tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4508738796688211922011-11-27T15:44:51.543-08:00Videogame News & Opinion for casual and core gamers. There is a new emerging demographic in the gaming community; often in their 30's, having grown up playing games and now with kids of their own, the 'cascore' (pronouced CAZ-core) gamer is a unique animal, and we are the FIRST blog dedicated to their kind!batmykehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06507380368978773984noreply@blogger.comBlogger361100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-450873879668821192.post-30511466393062441572009-07-16T23:23:00.000-07:002009-07-16T23:26:04.994-07:00

NPD has posted sales data for the month of June, and everybody is reporting on it. Kotaku had this interesting article about what the latest report says about the current generation of consoles and what we might expect things to look like this coming Fall/Holiday season.I for one am thrilled to see EA get two games into the top 10 on Wii, and to see Motion Plus being so widely adapted!

batmykehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06507380368978773984noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-450873879668821192.post-18482722232840617302009-01-22T12:43:00.000-08:002009-01-22T12:57:44.928-08:00

I know this has been out for a bit, but I just scored a Nyko Kama wireless nunchuck myself, and wanted to share with you all my impressions...First off, this is the original design, which Nyko got in trouble with Nintendo over due to its extreme similarity to the official Nunchuck. The wretched, vomit-inducing redesign is now available in stores and on the web, and I've included a picture of it

batmykehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06507380368978773984noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-450873879668821192.post-90543581818410805782009-01-22T12:39:00.000-08:002009-01-22T12:42:59.825-08:00

All I can say is 'Wow'... I've never come even close to reaching this level of dedication, either to my wife OR a video game! Original article here.

batmykehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06507380368978773984noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-450873879668821192.post-28453225856148729402009-01-12T14:56:00.000-08:002009-01-12T14:58:23.863-08:00

Yeah, it's been three months. Yes, I am a horrible blogger! No, I WON'T QUIT! I have more games and more stuff to post about than ever, and now that my workplace has lifted the filter restrictions on our internet, I can write posts on my lunch break (wink-wink). So I will continue giving it the old college try!More to come...

batmykehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06507380368978773984noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-450873879668821192.post-74692769027278752732008-10-06T10:42:00.000-07:002008-10-06T12:33:35.438-07:00

I've already mentioned the awfulness that was e-for-all 2008, but there were a couple of redeeming experiences there. One was a tiny partial-booth tucked away in the back far-right corner of the hall, Mad Gear.Mad Gear is a privately-owned import and vintage games seller, kinda like Play Asia, but smaller. I had the pleasure of chatting with the shop's owner, ???, who was able to provide me with

batmykehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06507380368978773984noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-450873879668821192.post-16437417572082238142008-10-06T09:48:00.000-07:002008-10-06T10:40:13.418-07:00

Despite warnings all over the industry that it would be a joke, last year's e-for-all gaming event was a pretty decent event. The first of its kind, e-for-all is an open-to-the-public gaming expo, not unlike E3 (which is an industry-only event) or Penny Arcade Expo (PAX), except smaller. I attended last year's event at the Los Angeles Convention Center with some skepticism, and was pleasantly

batmykehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06507380368978773984noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-450873879668821192.post-28169459425045842382008-09-30T09:29:00.000-07:002008-09-30T10:07:33.923-07:00

Ever since Lego Star Wars was released a few years ago, the runaway success of combining ABS plastic building bricks and popular character franchises to create fun yet challenging pick-up-and-play video games has been undeniable. Lego Star Wars II: The Classic Trilogy, Lego Star Wars: The Complete Saga and Lego Indiana Jones have all sold hundreds of thousands of copies across multiple platforms

batmykehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06507380368978773984noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-450873879668821192.post-34320227091943452452008-08-07T14:18:00.001-07:002008-08-07T14:43:58.351-07:00

Alrighty, in an effort to catch up on the backlog of stuff I have played and NOT written about, I'm going to post several very brief reviews here:1. LEGO INDIANA JONES (Wii, XBOX 360, PS3, PS2, PC)Ups: More great Lego fun, with simple, straightforward gameplay that most kids can jump in on, but adults can still enjoy. Levels based on the first three films, with a little bit of artistic liberty

batmykehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06507380368978773984noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-450873879668821192.post-38271248112359729292008-08-05T19:17:00.000-07:002008-08-05T23:34:30.156-07:00

Much of the gaming world's press, bloggers and pundits agree that the Wii has really turned the market on its ear. Unique controllers, an emphasis on innovation over high tech system architecture and a steady stream of triple-a blockbusters this past year have all helped set the little white box apart from other console offerings.But beyond all that, the very different nature of some of the

batmykehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06507380368978773984noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-450873879668821192.post-75661150667921720722008-06-29T20:46:00.000-07:002008-06-29T20:52:52.274-07:00

As I have been 'on a break' (sorry Ross & Rachel) from posting, I've accumulated some games to write about, so I thought I'd start with a list of some of my new faves!1. Boom Blox - This game has been getting RAVE reviews and TONS of attention from the press and blogs, but hasn't been selling well at all (depending on your point of view). I picked it up on day one and haven't looked back. I'll

batmykehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06507380368978773984noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-450873879668821192.post-3191638032087365042008-06-29T19:50:00.000-07:002008-06-29T20:32:23.996-07:00

So, it's been a LONG time since I posted anything here! Work, Family stuff, and just a generally busy life have kept me from staying with it, so please accept my apologies, if you are among the very small readership here!Now, I am determined to get back to it, at least on some level. Keep checking back here for some great stuff!

batmykehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06507380368978773984noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-450873879668821192.post-87367640154294564482008-02-01T15:22:00.001-08:002008-02-01T15:25:45.542-08:00

So, yet again someone in Japan who is already playing Super Smash Bros. Brawl (jerkwads) has been kind (jerky) enough to post some video footage. This time, a montage of every character's final smash move.It's pretty interesting to view each one in succession; some are just downright brutal, while others seem only nominally mean. I tell ya right now, the Smash Ball is going to change the way I

batmykehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06507380368978773984noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-450873879668821192.post-77791343632294900952008-01-31T20:35:00.000-08:002008-01-31T20:38:14.112-08:00

Computer and Video Games has a sweet preview for Lego Batman, one of my anticipated titles of next fall, for obvious reasons. Click on over for a decent read and some great screenshots!

batmykehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06507380368978773984noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-450873879668821192.post-78584230812928983692008-01-29T09:58:00.000-08:002008-01-29T10:03:46.078-08:00

Okay, everyone and their mother and her hairstylist has already posted this, but I can't resist. See, my most anticipated Wii game ever released in Japan today, and there are new videos of it posting all over the net. That's right, Smash Bros. Brawl for Wii is on the streets in Tokyo and all over the land of the Rising Sun, and someone was kind enough to send Gametrailers.com the intro movie,

batmykehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06507380368978773984noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-450873879668821192.post-81883929752268662562008-01-23T21:06:00.000-08:002008-01-23T21:57:28.838-08:00

Welcome to Anticipation, our weekly feature about future games we are looking forward to!Fable: for quite a while before its release on the original Xbox, 'Project Ego' was the source of much rumor and speculation, as well as the occasional conference room speech by Peter Molyneaux, the title's creator. Molyneaux had already impressed the gaming world with such excellent 'god games' as Populous

batmykehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06507380368978773984noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-450873879668821192.post-28188879334835830212008-01-17T18:58:00.001-08:002008-01-17T19:07:57.688-08:00

Capcom recently announced a new, 3D Bionic Commando for XBOX 360 and Playstation 3, but today there was also a remake of the original side-scroller for NES, which will be a downloadable game on XBLA and PSN! I've posted a trailer for the re-make, which looks impressive to say the least.For those of you who are strictly Wii gamers, there is a petition online to get these two games made for Wii as

batmykehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06507380368978773984noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-450873879668821192.post-31395398125340671682008-01-17T10:08:00.000-08:002008-01-17T10:33:06.659-08:00

Subjective is another one of our weekly features where we discuss the art direction or the visual style of a game in general.Most games that have come out in recent years seem to just be about how realistic the graphics can be and game play usually seems to come in at a distant second. Gears of War comes to mind in that category. The graphics are about as detailed and as crisp as you could get,

Boombaladhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13041313488074704526noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-450873879668821192.post-70715127157942894072008-01-15T23:29:00.000-08:002008-01-15T23:33:33.662-08:00

Matt Cassamassina of IGN just posted to his blog that he was sent a Samus Aran Varia Suit statue from First 4 Figures. The swine.I went to First 4's website and checked it out; they are still available, and at only $99, I'm sure one of you fine readers wants to get me one for my birthday... right? Also of note is the upcoming Samus' Gunship from Metroid Prime: Echoes.

batmykehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06507380368978773984noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-450873879668821192.post-9132319400554153072008-01-15T22:51:00.000-08:002008-01-15T23:13:44.493-08:00

Is it just me, or does every game around have a subtitle these days?If you aren't familiar with the Advance Wars series, you are probably not a portable gamer, or just don't care much for strategy titles with slightly quirky, anime-inspired casts. Either way, I think you're missing out!Allow me to familiarize you: Advance Wars first debuted on the Gameboy Advance and introduced what on the

batmykehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06507380368978773984noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-450873879668821192.post-33114367681169715722008-01-09T19:37:00.000-08:002008-01-09T19:51:18.119-08:00

Yet another new feature, which you will see returning every week! Multi-Pass is our take on multiplayer games we LOVE!I recently took a trip up to my hometown of Santa Barbara, CA, and visited family and friends during the Christmas holiday. Both of my brothers (and all of my immediate family, in fact) live there, and we often get together with a friend or two to play some Halo, or Mario Kart,

batmykehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06507380368978773984noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-450873879668821192.post-5620754289267272912008-01-09T09:31:00.001-08:002008-01-09T09:31:47.452-08:00

On the Download is our weekly feature on Virtual Console, XBOX Live Arcade and Playstation Network games.I think I've already posted a bit about my love for a good scrolling shooter, so it should surprise no one that I have a couple of these on my Wii's VC. The one I've given the most play-time, however, did surprise me!I first stumbled across Galaga '90 when I was attending Santa Barbara City

batmykehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06507380368978773984noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-450873879668821192.post-21969637593215713322008-01-07T22:49:00.001-08:002008-01-07T22:54:08.630-08:00

Nyko, maker of wonderful peripherals, has unveiled their 2008 lineup, and they have included a very nice looking Guitar Hero controller, called the Frontman, for PS3 and Wii. Pictured above, the axe in question is modeled after a Fender Telecaster (my favorite electric model) and has the very awesome natural wood colored buttons on the fretboard.The PS3 version will work with both GH games and

batmykehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06507380368978773984noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-450873879668821192.post-5430973545305490662008-01-07T21:35:00.000-08:002008-01-07T22:32:41.288-08:00

Welcome to ANTICIPATION, our weekly feature on games soon to come...Okay, so I'm probably teeing-off both Bane and Boombalad by posting a feature on this particular upcoming title, but hey, it's MY blog, after all, and I can't think of a game I am anticipating more right now!All three of us were among the privileged few(thousand) who were able to attend E-for-All in October, and believe you me,

batmykehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06507380368978773984noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-450873879668821192.post-79450618988731825022007-12-23T00:27:00.000-08:002007-12-23T02:16:57.509-08:00

5.1 speakers, Mains B&W (Bowers & Wilkins) 800D series, center B&W HTM2D, rears B&W DS8S, and sub JL Audio Gotham g213In order to drive those sick speakers, a Classe CA-5200 Power Amplifier with a Classe SSP-600 offering balanced outputs for higher quality sound and less noise in your systemAs far as video is concerned a Panasonic TH65PH10UK 65" plasma (sorry couldn't find a link)Playstation 3 to

Banehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18046348696097401994noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-450873879668821192.post-35842251569521996382007-12-22T11:40:00.000-08:002007-12-22T12:31:33.441-08:00

Like I'll get these, but here goes...Dodge ChargerSmash Bros BrawlMetal Gear Solid 440" BRAVIA XBR series LCD flat panel HDTV the model number is KD-40XBR5 just incase anyone wants to buy it for me =)A Sony home theatre system to match the TV I'll never get.The same Mac Pro that Batmyke wants.Starcraft 2FFXIIIFFversusXIIIStudent loans to take care of my film school dream.

Boombaladhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13041313488074704526noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-450873879668821192.post-71921935866105334692007-12-21T23:28:00.000-08:002007-12-21T23:48:02.369-08:00

Okay, I promised a Christmas Wish List, and here it is!1. Gold Zelda-themed Nintendo DS Lite2. Zack & Wiki3. Pioneer Elite PRO-110FD Kuro Plasma TV (Gizmodo's pick for best tv ever)4. Mac Pro with dual Quad Core Intel Xeon processors, 1.5 TB of storage, 16 GB of RAM, two 30" Apple Displays and dual Super-drives. (yeah, it's a WISHLIST)5. Early release of Smash Bros. Brawl6. iPhone7. JVC Everio HD

batmykehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06507380368978773984noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-450873879668821192.post-68489629276948405732007-12-16T15:50:00.001-08:002007-12-16T20:05:14.230-08:00

Oops, that's supposed to be Boombalad, not 'Little Lad'...Last week I proudly introduced you all to Bane, the first of our growing stable of writers (and also my brother). Today I am pleased to introduce you to the third of our little family, John Foster, a.k.a. Boombalad.John was a member of my staff for the 2+ years that I managed a Game Crazy store, and we have remained friends since. He

batmykehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06507380368978773984noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-450873879668821192.post-2316329299006536952007-12-14T22:48:00.001-08:002007-12-14T23:03:21.037-08:00

Welcome to another new weekly feature, Anticipation! Anticipation will be our weekly post about games we are looking forward to...This week: SH'MUPS! I am a HUGE fan of classic scrolling shooters like Gradius, R-Type and Life Force, and you'd better believe that I have Ikaruga in my Gamecube collection!So when I hear about awesome stuff like Nanostray 2 for DS, Raiden Fighters for Xbox 360 and

batmykehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06507380368978773984noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-450873879668821192.post-72740950502186746822007-12-11T15:28:00.000-08:002007-12-14T22:56:41.411-08:00

Final Fantasy VII, one of the greatest RPG's of all time, is a great game to go through time and time again, and is a great filler game if you're waiting on that next big title. Even though I've gone through this game at least four times I still find myself pulling out one of its three original Playstation discs and powering it up in my slim PS2 for an hour or two of enjoyment.Although the

Banehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18046348696097401994noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-450873879668821192.post-81061499295063123832007-12-09T14:34:00.000-08:002007-12-09T14:39:51.771-08:00

A few days ago (yes, I'm slow), accessory manufacturer Nyko unveiled a wireless Nunchuck controller for Wii, finally freeing everyone's left and right hands from the wire that had tethered them before.Personally, I'm excited about this peripheral, although hesitant; I'm wondering what the price will be, though Nyko has typically kept things reasonable (wireless Sensor Bar notwithstanding). I'm

batmykehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06507380368978773984noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-450873879668821192.post-32662491467630573512007-12-08T22:04:00.000-08:002007-12-08T22:17:39.820-08:00

We've all got our favorites when it comes to games, but how often do you pick up a great game that you return to months (or even years) later? Well, here at Cascoretopia, we believe that those games deserve some special mention, so... RERUNS! will be our weekly post on games that we love to play AGAIN!This week's RERUN: Starfox Command (Nintendo DS)I picked up Starfox Command when it first came

batmykehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06507380368978773984noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-450873879668821192.post-6595925464837902272007-12-04T20:04:00.000-08:002007-12-04T20:21:50.080-08:00

I'm a child of the 80's, to be sure. I was born in 1970, so by Jr. High I was listening to punk rock and glam metal, watching MTV (brand new) at my friend's house and enjoying some great new movies on cutting-edge VHS!One such movie was Ghostbusters; great comedy, special effects and a unique story premise came together to provide viewers with a major treat. This flick has stood up to the test

batmykehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06507380368978773984noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-450873879668821192.post-72792470113341613672007-12-03T13:27:00.000-08:002007-12-03T13:37:42.742-08:00

With the launch of a new blog and my hopes to expand our audience, I've chosen to invite a couple of new contributors on board, and today I'm proud to introduce the first!'Bane', better known as my brother Brian, will begin posting to Cascoretopia this week, and brings a wealth of gaming knowledge and interest to the table. While we both share a love of gaming and definitely enjoy some of the

batmykehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06507380368978773984noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-450873879668821192.post-91654602396632540592007-11-28T22:05:00.000-08:002007-11-28T22:14:15.105-08:00

4 Color Rebellion posted a link to an awesome interview with Retro Studios President and CEO Michael Kelbaugh, as well as game director Mark Pacini, by Gamasutra. Those of you who know me are aware of my love of all things Metroid, and thus this interview is a MUST READ in my opinion.A couple of interesting facts from the interview:1. Now Nintendo President Satoru Iwata joined Shigeru Miyamoto

batmykehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06507380368978773984noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-450873879668821192.post-26216034310399026542007-11-26T18:37:00.001-08:002007-11-26T19:31:40.532-08:00

I thought it would be worthwhile to start things off with my picks for the holiday season! As some of you probably already know, I am primarily a Nintendo fan, although I have been known to dabble in Playstation and Xbox titles as well, so that will be reflected here...Below I am listing five games that I think you should seriously consider picking up this Holiday season.1. Super Mario Galaxy (

batmykehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06507380368978773984noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-450873879668821192.post-83686510946792071132007-11-26T17:36:00.000-08:002007-11-26T18:28:39.462-08:00

Welcome to cascoretopia! What the heck does that mean, you ask? Well, in recent months a category of gamer that has been around for a long time has moved more into the spotlight as the industry has gone through changes. With a heavier focus on 'casual' gamers, and some unfounded panic about the abandonment of 'hardcore' gamers, some in the industry have begun using a term for a third group; '

batmykehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06507380368978773984noreply@blogger.com0