Review of Blue Dragon Plus

Not owning a X-Box 360 has excluded me from enjoying the highly-acclaimed Blue Dragon.However, when I heard about Blue Dragon Plus, I figured I'd go ahead an pick it up since the original's supposed to be such a great, innovative game.Blue Dragon Plus has to be good, right?Right?!

Wrong!Sadly, after purchasing the game and playing it for a brief amount of time, I discovered Blue Dragon Plus could in no way measure to the original, regardless of never having played it.Instead of being innovative, Blue Dragon Plus attempts to mimic well-established game stylings while delivering real-time battle sequences...and fails.For battle to flow effectively, using the stylus is a must, but instead of being given well-programmed play controls, players are given a horrible "click and drag" navigation method.This headache is only compounded when attempting to command his/her troops in order to command a strategic battle.What should be fun and entertaining is tedious and obnoxious, and in a game packed with battle after battle, interest in the game is swiftly lost.

On the flip side, Blue Dragon Plus does sport some decent graphics for a game designed for the small screen, and the movie sequences look better than many seen on older console systems like the PSOne.The story, too, is fairly intriguing, at least for one unfamiliar with the overall plot of the Blue Dragon series.However, this does little to gloss over the poor structure and gameplay.My recommendation:don't bother buying this game.Chances are you'll wind up regretting it.



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Review of Wii Multi Function Carry Bag

I bought this bag for my husband for Father's Day.We used it once to take it on vacation and he found that it was not large enough to even house the stand, let alone any accessories.The quality is superb.



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Review of SteelSeries QcK Limited-Edition Wrath of the Lich King Fragmat

First off, the QcK is a great mousing surface. I've used it with optical, and laser mice and experienced no problems with either. Let's face it though, it's just a mouse pad. So, I wouldn't expect to experience any problems with it.The QcK does a great job without being made from fancy, over the top aluminum, glass or crazy composite materials...all of which are nice surfaces...none of which provide better control or comfort. In recent months, it's the surface I always seem to return to. For me, it's the most comfortable pad out there. Six or ten hour gaming sessions on hard surface pads leave the heel of my hand sore. Soft pads are much better for longer play times. The QcK's surface is kind of a semi-gloss fine woven cloth while the underside is a soft rubbery material. It can sit on my glass topped desk for months without ever budging. The rubber practically locks it down even though it doesn't seem particularly grabby.

The WotLK edition is gorgeous. The image quality is very good. The product comes well packed. It's secured and kept flat in a plastic clamshell, which itself is packed in a cardboard half sleeve. Where I find it (as well as the plain, no image QcK) lacking is in thickness. The regular QcK's are around an eighth of an inch thick. They make a thicker pad with the same suface called the QcK Heavy, but it's much, much bigger and won't fit my desk. If anyone from Steelseries happens to read these reviews, please consider making the QCK Heavy in your two smaller sizes!

The WotLK Limited Edition QcK is five bucks more than the same pad without the image. Is it worth it? Well, that's up to you. Even at $15, the QcK is one of the cheapest gamer oriented mousing surfaces out there. Most importantly, it does a great job.



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Review of Missle Command

really nice graphics, easy to play. Three turrets instead of one. More than I was expecting. I guess I was hoping for the old retro type black & white screen & missle tracks. This game is much nicer and for the price, you can't beat it.



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Review of Thrustmaster WiFi USB Key for PSP / PSP Slim & Lite

This is a really great buy.Within 10 minutes of opening the box I was surfing the net on my PSP.Setup couldn't be easier, and it also allows for WEP encryption.Worked amazingly upstairs and downstairts in my home, and also worked great with my laptop.Great price.I would definitely reccomend this product to anyone with a PSP.



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Review of Nintendo Wii Ultimate Holiday Sports Gift Bundle

I think this is a great package for anyone starting out with a Wii.The sports games are great, and the carry case and all the fun sports attachments are good for the sports.I just can't figure out why the package comes with one controller and 2 nunchucks.It's very strange.So we are sharing the controller until I can get out to buy a second one.It's just weird because it came with so many extras that make the sports playing so much more fun (all the attachments) but what would be more fun would be to have another controller, in my opinion.I haven't tried the FIT yet, but am looking forward to it.



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Review of Wii Dual Charging Station

This does not charge very well. The wii remotes do not fit very well and you really have to play with it to get it to charge. One of the battery packs did not fit so will have to fight to return.
You have to remove the straps and the wii covers and you still fudge around with it to get it to charge. My kids are not able to put on and take off the strap and covers themselves. This is way more work for me.I will return to rechargeable batteries, the are much less work.



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Review of Caillou Four Seasons of Fun

We own the other two Caillou software titles and have enjoyed them both, but we are disappointed with Four Seasons of Fun, to a great extent because the potential is here for a really fun game; that potential is not realized, however, due to rigid and sometimes confusing navigation, bugs and less interesting activities.

Whereas the two earlier Caillou games involved wandering around Caillou's house, this title starts inside but spends the rest of the game outside moving around the neighborhood.The look of the area and the activities change according to the season initially selected by the player.So far, so good.However, our iMac freezes about 25% of the time during the dressing segment and, like other reviewers, we find this section confusing -- it's not often apparent, for instance, what specific shirt or coat a child should choose.

Unlike the earlier titles, there is less freedom of navigation.Players proceed in a rigid, linear progression between activities, and game play is not always smooth.Some of the activities are: (1) Race-along, an obstacle course that Caillou must navigate on his skateboard.Your child has to decide whether Caillou should jump over, duck under, or go around various objects.This segment is compelling for preschoolers, but Caillou moves VERY slowly, and if the player doesn't press the appropriate key at precisely the right time, Caillou will have risen from his crouch or come down from his jump too early.At the same time, feedback is not really salient; our little one doesn't recognize that Caillou's "spinning" is a bad thing, and since the player must continue until 7 objects are successfully navigated, this can go on and on. (2) Caillou rakes his way through a letter maze.Tedious.(3) Bouncing ball rhyming. Unimaginative. (4) Snowman Builder, in which the player copies another snowman.First of all, why stifle creativity?Also, when we are in the "Fall" and click on the rake, the narrator still says "Snowman Builder" even though that's not the activity that will follow.Was this beta tested?

All-in-all, we were predisposed to enjoy this game but were ultimately disappointed with it.We will certainly not rush to buy another Caillou title.Better bets for your preschooler are Reader Rabbit, Little Bear, Franklin or Winnie the Pooh offerings.Interestingly, we have found the same inconsistent quality with Zoboomafoo software, another PBS franchise.What gives?

Pros: familiar, beloved characters; interesting premise in a promising setting; seamless cutscenes; multiple levels of difficulty; simple navigation

Cons: rigid, sometimes confusing, navigation; no written instructions; no keyboard volume control; fewer, and less interesting, activities; less stability



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Review of Targus Wireless Stow-N-Go Keypad AKP01US

I would actually recommend against this item.The range on the keypad either sucks or the item itself is faulty.I can have the keypad in my lap and my laptop less than a foot away and the keypad will skip numbers when I'm trying to calculate or type in a string of numbers.It also seems to independantly turn off the number lock key.Save your money.



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Review of Roller Coaster Tycoon 3

With beautiful graphics and great rides this game SHOULD make for hours of fun.Many controls are not compatible with Mighty Mouse and my standard system even though it meets (and exceeds) the minimum requirements.Multiple game and system crashes, no support info as of now on the Aspyr site.I'd wait to purchase until they get the kinks worked out if I had it to do again.



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Review of Playstation 2 Slim Travel Case

This ALS industries system travel case is small, has a well constructed design with quality material, and is priced fairly enough. A truly modest travel case for a modest value. Your going to have ample room to place the PS2 Slim control deck, one or two controllers, and it's power adapter and A/V cables. That all seems pretty fair right?.... but it's not without it's flaws. Yes you can fit all of the above into this smallish case, but then you'll find it fairly difficult to snap the case shut when it's being stretched to full capacity. Additionally, it's design over emphasizes "compactness" but forgoes "completeness". In order to scale back on bulk and size, they simply threaded two spandex style pockets on the left and right sides of the case where you are meant to place your A/V cables, and the plug portion of the power adapter. This looks a little tacky which is really only a minor gripe, but it most importantly leaves these components revealed and vulnerable to the elements. S-video cables (or component video) which are meant to replace lesser quality composite cables, will have a much harder time fitting into the side pouches due to the cable being thicker or with more connectors than the pouches want to allow room for. I was immediately surprised to find absolutely no fishnet pockets inside the inner flap for supporting memory cards...a trend ALS usually covers with most of their travel cases. This travel case lacks attention to detail and offers only moderate system organization and protection. It's a bit tacky and lackluster in general. That's not to say it's an awful bag. It serves it's purpose...but that's about all it does too.

With this travel case you'll get:

1) A durable travel case which offers decent system protection just not EXCELLENT protection

2)A bare bones basic design...will fit the PS2 Slim package albeit barely

3)Spandex pouches on the sides are only practical in the since that they can hold your cords and cables....doesn't technically "protect" them though since it's all left in the open.

4)PS2 Slim console fit?...check. 2 controllers fit?...check. All cables, cords, power adapters fit?...check. Important accessories like your memory cards?...uhhhh WHOOPS!

...Bottom line is there is certainly better out there than this, though they want more dough for those cases. This is a nice budget case and gets the job done...just don't ask for nothing fancy.



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Review of Nintendo Wii Fit Bundle

This was a meatoker kit overall.The gloves arent that great and it's hard to get the controlers into the them.



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Review of Genius MaxFighter F-31U Vibration. PC Joystick with Vibration Feedback.

I purchased this joystick as a replacement for my failing Logitech Extreme 3D Pro Game Controller. This joystick, while a bargain, was completely thought out wrong as far as the rudder, throttle, and calibration are concerned.

The X and Y axis response worked just fine however the rudder response is just too sensitive and should have been incorporated into a twist handle vice a separate fingertip control. The rudder control rate of change is also non-linear in that it doesn't take much motion to push the aircraft rudder to a full deflection either way causing the aircraft to wander all over the runway during takeoffs and landings. If trying to correct for adverse yaw, forget about it. Even adjustments to MOI and scaler settings in the aircraft sim programming failed to control the excessive rudder deflection.

The digital throttle is designed into the stick just to the right of the hat switch & works fine as long as you are not in a sequence of flight where precise control of the joystick is needed (final approach to runway). The pressing of the control causes pitch issues since it's difficult to maintain a steady hand on the stick while pressing your thumb repeatedly (or steady) for throttle adjustments. The throttle control should have been placed where the rudder control is and should be an analog control vice digital.

The calibration function is supposedly automatic as the joystick moves through it's environment (MS FS 2004 ACOF) however, the throttle upon sim startup, tends to stick at 50% from time-to-time requiring me to unplug and plug the USB plug to clear the issue and restore full throttle function.

If you're a serious simmer looking to perfect your flight simming experiences then stay away from this joystick.



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Review of Dokapon Journey

I was introduced to this game by a friend when we played a three person DS Download game.It was such a blast that I picked up my own copy.Multi-card play is much better, with the greatest additional feature being that you can save a multiplayer game.I've just ordered two more copies just for this reason, since my gaming sessions (3-4 hours) would really end prematurely when we cannot save.

Single player is still fun, but the AI does noticably cheat.That might be necessary, however, since it would really be too easy to win if it didn't.After only a couple days, I can beat the "normal" difficulty but still have a close game.

I really would recommend this for multiplayer, even if everyone else just downloads from you.



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Review of Star Trek: Starship Creator Add-On

Starship Add on pack is a good game for star trek fans, but it won't keep your intrest for any great length of time, Creating the starships is fun, but the missions are extremely boring, and there are only a limited amountof them. This game can be more intresting if you download your own picturesfor crewmembers and take the time to program your own missions.



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Review of Adventures In Odyssey: Treasure of the Incas (Win/Mac)

My kids (9 and 11) loved this game and didn't want to play anything else until they solved the "puzzle."I appreciate having games that I don't have to worry about, and I know I can trust Adventures in Odyssey for that.There is nothing questionable - no violence, etc; instead, there are great moral lessons.There is enough action in it for the kids, and I like that they have to actually use their brains to figure it out.We liked it enough to purchase another of the Adventures in Odyssey games, Sword of the Spirit.



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Review of Juice Dirt Footbag

The Juice Dirtbag is one of the best I've used.It's definetly worth a couple extra bucks.Great for tricks and stops.



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Review of Deadly Dozen

While priced low, don't be fooled into thinking this is a budget title. It's not. This is a first-rate game at a bargain price. It is a WW II mission-based game in which you control a squad of men into Germany. You can switch at ANY time from first to third person. You can also switch bodies with any of your men at any time, which is really cool. You can command your men to hold position, attack, or follow in a variety of formations. You can commandeer vehicles. The sniper rifle has always been my favorite gun in any game that offers them, and I was delighted to see one here, and it works fine. You must sneak and strategize to survive. When starting the game you pick your squad from 12 available men with different skills. Then you outfit them however you like. This is a nice feature and is more involving than other shooters, but it is very easy to do. There are rain effects, and the grass even blows in the wind. The graphics are great, and I was amazed to find that the game ran smoothly (640 x 480) on my ageing PII 450 with an NVidia TNT 1 video card. I'm running 256 MB ram and 16 MB video ram. I'm running it with high detail. I imagine if your video card is 32 MB, you could crank the resolution higher and still get good framerates. This game even comes with a small manual, which contains most everything you'll need to know to play the game. Others have mentioned a few graphical glitches, but I have seen none of those on my system, and I suspect video card driver problems with those who have had those problems. Bottom line: This would be a great game even if it was full-priced. This is the best money I've spent all year, and I can only hope this low pricing is the start of a trend.



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Review of PSP Screen Armor

I read it from somewhere that this screen protector is the best one out there... and it may or it may not be depends on how you apply it.

First of all, I need to let you know that

YOUR PSP SCREEN IS EXTREMEMLY, EXTREMELY VULNERABLE TO ANY KIND OF SCRATCH

Really, you will get scratches here and there no matter how hard you try if you don't have any screen protector; TRUST ME ON THIS (even the soft clothes, which comes with the PSP, makes scratches if you use wrong side of it)

I had bunch of bubbles first time I applied it; if you are getting bubbles, then it means you need to use more caution.Just having one particle of dust either on the screen or the protector means having a bubble.So my suggestion is..

1. I would make sure to get rid of all the dusts, marks, whatever on the PSP screen and also have your screen protector free from dust as much as possible. THIS IS VERY CRUCIAL FOR HAVING A CLEAN, BUBBLE-FREE SCREEN

2. Then I would peel off the screen protector just barely enough to apply on one end of the screen (make sure you measure the screen protector to the PSP screen; it barely covers the screen and make sure you apply it right first time) then just slide it over with the plastic slider they provide (by the way, the plastic slider they provide isn't wide enough to completely pushout the bubbles, and it also creates scratches on the protector as well.. come'on, THINK!!!)My recommendation is that I would use a ruler to do this instead of the crappy plastic stuff

You know, one MAJOR DOWNSIDE of this product is that you get ONLY ONE TRY; that's it.If you are getting even one bubble or whatever on your first try, it means that is the end of it; don't try to peel it off again to get rid of dust - it will only creates more bubble and ruin your screen protector.

I guess good thing about it is that it's better than nothing; really, your PSP screen is soooooo vulnerable...hard to believe.. and this product, if applied with utmost concentration and care with some luck, looks good because it only covers the screen barely and looks good on your PSP.

Well, I don't know... it is definitely your call... but remember two things; first of all, you NEED TO PROTECT your PSP's screen, and second of all, you get ONLY ONE TRY with this product.

Good Luck.





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Review of New Replacement Nintendo NES 72-Pin Connector (Stops Blinking Problem)

Easy to install it took about 10 minutes. If you are having difficulty you can find easy to follow instructions here: http://www.hitgaming.com/connectorinstall.html

Went from a "blinking" nintendo to one that works every time like it is brand new.




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Review of S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadow of Chernobyl

Not only are the graphics top-notch, (better than Oblivions graphics) but the gameplay, AI, and atmosphere are all top-notch.It's also the creepiest and scariest fps I've ever played since Condemned, Half-Life 2 and Doom 3.

It's not Oblivion with guns.Nor is it a Doom 3 or Halo type game.It is open-ended and free-roaming,.. but instead of one HUGE map you have about 10 or so Battlefield 2 map size areas linked together, with loading screens inbetween. It has day & night cycles,.. rain,.. strong winds (complete with leaves and dust blowing around. The grass even reacts to the wind realisticly.It's got full dynamic lighting(if your videocard can support that) where everything,.. including the grass casts shadows from any and all lightg sources.)

The atmosphere reminds me of the run-down and abandoned areas of Half-Life 2,.. complete with weird monsters and enemy humans with very very good AI.
There are two separate factions you can choose between to join,.. or you can ignore them and stick to the main quest,.. and there are also many side quests."Stashes" are hidden supplies tucked away in containers in hidden areas all over the game, hidden by other NPCs for you to raid and then deposit your own extra supplies you may need later.

Guns can get worn out with excessive use and jam.Scopes can be attached to rifles.There are different types of ammo for each gun that will penetrate different materials.There is food, and after a while your character will get hungry.There is vodka to help reduce the effects of radiation poisoning just in case you don't have any anti-radiation meds on you.There are even energy drinks that will instantly refill your fatiguemeter from sprinting a lot.

When you are shot, you bleed.So not only are there medkits, but there are also bandages to put on your wounds.Each gun has it's own stats such as damage, accuracy, handling, and range.The gun accuracy is semi-realistic.Sort of like Battlefield 2,.. but better.There is reagular FPS view with the gun to the right of the screen,.. and there is "ironsights" view activated when you right-click for better aiming.

Dead bodies remain for an extremely long time.You can even drag them around.Some creatures will even eat and drag the bodies around.When you've gone through a map and killed everything,.. more enemies will return when or if you come back so that an area is never empty and boring.

There are hundreds of anomolies (hazard spots) scattered all over the game that can shock you, cause you to implode, irradiate you, or burn you alive.There are also artifacts with different powers and side effects you can eqip for some extra help.(some will reduce your damage from bullets or creatures, shock, increase your sprinting time, or reduce radiation in your body.

The story is mainly told through text entries in you PDA and character conversations. So it's up to you to keep up with the story.Often side missions will respawn,.. but it's up to you if you want to do them anyway.It's really easy to earn lots of money,.. and most of the guns, ammo, and supplies you need can be scavanged off of the dead bodies of your enemies (or friends),.. so there's not a lot to use money for.

This isn't a linear game where you always know what to do and you always have the upper-hand.It's up to you to connect the dots and figure out how to survive.It's a game for people who like to explore,..and want combat that is more serious.You can't go around like in GTA blowing everything up. You have to actually develop the skill to handle the guns and to take cover, as well as knowing when to avoid combat or retreat.

It isn't compatible with Vista yet. (but a patch may soon fix that.)

You really need a PC that meets the recommended specs so you can turn all the graphics up and enjoy it to it's fullest. (duh. True for any PC game.)

I currently have an AMD dual core 4200, Geforce 7950 with 512 mb ram, 2 gb of DDR ram, and XP sp2 and I can play the game with graphics on maximum and have perfect performance.










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Review of Nintendo DS Lite 4-in1 Charger

This charger runs really HOT and smells like vaporizing plastic. A little scary.



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Review of Nintendo DS Lite Starter Kit

It's ok. I would have liked it better if the case had a sleeve inside that held the DS Lite in place.



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Review of Drop Point: Alaska Snowboarding

Just to let you all know this is by far the best snowboard game available for Mac (or PC for that matter).
Graphics are great and controls are fairly easy to get used to.I'm running it on a Macbook Pro and have had no problems with performance etc.
If you like sports action games - buy it.
Enjoy



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Review of Delta Force: Xtreme 2

like the game so far.Ive been playing Nova games for years.If you like open outdoor shooters with no boundaries then this game is something you should check out.It has a mix of maps for infantry and infantry with vehicles.If your familiar with DFX from some years back I will tell you what I noticed right off the bat.The multiplayer play seems smooth to me, its easier for me to hit targets and while playing the beta you can get a good idea of what Im talking about.The action is very fast, there is no more running around getting shot and then having to run some more.The vehicle spawning really delivers a lot of choices for example spawning into a helicopter and dive bombing on a tank, then popping your chute and dropping a satchel charge on it and escape into the cover of the terrain before blowing the tank sky high. Or spawning into a Blackhawk and firing the miniguns at advancing infantry.Spawn into a tank and help defend your team's position or spawn into a vehicle and run for cover as infantry its really a different experience then what we have seen in the past.This game does have a new community site which for those of us that were used to the old site this has been a large facelift from the ground up.You also can host your own maps, or make your own maps.



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Review of Nintendo Wii Remote and Nunchaku Controller Dark Blue Premium Silicone Skin Case Cover (Remote and Nunchaku NOT Included)

Not really impressed with the quality.Difficult to use with rechargeable batteries.Separated the top of the cover from the side cover on the first try - putting it on the remote.



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Review of Playstation 3 Type 6 Wireless Controller

It's cool to receive your own turbo controller.Personally I never use the six axis function included; nevertheless it seems well built but on the other hand, the button symbols (X,O...) just washed away during the first week of usage. Now I have black buttons all over the control. Also the keypad tends to get stuck when I press it down, that's a problem because I need to quickly turn off/on it to get it back on track, of course if you're playing COD or Resistance, tell me how valuable are those seconds... they just kill you like 5 five times while waiting...hehehe.
The usb device works fine, not that many troubles as I expected.



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Review of Saitek P990 Dual Analog Game Pad

This is the new improved version of the p880, which got lots of great reviews on Amazon. I've now played with this for a couple of hours and I'm EXTREMELY happy with it! It is perfect in every way! First, the gamepad is much bigger than the two logitech gamepads they had at circuit city. I like that, cuz my hands are large. The smaller gamepads are like they're made for little kids. Anyway, p990 is also lightweight. It has a cool blue light so you can see the buttons in the dark. It's bright, but it doesn't distract me while I'm playing games. I like the shape of the gamepad and the arrangement of all the buttons and controls. There is nothing to improve, as far as I'm concerned. Everything works great. I like very much that there are 6 buttons on top. This is great for fighting games like Mortal Kombat. There are two buttons on each shoulder. I read that's good for sports games, such as football and basketball. So there's a grand total of 10 buttons. Both of the dual analog joysticks were PERFECTLY calibrated right out of the box. I didn't have to adjust anything. All I did was plug in the joystick in the USB port and turn on my PC. It was automatically detected and installed. Only thing I did was check out the buttons in the joystick control panel to see how they worked and to see everything was perfect. The analog joysticks worked very well in several different 3D driving and flying games I tried. I was satisfied with them. This is great. Now I have both analog & digital control all in one unit. A software CD is included, but I didn't bother trying to use it yet. I also didn't try using the button that's supposed to load configurations for first person shooter games. The right side analog joystick is labeled "mouse look." I guess I'll update this review after I've tried an FPS with this gamepad. I wouldn't hestitate to buy it. It's incredible! It's a million times better than my old gravis gamepad pro.




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Review of Drum Rocker Premium Drum Set

I ordered these on December 9th (in the evening) and thanks to a free trial of Amazon Prime, I got it shipped next day for just $3.99. Anyway I received them today and......WOW!!!! This peripheral single-handedly has made Rock Band FUN again!!! It's a completely different experience than the standard drum kit. The symbols add a level of realism that could not come close to being achieved with the standard kit. There is a learning curve, as the symbols will confuse you at times (when to hit them vs when to use the regular pads,) but it's fun figuring it out! The kick pedal is very good (way better than the one that comes with Rock Band and Rock Band 2, but not as good as the Omega Pedal.) It does take a while, took me about 30 minutes, to set up out of the box. There are wires going everywhere, one from each drum pad/symbol, to a central hub but you can zip-tie the cords up so it doesn't look like a rats nest. The kit can be set up to your liking as all the drum pads and the symbols are move-able. The pads themselves are more quiet and give more "bounce" than the rock band kit as well. Over all this is a very good drum kit, I have been playing Rock Band for almost 1 year, got to the point where I could play about 1/2 of the 250+ songs on expert so I have put a lot of time in on the old kit. I love the Drum Rocker and am looking forward to hours and hours of fun using it!!! The BEST kit on the market for playing Rock Band/Guitar Hero World Tour!



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Review of DS Lite Pro Gamer's Kit - Assorted Black/White

I bought this a few weeks ago when I first opened it there was an odor but just like new sneakersthe odor went away after a couple days of airing it out. I love the fact it was jam packed with great accessories.
1)safe screens and a squeegee for both upper and lower screen.
sticks great no glare but I recommend you make sure no particles are on it before you put it on. they'll show as small air pockets you cant get rid of.though only noticable when the ds is off so no biggy.
2) retractable game buds.nice sound but a little big for small ears.
3) car adaptor
4) game cases. 4 gba (1 game per case) and 4 ds (4 games per case)
5) dock it. nice for recharging
6) finger tip stylus's. (1 lg, 1 sm) Love these!
7) extra pen stylus
8) attachable screen wipe. heck of a lot more convient (and works better) then a cloth like one.
9) neck strap. nice and long with clip release
I really have no need (at this time anyway) for the car adapter. so I use that space for my recharger, and I have around 11 gba games I wanted to put in there, but with cases it takes too much space. so I stand em up in the upper middle section 9 fit snuggly down and 2 on the side of them and they fit great. and I use the ds games with the cases provided and put 2 on the upper left side for a perfict fit. (plus 2 of those cases holds 8 games) The mesh pockets work great for the other accessories plus I put any papers or instruction booklets inbetween the pockets and the seperator flap which is secured by velcro. everything I want fits great and is secure. I even knocked it off a table (opened) and the ds stayed nicely in its slot so did everything behind the flap. though the earbuds and games went flyinghehe. at first the area that hold the ds seemed a bit snug.but after doing that I was happy it was. I definity recommend this product. even if ya hate the case, you cant get all the accessories it comes with even close to the great price this is.



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Review of Nintendo Wii Remote Cooking Kit Adapter (Remote NOT Included)

My daughters really love using this adapter set for their cooking mama game on the wii.They are 12 and 14 and I was a little surprised at how much fun they have playing a game that to me seems kind of silly.



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Review of Logitech Attack 3 Joystick

This joystick is solidly built & comforatable during long sessions. It's a pleasure to use. The 12 programmable buttons make it very adaptable ( good for MS Flight Simulator ). Plus, the reasonable price makes it easy to afford. Overall I would recommend it to anyone.



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Review of Wii Console Back Pack

If you're looking for a way to haul your Wii gear around, this is one of the best choices, but don't be fooled by the picture, it's still extremely small.The best feature is the elastic straps to hold components in place, so when you arrive your stuff is where you left it.The console, however requires some jimmying to place it in the main pocket.Overall, a decent product, I just wish Nintendo would make an official Wii carrier.



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Review of Spin and Store Video Table

With this device you can maintain order on your desk, turn the feature makes this device may have at hand all the objects that would normally be dispersed throughout the desktop



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Review of Xbox 360 Play and Charge Kit

This kit is good because it does its job.However, the cord is WAY too short.I was not able to go far with the cable plugged in from the xbox360 to my controller. Not only that, it doesn't include a charge pack so you are left buying one on your own.If either of the above doesn't matter to you, then this product is great.If it does, then go with the original Play & Charge kit that has a really long cord and with a charge pack.



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Review of Nintendo DS Ear Force D2 Stereo Headphones + Boom Mic

Really nice sound, as expected from turtle beach products, Sensitive microphone (possibly a little too sensitive.), Volume control. sturdy wire with wire guards at all ends to prevent fraying at wire entry points. And a few color choices to pick from. Your kid will probably love it, and be able to use it a while.... However.. It's not the most practical design. It should have been constructed with a Right angle DS Mic/Audio jack.It's jack juts outward and down, which bends the wire hard, when tired little arms begin to sag from hours of play. It's not the most practical headset either. It's jack does not come with an adapter to convert the DSJack into a standard headphones and audio jack, So don't buy this one thinking that you'll have universal headset compatibility. Additionally, there is no "Mute" button on the cord for the microphone. Though few games utilize the Mic functions of the DS as is, A Mute function might be preferable for those Metroid Hunter matches, when you dont want your friends to hear you curse in channel, because you dropped the DS on your toe.



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Review of Nintendo DS Lite Dura-Case - Pink

This case is well built.It's not exactly the same color pink as the DS Lite, but it is close.I like the extra slot for the spare stylus.I like that I can carry six games with me.I love that it's a close fit.The only problem I had with it was that I had to let it sit open for a week before I used it.The inside smelled very, very strongly of plastic.It gave me a headache and transferred to the DS Lite when I put it in right the case right after opening it.After letting it sit open for a few days, the smell wasn't as much of a problem, and when I let it sit a week, the smell went away.



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Review of Robot Arena

The game is a neat little representation of the tv show Battlebots, right down to the sawblades and spikes on the floor.There are a decent amount of parts to play with, and gameplay is pretty easy.It is relatively straightforward to make and fight with a robot, and at first, it may seem a bit strange with the camera angles.While the AI leaves much to be desired at first, if you go to...and download the patch, you will instantly like the game a whole lot more. With the patch comes 2 new weapons, head to head mode, better Multiplayer suppport, far more advanced challenging AI, and finally about 5 or so new bots to beat to pieces :)Once you have the patch, the game seems much more fun, and I definitely recommend this game for those robot loving people out there!



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Review of Metal Slug 7

I have never been able to say no to Metal Slug, and I never will either.That's why I was nothing but excited when I heard that Metal Slug would be making its debut on the DS with Metal Slug 7, and needless to say, if you're a fan of the series and own a DS, you know that you need to own this.The run and gun experience of the arcade smash has managed to be perfectly shrunken down for the DS, and there's virtually no slowdown with all the action happening.It's a sheer blast to play through, which is what one would expect from a Metal Slug game, and it offers everything that has made the series so fun to begin with, as well as a few new Slugs to boot.That being said, Metal Slug 7 isn't without it's flaws.Namely the fact that it won't take you too long to blast through the game, and other than the standard Arcade Mode and the Combat School Mode, that's pretty much it.There's no online or co-op (one of the true pleasures of Metal Slug is playing with a pal), and no use of the touch-screen, or any of the DS' other capabilities either.Still, hardcore Metal Slug fans will find much to admire here, and if you are and you own a DS, Metal Slug 7 is a must own.



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Review of Company Of Heroes: Opposing Fronts

I have never seen a more buggy game.Patch after patch after patch.On # 4 now and it won't launch.Finally had it working after extensive emails to customer suupport then, today, it decided it needed another 112MB patch.After downloading it, it supposedly patched but on relaunch still wants the patch.ARRRGGHHH!Who is writing this crappy code and who is checking it?I just want to come home from work and play a little game...instead its sheer frustration.
I understand their desire for copyright protection, but their requirements for you to jump through so many hoops is ridiculous.THQ you should be ashamed....



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Review of PS3 AC Adaptor

PROS......
+ Weightless.
+ Easy to transport and move (great for travels).
+ Easy to install.
+ Works great with all ps3 devices.
+ Comes with USB cable.

CONS......
- Simple design, not fashion at all.
- Only 2 USB outputs.


COMMENTS-----------

I have 6 ps3 controllers and a USB rechargeable headset.

I bought this PS Brand device to maintain charged my ps3 accesories away from my ps3's USB inputs, and I must say this adaptor works great .

It recharges the ps3 controller @ full, and stops giving it energy the moment the battery is full charged. The device is small, easy to transport and move from pl to place, it comes with a power cord, the usb device and a USB cable.

There are other devices to recharge controllers, but they are big and hard to move, I fully recommend this adaptor.



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Review of Playstation 2 Dance Pad Revolution 2

I'm a total DDR (Dance Dance Revolution) Newbie.(For now.)And this is the pad I've chosen to start with.

This is the least expensive pad of reasonable quality I have found yet.

It is a soft pad and can be folded.But you really should remember to fold it in thirds so the stepping areas don't get creased.(I don't know what happens when the stepping buttons get creased, and I don't plan on finding out.)

I have a somewhat cushy carpet, but that combined with the softness of the pad, it does NOT seem to negatively affect the sensitivity of the controller.

There does tend to be a little bit of slippage during play.(They do include some sticky disks that are supposed to help with that, but I want to be able to put the pad away so I'm a little dubious.I can probably fix the problem with some self adhesive Velcro or something.)But the slippage is not enough to seriously hinder gameplay for a fair number of rounds.(At least, not the way I dance, your mileage may vary.)Even without sticky stuff or Velcro, it's not big deal to step off the pad between songs and nudge it back into place with your toe.

The bottom is a smooth neoprene, the top is vinyl, and the padding in between sounds like crunchy plastic type material.

No, this is not the best made pad in the world.

But it's a good pad at a good price.

If you're just starting out and you're not sure that this type of game is for you, or if you're just on a limited budget, you would do well with this dance pad.



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Review of PSP i.Sound Pro 2

I received an email promoting a DEAL OF THE DAY, which just happened to be the PSP i.Sound Pro 2.The price was right and I bought it, not knowing exactly what to expect.I had read a couple dismal reviews.

When it arrived I anxiously opened the box and removed my new system.After connecting the PSP Slim adapter and inserting the batteries, I was ready to roll.

I pulled up The Phantom Menace and adjusted the volume to different levels.It was all so clear and perfect.Then I jumped to the Podracing scene and hit the surround sound button.WOW!It sounded amazing.Sure it wasn't true surround sound but the EQ that it carries is amazing.I cranked up the volume to "11" and it never faded or distorted at all.After turning it back down to a reasonable volume I popped in some SKULLCANDY headphones and let her rip.PERFECTION!

A couple days later, while working around the house I plugged the MP3 player du jour into the system and was impressed once again.

I paid a nominal price for this but the full price is certainly worth it.Ease of use and a great stand make this the perfect accompaniment to the PSP.I don't know what I did without it.



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Review of Space Invaders Extreme

To understand how brilliant this game is, one should look back a the original phenom and other, less successful attempts to revive it.

The old: 1978's Space Invaders took the world by storm. In Japan, this popular game caused a shortage of the 100yen coins needed to play a game. In the USA, it munched similar amounts of quarters. The simple gameplay appealed to all types of people in the then-new arena of video games. Two years later, Atari licensed the arcade game for release at home, and the box proudly trumpeted "112 VIDEO GAMES"! These were all slight variations on the theme, with moving bases, invisible invaders, co-op play, fat players, and other small tweaks. Neat!

The others: Space Invaders was brilliant thirty years ago. The "thump thump thump" sounds of the invaders, and their iconic look are known by almost everyone, but the old game is slow and tedious. As much as I want to love it now, it's just too crusty and dusty -- and younger people will certainly turn up their nose at the limited options for fun. I feel that I could get a high score on the old game but I usually quit before losing, as it's a chore to play. The game has been trotted out in "old faithful" and "reimagined" formats for just about every system available, but they all have suffered the same problems as the original: the turgid, formal, repetitive gameplay just didn't age well, and most designers felt that giving the game more flair would dilute the original feel, making it more like Galaga than Space Invaders.

The now: SPACE INVADERS EXTREME reboots the whole concept. If you look at the screenshots, it looks like more of the same: You're still a little shooter at the bottom of the screen, and the invaders are still coming down at you, firing missiles at you and your protective bunkers.

thump
thump
thump
Yawn.

But wait! There's also an "interactive" synth soundtrack that moves everything along like a dance club. The invaders aren't shambling zombies anymore, they're FAST, and so are you. You can grab powerups like lasers that can clear out a whole column (or more!) of baddies with one shot. There are spread shots that can nuke entire rows. The enemy's formations change, sometimes you get big invaders, sometimes they have shields, sometimes they blow up all their neighbors when hit. The once-rare UFOs are now plentiful. The old vanilla 4-digit scoring has been replaced by a dynamic, pinball-style multiplier system with lots of pyrotechnics to match. Every 30 seconds or so, the game changes everything up so you aren't looking at the same phosphor-burn grid for minutes at a time.

Regular, bonus, and "boss" levels cleverly steal from other shooter games like Galaga, Attack of the Timelord (leave a comment for me if you know this cool game!), Gyruss Centipede, Gorf, Megamania, Phoenix, and others. Yes, "boss" levels are in here, where you have some biggies that take multiple shots to destroy. With the lights and music blaring away, these battles are not the tedious grind of old. The game remembers your last completed level, so you can always feel like you're making "progress," not just chasing the pure abstraction of a high score. There are worldwide online leaderboards for comparing your skills with others, too.

The game is also dead-easy to get into, just like the original. Just point and shoot. If you're really hardcore, you can import the Taito Arkanoid spinner to control this game, but left-right-shoot buttons are really more "pure."

To sum up:
Space Invaders classic concept;
Dazzling psychedelic special effects;
Dynamic, "always-on" gameplay that challenges without frustration;
High-score arcade purity with enough progression to make the game feel purposeful;
All for a bargain price.

If you have EVER liked Space Invaders (even if, like me, the thrill is gone), and you have a Nintendo DS or Playstation Portable, you will get many kicks from Space Invaders Extreme.

Import note: the Japanese version of this game is almost identical to the USA release except for a few lines of self-evident explanatory text, but the USA version is cheaper.



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Review of Wii Air Cooler

When it comes to accessories for the Nintendo Wii, most of the time, a third-party company will make something that will cause the system to not work properly. That isn't always the case as much as I thought it would. This Wii Air Cooler from Intec is sleek, very convient and keeps your Wii system cool from overheating, especially if you have it plugged in all the time for Wii Connect 24, and the news and weather channels. It is much easier to connect unlike other ones, which are connected through a vertical stand. Instead, you plug it in through the back where the 2 USB ports are, and it works like a charm. This air cooler is sturdy and doesn't cause any problems with the Wii, anyway you set it up either vertically or horizontally. Although there is one main problem is that it is very noisy at times, but that isn't a big problem. I really suggest you buy this Intec Air Cooler for the Wii. It is one add-on that is worth the money.

Price: B+

Convience: A-

Overall: B+



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Review of Guitar Idol - Green (w/ 2 songs)

I got this for my 7 year old son, he loves guitar hero. He also loves this too. Its a bit loud though but he loves acting like a guitarist in a band.



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Review of Wii Fit Yoga Mat

When using the wii fit, certain exercises in the yoga and strength training parts need you to be on the floor and this can be really uncomfortable if you have a hard wood floor like me or thin carpet. For this I would definitely recommend a yoga mat since if you used just an ordinary blanket or something there would be too much slippage. However, this yoga mat is very overpriced simply because it has "wiifit" written on it. I bought a second mat for only $5 on saleat a sports store that is the same quality and you could get a much better quality premium mat if you really wanted to spend as much as they are charging. So unless you need to have everything branded with Wii Fit on it, go to your local Walmart or Target or local sports store and buy a traditional yoga mat, and I'm sure you could find one in that lime green color too. This way if the Wii Fit does inspire you to continue Yoga professionally, you won't look like a fool when you bring your Wii Fit mat to class!



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Review of Warhammer Mark of Chaos Battle March Bundle

I really like the potential of this game.If the developers had put a bit more effort into this, this series could go toe-to-toe with the best strategy games out there.Of course, the problem is that the effort was a half-hearted one.I personally do not regret the purchase, but I do hope that Namco will give up the Warhammer license and allow another developer/publisher to have a crack at it.

First, the good things.The game looks great.A lot of care has been taken in the making of models and environments.The gritty Warhammer world comes out clearly in the visuals. The voice acting is pretty good as well.I like the hero dynamics and the big battles, even though they have a chaotic mob feel to them.The game ships with a number of maps, so you can play skirmishes after finishing the campaign, which is focused on the two new races (orcs and dark elves).I found the game to be very stable on my computer, which is not always the case with PC games nowadays.

Okay, the stuff that I didn't like.Where to begin: Unit animations, while improved over the original game, still do not give you the sense that visceral combat is taking place.Also, there is a lack of gameplay modes in single-player (just the campaign and skirmish).While the campaign is decent, it is quite hard in several missions, even on the normal difficulty level.And you cannot save the game within a mission.Thus, if you fail a mission (and you will), you have to start over.A map editor did not ship with the game, thus modding is not really supported.The game just feels a bit sterile and empty in other ways that are hard to describe.

After having played games such as Battle for Middle Earth 2 and Dawn of War, this game left me frustrated about all of its unrealized potential.The developer has not been known for releasing many patches or providing other support, so I do not imagine that the game will be improved upon in the future.

If you liked the original game (Mark of Chaos), Battle March is more of the same.There is not much here for those, like me, who primarily play single-player beyond the campaign.The game can be played on-line, but I am not sure that there's much of a community.In sum, there are better strategy games out there.

3.5 stars



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Review of PS3/PC T-Flight Stick X

This is a great joystick.Just need more ps3 games to use it with. Excellent for blazing angels, tough for warhawk though. Controls can be remapped for different games with a chip inside to save settings.A definite recommendation.




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Review of Saitek Photo Mouse (PM39A)

After looking at the prices of other "mice", I really was not expecting much from this one.It is actually a lot better than the one that came with my computer.There is no ball to have to clean.A template comes with the mouse to make the photo easy to cut out.The light never goes off, by the way.



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