Konami Pre-E3 Press Conference Announcements

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Parent Category: Gadgets

Category: Video Games

Published on Friday, 03 June 2011 21:00

Written by Ryan Vest and Christopher Lai

Konami is striking first with its own Pre-E3 Press Conference streamed live over the Internet.  While their website initially crashed due to the high demand, followers were still able to catch the show via other sites like GameTrailers.com.  

Read more: Konami Pre-E3 Press Conference...

Fish Tank - New Puzzle Game for the PSP

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Parent Category: Gadgets

Category: Video Games

Published on Saturday, 09 April 2011 23:19

Written by Ryan Vest & Christopher Lai

Fish Tank from iFun4All is a new puzzle game released for the PlayStation Minis service and available on the PlayStation Network for download on the PS3 as well.  Fish Tank is an arcade-style matching game where you match similar colored fish to gain points and upgrades.

The style is not your typical matching game and features side scrolling fish which require quick reactions to fully control the pieces.

The game plays very much like Puzzle Fighter tilt on its side. The goal is to organize fish by colors as they move from left to the right on the screen.  Groups of fish are collected by hitting the designated button which adds to the game's strategic value.

Saving up for multiple matches gains different combo multipliers which can be used later.  This gameplay style makes creating combos easier and less satisfying than in other similar games.  Also, with only five columns to work with the ability to create different  unique combos has been completely removed.

Fish Tank tries makes up for it by adding different action element to it like introducing different fish during play at any given time.  However, controlling the fish requires precise controls which the game lacks. Instead of being able to move fish into designated rows, Fish Tank uses a smoother style allowing the fish be moved anywhere on the screen.

The difficulty lies where the fish are placed is between two designated rows, allowing for the fish to not go into the correct position. A simple indicator would fix the issue, but a lack of one proves extremely exhausting.  The problem is extenuated by the ability of the  fish move at different speeds, and since the rightmost fish is always selected it’s not always clear which fish is being controlled.

For a price of $3.99, Fish Tank is hard to recommend to anyone.  The two gameplay modes add little to the value of the game. Overall, the core is bland and frustrating, wrapped in cheap presentation.

Film Festival in a Box Game Debuts

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Parent Category: Gadgets

Category: Video Games

Published on Sunday, 20 March 2011 15:59

Written by Film Festival Traveler Staff

 On September 26, 2010, IndieFlix will bring Film Festival in a Box to America’s biggest living room: Times Square.

Film Festival in a Box is the new interactive movie game where friends watch, judge and rate real films, filmmakers and actors. The launch takes place on the mammoth JumboTron screen where players and passers-by will watch four light-hearted and romantic short films, vote on their favorite and be entered to win prizes including a 3-day 2- night stay in the private villa Casa Soleado in Cabo San Lucas and copies of the Film Festival in a Box game.

Film Festival in a Box creator and IndieFlix CEO Scilla Andreen said, "On September 26 we're bringing the game, and a whole lot of love, to the pedestrian mall at 47th Street with the intent to have fun, spark conversation, and awaken a new generation of audiences to the joy of independent film."

Flash mobs, schwag and more will mark the game's launch at the "Love in Times Square" event.

The new game featuring the works of indie film talents brings the fun of a film fest into players’ homes and parties: "meet 'n greets", Best Picture awards and all.

Players of the Film Festival in a Box game watch four short flicks on DVD, grouped by genre (such as Love, Comedy, Pottymouth, or Zombie) then discuss and debate. Players make their decisions then go online to IndieFlix.com where they join the buzz of the virtual film festival by voting for Best Picture, Best Performance and Best Original Story.

Actual filmmakers and crews can meet the Film Festival in a Box players right there online, making for a vibrant game experience with all the behind-the-scenes connectivity that's best about a truly great film festival.

IndieFlix is a multi-platform film distribution company founded in 2004 to help independent filmmakers take advantage of new media and connect with their audience. IndieFlix promises to build a fair and open market to empower filmmakers to be the engine of their achievement and audiences to be a vital part of a movie's success.

IndieFlix is launching the movie game to remind the world that independent film is more than just unique, visionary and honest but also a lot of fun.

The Film Festival in a Box game -- priced at $14.99 retail -- is available online at Drugstore.com and at independent retailers such as:

• Annie's Blue Ribbon General Store in Brooklyn
• Fred Segal (Zero Minus Plus) in Santa Monica
• NuBe Green in Seattle

More details can be found at www.IndieFlix.com -- look for Love in Times Square to learn more.