My Pac Man Frame

My newest Etsy piece - a Pac Man frame. I made it from a wooden frame and fused beads. The frame is 8 inches x 8 inches and the picture hole is 3.2 inches x 3.2 inches.

I'm selling them on my Etsy store for $10.00 plus $5 CAN or $7 US shipping. I only have two for sale right now but if they sell, I plan to make more.

Check them out. Pixelated Creations

SQUARE ENIX SHIPS FRONT MISSION TO RETAILERS TODAY

The Classic Strategy Saga Makes Its Debut in North America

LOS ANGELES (October 23, 2007) – Square Enix, Inc., the publisher of Square Enix™ interactive entertainment products in North America, announced today that FRONT MISSION®, the exciting turn-based strategy game developed exclusively for the Nintendo DS™, is now shipping to retail outlets across North America.

The origin of the FRONT MISSION series has been localized for North America for the first time in this classic handheld saga. FRONT MISSION introduces exciting new features, such as dual screen presentation and multiplayer modes, that update the classic that gave birth to seven renowned sequels. Utilizing Touch Screen functionality, players command a squad of customizable mechs known as wanzers and direct them through turn-based skirmishes across the battlefields of the 21st century.

“We are extremely excited to have the opportunity to present FRONT MISSION to our North American audience,” said producer Koichiro Sakamoto. “We have recreated this classic masterpiece utilizing dual screen presentation and stylus-driven controls, allowing players to experience the intuitive gameplay in a whole new way.”

FRONT MISSION focuses on the conflict over Huffman Island, located in the neutral zone between two superpowers known as the Oceania Cooperative Union (O.C.U.) and the Unified Continental States (U.C.S.). Players can experience the Second Huffman Conflict from the perspective of Royd Clive, the leader of the O.C.U. mercenary outfit “Canyon Crows,” or Kevin Greenfield, the commanding officer of the U.C.S. Special Forces squad “Black Hounds.” Through intense missions against wanzers, tanks, attack helicopters, and giant mobile weapon platforms, the true motives behind the war over Huffman Island will be revealed.

FRONT MISSION has been rated E10+ (Everyone 10 and older) by the Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) and will be available at retailers for a suggested retail price of $34.99. For more information on FRONT MISSION, please visit http://na.square-enix.com/frontmission/ For more information about the ESRB please visit www.esrb.org

Final Fantasy X-2 Yuna from Art FX

It's kind of a dark picture, but the flash kept reflecting in the box. This is the newest Final Fantasy piece that I recently bought off of eBay. I got it for a steal at $9.00! So far, she's the only Final Fantasy figure I own. I have a Chocobo and Moogle doll. And I have Resident Evil and Legend of Zelda figures too.

I plan to collect Final Fantasy X character first and then try for FFVII and FFVII. FFIX characters would be nice, but they're hard to find. SquareEnix needs to create figures from Final Fantasy VI based on the artwork, not the game sprites. Those would be cool.

Til then though, I have my growing collection of Final Fantasy VI fused bead art.

Video Game Transformers

Hasbro has a cool new line of Transformers that transform from modern tech objects into robots. Two of the transformers come in the form of video game objects, a PS2 duel shock controller look-a-like and a Gameboy micro look-a-like.

These toys are really small though. About 3 inches in length and 4 or 5 inches in width.

Toys R Us in Canada has these toys on sale for half price, $4.97 but you need to hurry cause supplies are limited and the sale ends Friday, October 26th. I tried to buy one from work today but we were already sold out. Too bad, cause they're so cool.

Review: The Orange Box

With the holiday season fast approaching it is now a great time for gamers. A flood of high quality releases is upon us for all game systems. With so many good titles out already and many biggies soon to be released, picking and choosing which ones that will be occupying your immediate free time can be a real challenge.

Luckily for me, one of those choices has been made simple with the recent release of The Orange Box by Valve which is hands down easily the best value in gaming out there for this year. The Orange Box contains five fantastic games all on one disc – Half Life 2 and its subsequent episodes one and two along with the puzzle game Portal and multiplayer title, Team Fortress 2.

Now I should preface that I’m not normally a huge fan of first person shooters, they often make me dizzy after an hour of playing but anything Half Life makes me wanna down a bottle of Gravol and stay up late with my Xbox 360. I played the original Half Life on my PC back in the day and loved it as well as the initial release of Half Life 2 on the original Xbox so I was familiar with the storyline surrounding the game’s main protagonist, the crowbar wielding scientist turn badass Gordon Freeman who is on a mission to save humanity from enslavement by an evil alien race.

While HL2 may have already made an original Xbox appearance this will be the first time the series is on the 360 and the first time episodes one and two are available to 360 players. HL2 holds up unbelievably well in the next generation. Valve did such a great job with the game’s graphics, sound and storyline that it matches or exceeds anything out there currently. Episodes one and two add brand new seamless content to the series and continue the player’s adventure onward past the cliffhanger ending of HL2.

Episode one features a lot more puzzles and challenges for you to overcome instead of just blasting your way through combine forces but don’t worry Episode two will keep you busy killing a host of new enemies as well as a very challenging driving mission and finale. Hours and hours of great gameplay here people and Valve has also thrown in some extra content that allows you to play the episodes through featuring commentary from the developers at many points in the game, an awesome idea.

The Orange Box also features the long awaited game Portal, a first person action puzzle game built on the Half Life engine. Set in the mysterious Aperture Science Laboratories, you’ll be required to navigate a series of challenging puzzles and rooms where you use a gun to create portals from which you use to navigate to different points and directions. This game is definitely a mind bender and will make you think but the whole experience is deep, unique and fun the whole way through.

Portal features only single player action however Valve hasn’t forgotten about multiplayer fans and has included a fantastic multiplayer game in The Orange Box, Team Fortress 2. TF2, is a class based multiplayer team shooter that provides you with a wide variety of combat classes with a large selection of tactical abilities and personalities. The game has a cartoon like visual style look to it based on the art of J. C. Leyendecker but don’t let that fool you into thinking this isn’t one of the most advanced and fun multiplayer shooters out there! While I admit that I’m not the greatest player at multiplayer mayhem, I do love the original visual presentation and humor in this game and find myself having a great time online.

With all these great games in one package, its no doubt The Orange Box will be a favorite among all types of gamers from the casual to the hardcore who are looking for something with a lot of replayability. The Orange Box is now available for PC and Xbox 360. The Playstation 3 version will be out on December 11.

Rating: 9 out of 10

More Pixelated Creations: Geekery from Etsy.com

Bring the sweet, life-giving liquid of Lon Lon Ranch milk with you everywhere. Tiffany Bell is selling glass bottles charms that look like Lon Lon Ranch milk bottles from The Legend of Zelda series.

She is also selling Pokemon Ball charms. Made from clay and finished with acrylic paint and glaze. Both charms sell for $3.00 on Etsy.com.

Behind the scenes with Valve: The Orange Box

Gametrailers takes you behind the scenes with Valve on their newest game, The Orange Box.

Games I'm Playing

This week I've finished Cloning Clyde on XBLA, played The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess on the Wii, played The Orange Box - Team Fortress, Portal, Half Life 2 & Episode One and played The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass.

I love all these games. So many good ones to choose from. Good thing I'm off tomorrow. Time to play more than one. The Orange Box and Phantom Hourglass look good.

Dead Fantasy I - Fan film coated in chocolate awesauce

Animated and Directed by Monty Oum.

Dead Fantasy I is a fan film featuring the ladies of Final Fantasy and Dead or Alive in the best looking fight sequence I've ever since. Neo has nothing on these ladies.

Watch for yourself and you'll agree that this is the best fan film ever made. The characters are so close to the actual video game versions that you would think Team Ninja and SquareEnix teamed up to make this film themselves.

Look for Dead Fantasy II soon.

Star Wars Battlefront®: Renegade Squadron™ Now Available Exclusively for the PSP® System

Next Installment in Best-Selling Star Wars Battlefront Series Introduces Customization and Expands Multiplayer Options

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. – October 9, 2007 – Star Wars Battlefront: Renegade Squadron, the next installment of the best-selling Star Wars Battlefront series of videogames, is now available at retail stores in the U.S., LucasArts announced today.

Developed exclusively for the PSP® (PlayStation®Portable) system by U.K.-based Rebellion, Star Wars Battlefront: Renegade Squadron continues the immensely successful Battlefront series, which has sold more than 10 million copies worldwide since its introduction in 2004.

The only new Star Wars Battlefront experience of 2007, Renegade Squadron delivers a new way for players to experience their favorite Star Wars battles any way – and anywhere – they want. The game presents new battles and missions found through a never-before-told story, as well as an unprecedented wealth of personalization and customization options. And for the first time on the PSP system, Star Wars Battlefront players can team up or compete online with friends all over the world.

Star Wars Battlefront: Renegade Squadron is the previously untold story of a ragtag ensemble of battle-hardened rogues and scoundrels assembled by Han Solo. Gathered to execute some of the most secretive operations in the Rebel Alliance’s war against the Galactic Empire, the Renegade Squadron participates in battles spanning the galaxy. From the frozen base on Hoth to a dogfight in space through the remains of Alderaan, Solo directs the team on missions of sabotage, rescue and retrieval.

In Star Wars Battlefront: Renegade Squadron, robust customization options replace the class system seen in previous Star Wars Battlefront titles, allowing for millions of possible unique combatants. With weapons, equipment and abilities that players select themselves, no two allies will likely ever look or perform exactly the same.

The game also boasts expanded multiplayer options for the PSP system. Up to 16 players will be able to compete against each other over the Internet and eight via the PSP system’s ad-hoc wireless connection.

More information about Star Wars Battlefront: Renegade Squadron can be found at http://www.starwarsbattlefront.com.

New games added to Video Games Live for E for all

Video Games Live has added a bunch of new games to the roster for the upcoming E for All convention. Game like Halo 3, Conan, BioShock, Contra, Tetris, Pac Man, Final Fantasy, StarCraft and World of Warcraft: Burning Crusade.

I saw VGL in Toronto last year and it was amazing. The concert series has added more game music to the show since then and I can't wait to see it again when it comes back to the Toronto area.

If you heading out to the E for All convention, make sure you grab tickets to VGL, if you haven't already. Tommy Tallarico and Jack Wall, the show's founders, have put together an amazing concert that is not to be missed.


The concert will be taking place on Friday, October 19th at the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles.

For more information, go to Videogameslive.com.

Mama's back in the kitchen for Cooking Mama 2!

Mama and her flaming eyes are back for Cooking Mama 2 for the Nintendo DS. I can't wait to make more dishes that I would never eat in real life or even know what it is.

In the newest edition of the Cooking Mama series, Cooking Mama 2: Dinner with friends allows you to cook for your friends, offers 80 new recipes and the ability to dress Mama up in different clothes. Oh the possibilities!

Look for Cooking Mama 2 coming in November.

Review: Heroes of Mana

One of the genre of games that I've been playing less of lately is Real Time Strategy games, because most RTS games are only available for PC and my PC is in dire need of upgrading. But luckily for me and all you RTS fans, SquareEnix makes games like Heroes of Mana.

Heroes of Mana is very like Warcraft III where you can collect resources and summon units for battle, but you still have main heroes that you must keep alive during battle.

Heroes of Mana follows a group of five Peddan soldiers that are sent on a scout mission to the kingdom of Feronlia, the home of the Beastmen, as it is rumored that they are prepared for war against your country. When your group gets there, you realize that they are doing no such thing and that your country has sent troops in ahead of you to raid and destroy the kingdom. Your group finds themselves soon on a journey to save the world from an ancient evil and your own country with the help of the Mana Goddess.



The graphics are amazing in this game. Bright and colourful, each character and unit is beautifully drawn and the cut scenes are elegant like most of SquareEnix's games. The intro video reminded me of a great anime cartoon. Very detailed. Much like the World of Mana games before, the graphics are most impressive for a DS game. The characters, units and battle fields are shown in 3D but the battlefield is on a grid for easy touch control moves.

The audio has a midi like sound to it. There is no characters voices, but lots of great battle music in the fashion of Final Fantasy. The music made each battle all the more intense.

The gameplay was pretty easy to pick up in the beginning with the help of the in game tutorial. The stylus made it easy to move units, group units and select menus. You could select individual units to move them or you could circle units to move them as a group.

Before each battle, you are required to pick a group of heroes to send into battle. You can choose a different group each time or stay with your favorites. New heroes are added to the roster as the story progresses.

Hero units are your most powerful units and can use magic to heal. Each monster unit has a weak and strong unit point. For example: Flying units are weak against archers and strong against ground units. Units can be summoned by entering your airship, building a unit building and selecting the amount of units you want, based on the amount of resources you have summon them.

Battles are won when all the enemies are killed and the final goal is reached. Each level, when finished, gives you a rank based on how well you do in the battle. Each rank rewards the player with items for your hero units to boost their stats.

My only complaint is that the small DS touch screen is so crowded with status and buttons that I kept accidentally tapping the wrong menus during battles. It was a little hard on one level to find the square to exit my units from the board too. It took me a few minutes of tapping around the 3D door way just to find the right square to click.

Bonus maps are provided for players to practice their skills on the battlefield between story levels and multiplayer is available through Wi-Fi and Mult-card play. Two copies of the game are required though.

So far is has been one of the better World of Mana spin offs since Secret of Mana. I highly suggest it to all those RTS and SquareEnix fans out there. This is an easy game to pick up and play.

Rating: 7 out of 10

FINAL FANTASY TACTICS: THE WAR OF THE LIONS SHIPS TO NORTH AMERICAN RETAILERS TODAY

Solid Reviews Heighten Expectations for the Classic Tactical RPG


LOS ANGELES (October 9, 2007) – Square Enix, Inc., the publisher of Square Enix™ interactive entertainment products in North America, announced today that FINAL FANTASY TACTICS®:

THE WAR OF THE LIONS™, available exclusively for the PSP® (PlayStation®Portable) system, is shipping with solid reviews to retailers across North America.


As the first release in the IVALICE ALLIANCE™ series, FINAL FANTASY TACTICS: THE WAR OF THE LIONS sets the stage for the world of Ivalice. Based on the tactical role-playing game FINAL FANTASY TACTICS, originally released in 1998 on the PS one® game console, this all-new release features never-before-seen cinematic sequences, an entirely new English translation, 16:9 widescreen presentation and new multi-player functionality that will captivate a new generation of gamers. FINAL FANTASY TACTICS: THE WAR OF THE LIONS also features new jobs and new characters, including Balthier from FINAL FANTASY® XII and Luso from the upcoming FINAL FANTASY TACTICS A2.

FINAL FANTASY TACTICS: THE WAR OF THE LIONS has received stellar reviews for its graphics and gameplay from the industry’s top critics:

“FINAL FANTASY TACTICS: THE WAR OF THE LIONS is about as perfect as games come, and you must play it.”

(9.5 out of 10, Game of the Month)

- PSM: Independent PlayStation Magazine, November 2007

“…once you jump in, you may never want to put another game in your PSP.”

(8.5, 8.5 and 8.0 out of 10, EGM Silver Award)

- EGM, November 2007



“…THE WAR OF THE LIONS is worth a play through from both fans of the original and tactics aficionados.”

(9.5 out of 10)

- Game Informer Magazine, November 2007



“An amazing remake of an already amazing game.”

(4.25 out of 5)

- GamePro, November 2007


The Story

In days long past, the War of the Lions rent the land of Ivalice in two. It is here that two young men of note first step onto history’s stage. The first is Delita Heiral, the hero who would draw the curtain on the War of the Lions, this dark act of Ivalice’s history. The other, whose role is now forgotten, is a man by the name of Ramza Beoulve. Peer through the eyes of these two young men and uncover the secrets that lie hidden within history’s darkened folds.

Additional Features

* Witness the origin of the IVALICE ALLIANCE, a series of titles that take place in the same fantastical worlds as FINAL FANTASY XII and the upcoming FINAL FANTASY XII: REVENANT WINGS™
* Character designer Akihiko Yoshida’s character illustrations come to life in all-new animated sequences that combine hand-drawn-styled visuals with the fluidity of computer graphics – fully voiced exclusively for the English version
* All-new enhancements update the experience for a new generation of gamers – enhanced widescreen presentations, new jobs, new characters and a new English translation deepen the Ivalice experience
* Challenge friends in head-to-head battles with the all-new multiplayer function or team up in the all-new co-operative mode and try to outwit the game’s advanced computer opponents
* Classic orchestrations from world-renowned composers Hitoshi Sakimoto and Masaharu Iwata capture the essence and breathtaking drama of the world of Ivalice.


FINAL FANTASY TACTICS: THE WAR OF THE LIONS has been rated T (Teen) by the Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) and will be available at retailers for a suggested retail price of $39.99. For more information on FINAL FANTASY TACTICS: THE WAR OF THE LIONS, please visit http://na.square-enix.com/fftactics/. For more information about the ESRB please visit www.esrb.org.


Merchandise
Character designer Akihiko Yoshida’s illustrations have been faithfully recreated in a set of four miniature figures based on FINAL FANTASY TACTICS: THE WAR OF THE LIONS, available exclusively online at the Square Enix Store in November. The collection includes Ramza, Agrias, Delita, and Ovelia for a suggested retail price of $29.99. For additional information and products available at the Square Enix Store, please go to: http://www.square-enix-shop.com.

World of Warcraft Toyota Commercial

Four Wheels of Fury, baby! I am the Law Giver!
Dude, there's no trucks in World of Warcraft.

This is Toyota's newest commercial featuring the World of Warcraft universe. Personally I don't think that truck would be as cool as weapon as Toyota thinks. Where are players going to find gas after the tank runs dry?

Death by Demo

Until I purchased an Xbox 360, I always had to base my game purchases on shows like Reviews on the Run or X-Play. Even watching Cheat gave me a good idea of the game play and helped me make my mind up on games like Oddworld: Stranger's Wrath or Psychonauts.

Now with the magic of the Xbox marketplace, I can test drive games before I purchase them with the many demos that are available before or after their release dates. Problem is that some demos are poorly designed and don't give a good impression of the full game.


Take for example, the Beautiful Katamari demo, which was very short, played like every other Katamari before it and didn't impress me with anything new. I like Katamari games, but give us something new for once. Don't show us a demo that looks and plays like all the Katamari games before it and plays for only 5 minutes. Give us a taste of what's new in the game, so that we leave wanting more.

Blue Dragon's demo was another great example of a poorly designed demo. You're dropped into the middle of the game with no idea of what's going on and how to play the game. There's no tutorial, so you have to figure out how to fight, use special powers and items with no help at all. The enemies were incredible hard to fight and honestly the demo completely turned me off from ever purchasing this game.

Though when I received a copy of Blue Dragon at X'07, I figured what the heck, I'll give it another try and low and behold, Blue Dragon is actually a good game. I can't seem to put the controller down. The storyline is interesting and the game play is a lot easier than I thought. It's a shame that demo turned me off of what was actually a good game. This is not a good marketing move from the game design company.


The Viva Pinata: Party Animal demo is another demo that had me questioning the value of purchasing this game. I love Viva Pinata, but the demo was way too easy to play which makes me wonder if this game is made purely for kids. If it is, then I have no interest in buying it and again that's $50 more dollars not going into Microsoft's pocket.

Game designers have to realise that demos are just as important as the final game. If a demo does not show the best parts of a game, then you risk giving your product a bad image before gamers can play the full version. Sure, there are reviews to read and friends to give opinions, but most gamers will use demos as their final decision on a game.

Game designers ... make sure you're always putting your best foot forward, because gamers are not afraid to step on you and your game, if they don't like what they see.