from dead, all that has to be done is recompiling of GP2X Homebrew. The specs are quite powerful with an Arm9 533mHZ processor and 3D Accelerator and 64 MB of ram. Looks like the PSP, DS and even the Pandora will have a fight on.-- DCEmu

You can find a brochure with more specs and info here, and PlayASIA is selling them here.

So go ahead... take a Wiz! You know you want to. You'll find all of our Wiz coverage nestled right between that of our N-Gage and Zune coverage.

GEN
Capcom 'Working On' Bringing Tatsunoko vs. Capcom to the US
by David Oxford | 08/27/08 | 10:22 AM PST

Street Fighter IV isn't the only face-pounding free-for-all that has Capcom fans excited; there's also the little matter of the spiritual successor to Marvel vs. Capcom known as Tatsunoko vs. Capcom that's building excitement. But due to the nature of having to license half the roster, we may never see it in the US, right?

Though it may come as an affront to those who adore the Tatsunoko group, some of us are really only interested in the Capcom half of things-- MegaMan Volnutt sealing the deal for me to have to play this game-- and so I put forth the question to Capcom if we might see this game come to the US in an altered form. It wouldn't be the first time changes were made to a title crossing the Pacific for such reasons. What if the Tatsunoko half were replaced with more Capcom characters, for instance?

Fortunately, we can at least say this for Capcom: They're trying. No word on what may happen or to what degree they may succeed, but...

All I can really say is that we're exploring a bunch of options, and we certainly recognize that there are a bunch of Western fans of this game who would love to see it outside of Japan. In fact I think I'm president of that fanclub, and it was with much pain that we mailed the prototype arcade board back to Japan R&D today. Hugs for letting it out to play guys, even if I wanted it to stay longer! -- Seth Killian, Sr. Community Manager for Capcom

In addition, Christian Svennson threw in his two cents as well:

I'm workin on it... that's all I'll say. -- Christian Svensson, Capcom VP of Strategic Planning & Business Development

So while this in no way means we're getting the game, there is at least the reassurance that Capcom is at least seeing what they can do to maybe bring it over, which is far better than if they'd simply looked at it, said "this would be too complicated," and just written it off. So for that much, I'm thankful.

And as far as I know, that's a greater courtesy than Namco gave us with Namco x Capcom.

Wii
Okami Covers Are in the Mail...Disaster Recovery Begins!
by Joey Davidson | 08/27/08 | 8:52 AM PST

The poor schmoe that decided to pick the cover art of Okami for the Wii that posted on IGN to send to the printers is probably living in a dirty subway somewhere as I write this. He or she is probably picking gum off of the railings just sustain his (or her) life. Odds are this person will die of starvation before the replacement covers reach those that will likely cherish their IGN watermaked cases for years to come. I know I'm keeping my watermark! But the shipment is too little too late for this poor bastard's image and reputation.

Damage control runs full speed ahead! The folks at Joystiq have pointed to the shipment of this new cover sheets from Capcom! Those that have been waiting ages now can breathe a collective sign of relief. Doesn't that feel better?

Anyone out there holding on to Capcom's embarrassment like me? I'll treasure this one until the day I die.