RipTen Videogame Blog » Gadgets

The NERF Lazer Tag Smart Phone System, Dorky Laser Vest Not Required

Brandon Fenty — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 21:00:12 +0000

NERF, the company that has been arming kids to the teeth with foam artillery for generations, is leading the way into the brave new world of tomorrow’s laser tag. Remember those dorky vests and cheap plastic guns? Well, NERF has replaced them with iPhones, iPod touches, and fancy words like augmented reality!

The NERF Lazer Tag System boasts a max range of 250 feet, and uses a gun, dubbed the Lazer Tag Blaster, that includes a mount for your iOS device. Using the device’s built in camera, it gives you a HUD complete with your power level, leaderboard progress, equipped gear, and even the trajectory of your shots. The more you play, the more you level up, and leveling up means gaining access to better virtual gear. Best of all, it supports up to 24 players at one time. That’s a lot of simultaneous blasting. No friends? No problem. The system will even allow you to shoot at virtual enemies if you’re a lonely guy in your parents basement.

The total NERF Lazer Tag System comes with somewhat of a steep price tag: $40 for one gun or $70 for two. If you aren’t turned off by the price, you can grab one starting August 1st. I know I will be.

Behold, Bear Witness To The Birth Of Skynet

Murray Hibble — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 14:30:04 +0000

Don’t be fooled by the simple presentation of these seemingly harmless flying machines, this is the first step in the bloody, frightening end of Mankind. Judging from what I can see in this video I’m guessing it’ll be a year tops before trillions of them are scattered through the tubes of the internet, bursting wetly from our monitors and decimating the entire Western World.

Now if you’ll excuse me, I’ll be preparing my tinfoil armour and stocking my cardboard armageddon shelter.

Turn Your PC Into a Golden Age of Console Gaming Time Machine

Michael Futter — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 01:00:33 +0000

You didn’t sell all your Genesis and Super Nintendo cartridges at a garage sale did you? You did?! What were you thinking? Well, go hunt those customers down and steal your games back- the Retrode 2 is on the way. This little magic wonder connects to your PC (or Mac or Linux box, but probably not your Commodore 64), allowing you to plug in your 16-bit cartridges and system controllers, two from each system, for an authentic console Golden Age experience.

What’s that you say? You’ve already “acquired” some games from a “friend?” You’ve been playing them already?

You can still take advantage of the Retrode 2′s built-in emulator and gamepad support to play those games the way they were intended, just on your PC instead of a tiny TV in your parents’ house. Regardless of which method you use, the Retrode 2 box serves as a driverless emulator that works on any operating system. Not that we encourage that type of thing here at RipTen.

You’ll be able to pick up the tiny black box this month for the reasonable price of $89.99 from Everdrive in Germany and Stone Age Gamer in the United States.

Finally, you’ll be able to answer the greatest question of them all, “Which 16-bit X-Men game was the best?”

Hint: it wasn’t Arcade’s Revenge

Geeked Out: Read Every Skyrim Book on Your iPad or Kindle!

Stephanie Gutowski — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 05:15:44 +0000

Are you a bibliophile? Does the endless supply of tomes in Skyrim call to you long after the computer’s gone to sleep and the Xbox has been powered down? Fear not, for as long as you possess some king of futuristic e-reader device, the Dovahkiin Gutenberg <– (Clicky para download) can be yours.

Capaneus, who I assure you is both a gentleman and a scholar, has graciously pulled the rich text files from Skyrim and compiled them for your reading pleasure in an easy-to-use app. Now you can read aloud from the Biography of Barenziah or The Lusty Argonian Maid on your bus ride home! Or, you could spend a quiet evening in front of the fire, pouring over A Brief History of the Empire. Be warned however, that’s a lot of books. You better possess a strong fondness for words, otherwise you may crumble beneath the weight of all that knowledge.

So, if you’re looking for yet another way to show your friends just how hard you lust after Bethesda, there’s an app for that. If you’re looking for something with an old-fashioned, paper-esque feel to it, then check out the real life Oblivion Tome of Awesomeness we featured a little while back.

Literate gamers, I salute you.

Hungry for more hand-made swag? Take a leisurely stroll through our Geeked Out collection.

Win Sweet Battlefield 3 Gear From RipTen and Razer

Dave Oshry — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 00:00:35 +0000

If you’re a PC gamer, there’s a good chance you’ve heard of Razer. You know, the guys who make those really sexy and expensive PC gaming peripherals.

Moreover, if you’re into the latest and greatest PC games, there’s a good chance you’ve been playing Battlefield 3.

Well, Razer, EA and DICE decided to get together and make a line of licensed BF3 peripherals. Better yet, they sent them over to us to check out! Huzzah!

Let’s see what we’ve got here…

First up is the Black Widow Ultimate Battlefield 3 Collector’s Edition Keyboard:

It’s the same as the original Black Widow, but it’s been pimped out BF3 style.

$139.99

Here are the features:

Full mechanical keys with 50g actuation force (Truth)
Individually backlit keys with 5 levels of lighting (Yes)
1000Hz Ultrapolling / 1ms response time (That sounds fancy)
Programmable keys with on-the-fly macro recording (I can confirm this)
Gaming mode option for deactivation of the Windows key (God I hate when that happens)
10 customizable software profiles with on-the-fly switching (Yep)
5 additional macro keys (It has them)
Gaming optimized key matrix for minimized ghosting (I don’t know what that means)
Multi-Media Controls (This is also good)
Braided cable (Wont tangle)
Audio-Out / Mic-In Jacks (Convenient)

Next up is the Razer Imperator Battlefield 3 Collector’s Edition Mouse:

Once again, it’s the same as a regular Imperator, but it features the now famous BF3 soldier emblazoned upon it:

$79.99

The stats:

6400dpi 4G Dual Sensor System (Many DPIs)
Rubberized contoured thumb grip for added control (Always be rubberized)
Ergonomic right-handed design (What about leftys!)
Adjustable side buttons (That’s a good thing)
Razer Synapse Onboard Memory (It has it)
Up to 200 inches per second* /50g acceleration (IPS is a new metric)
Seven independently programmable Hyperesponse buttons (More than 6)
On-the-Fly Sensitivity adjustment (Word)
Zero-acoustic Ultraslick mouse feet (Zero acoustic?)

But wait, there’s more!

We’ve also got the Razer Scarab Battlefield 3 Collector’s Edition Mouse Mat:

Out of all the things pictured above, this is the only one I opened and used immediately. This thing is sexy, practical and looks amazing on my desk. Dig it:

$39.99

Now, should you spend $40 on a mouse pad? That’s up to you. But if you’ve got the green to shell out and want to dress up your desk in a practical and awesome way, you can’t go wrong with this mat.

Fractal 2.0 surface coating (I don’t know what that means)
Optimal performance for both laser and optical mice (This is true)
Hard mouse mat providing precise tracking (Sure, why not)
Improved rubber base for greater stability (It has not moved at all since I put it on my desk)
Large size suited for most gaming environments: 350(W) x 250(L) x 3(H)mm (It’s pretty big)
Reinforced carrying case for optimal stowing (yes, it comes with a case)

Last but not least we’ve got the Razer Onza Tournament Edition Battlefield 3 Collector’s Edition Xbox 360 Wireless Controller. (That’s a mouthful)

This is apparently for people who play Battlefield 3 on console or something…

$59.99

2 Adjustable resistance analog sticks (Nice)
2 Multi-Function Buttons (MFB)
4 backlit Hyperesponse action buttons (Cool)
Precision D-Pad (Precision!)
Non-slip rubber surface (Dat grip)
Quick release USB connector (Quick release, baby)
15 foot, lightweight, braided fiber cable (Won’t tangle)
2.5mm microphone jack (Convenient)
Approx. size in mm: 109(L) x 154(W) x 60.5(H) (Standard)

So there you have it. All the awesome gear Razer makes your Battlefield 3 experience all that it can be.

However, there’s a chance you can’t afford all this stuff or haven’t been able to steal your mom’s credit card lately. What a shame…

If only there was some gaming site that was giving it away… but who?!

Wait for it…

We are!

WIN THIS STUFF!!

Prove to us that you’re a TEAM PLAYER in Battlefield 3 and you could win the Razer Black Widow Keyboard and Imperator Mouse pictured above!

Here’s The Rundown:

Upload a video, screenshot, or show us something awesome from your Battlelog that proves you know how to play Battlefield 3 as a team for the win!

You have until Sunday, November 13th to enter.

If for some reason you can’t upload or link them in the comments, shoot an email to Editors@RipTen.com or Tweet it @RipTen

GET TO IT SOLDIER!!

Geeked Out: The Minecraft Pickaxe of Destiny

Stephanie Gutowski — Thu, 03 Nov 2011 04:00:56 +0000

My fake statistics lead me to believe that 125% of the world plays Minecraft and therefore, it is virtually impossible for you all to be unimpressed by this officially licensed foam pickaxe from Think Geek.

“A pickaxe made of foam, you say? My Minecraft dreams come true, you say?! Magic exists, you say?!” Yes, for a mere $19.99, you can go forth and sculpt the world. Just avoid those Creepers and… other things that may want to destroy you in that place of infinite creativity. Look at it this way– you’re one foam pickaxe away from a Comic Con-approved costume.

Hungry for more hand-made swag? Take a leisurely stroll through our Geeked Out collection.

RipTen Hardware Review: Razer Chimaera 5.1 Wireless Headset

Chris Carlson — Sat, 29 Oct 2011 22:00:02 +0000

One of the greatest feelings when playing a video game is immersion. Those suspenseful teeth grinding moments that make you actually feel like you’ve a place inside the virtual world in which you’re playing. While this can be done to an extent with a normal speakers and headsets, the Razer Chimaera 5.1 Wireless Headset takes it to a whole new level.

I myself have never been fortunate enough to experience such a level of immersion that surround sound headsets like the Chimaera 5.1′s can offer. Until now. From the moment I place them on my head, I refuse to take them off until my Xbox 360 is powered down and I’m done gaming for the night. Hell, I’ll even hook them up to my phone to listen to music or watch a movie. In a sense, these babies are put to use until my head hits the pillow each day.

The Chimaera’s are specifically designed for the Xbox 360. Use with a PC, PS3 or other devices such as a mobile phone work just as well, but the chat function is limited to 360 itself. However, being designed with the Xbox 360 in mind, I’m a bit disappointed with the overall setup and some minor annoyances.

The headset is relatively easy to set up, but can be a bit of a hassle for gamers with an older Xbox 360 like myself. If you don’t use HDMI as your main video/audio output, you won’t have much trouble using basic RCA cables. For users that do use HDMI however, you’re going to need an additional adapter which is sold separately.

This adapter plugs in where you would normally plug in your component cable to the back of your Xbox 360. Instead of having component cables attached, it simply has RCA input, and digital optical input. The problem doesn’t lie within the installation itself, but rather the adapter. Which is pretty displeasing considering I purchased the one Razer linked to on their website.

The main problem is losing in-game sound. I basically had to reposition the cable on the adapter to a certain spot and keep it there, otherwise I’m without game sound. This also causes issues with sound cutting in and out. Once I found the sweet spot though, I’ve been playing for days with hardly any issues. Overall the set up is rather simple, but if you use the adapter to have HDMI support, you might run into some issues like I did.

The headset itself is quite large and offers padding all throughout the inside making it more comfortable for long gaming sessions. For some reason though, no matter where I position the headset, I have a constant feeling of it slipping down the back of my head. I’ll often go to reposition it, just to find out it’s still placed perfectly. Once you start gaming though, you’ll be too into your game to even notice it.

All the buttons you’ll ever need are on the side and backside of the earphones for easy access. The only real time you’ll need to do anything with the base station is when you first sync up the headset and switch from standby to on when you’re ready to play. Everything else is easily controlled on the headset itself such as game volume, chat volume, mute, source etc.

The wireless base station is rather large and will take up a good chuck of your entertainment stand, but the sexy neon green glow it produces is totally worth it. I was able to easily place mine behind my TV without having to rearrange anything or having it be an inconvenience. Also, being able to simply place the headset on top of the base station to charge the battery makes everything ever so easy and painless. Razer sure does make aesthetically pleasing gear, that’s for sure.

Before I decided to come to a conclusion on just how well the Chimaera 5.1′s sound, I wanted to test one specific title. Battlefield 3. Believe me when I tell you, this headset combined with the magnificent sound quality of Battlefield 3 will give you a complete eargasm. Not only is the sound quality fantastic, it’s also loud as fuck and really sucks you into the game. Hey, that rhymes.

Even with the volume almost turned all the way down, you can barely hear yourself talk. Turn it up all the way, and you’re sitting in the middle of a damn warzone. Imagine going to an IMAX theater but instead of hearing the sound throughout the room, it’s going directly into your ears. B E A utiful.

Not only is the quality superb, each and every footstep, gust of wind, shell that hits the floor, distant voices etc. can be heard wirelessly with virtually no issues. Just hearing these minor details come straight into your ears makes a significant difference while gaming. Without them, the background noise going on in the real world here in NYC drowns out these sounds taking away from the immersion. With them, you’re in a completely different world. Assuming you live with another person, or your family, they will likely begin to hate you because of not being able to grab your attention. While playing Battlefield 3, I was so damn focused and concentrated on the game because I was listening for every little sound that could possibly be hostile. Because of this, my enjoyment levels rose through the roof. They were roughly over 9000.

In short. Once you experience the quality of sound produced by a headset such as the Chimaera 5.1′s, never again will you game without them. It’s like that moment you upgraded your TV from SD to HD. You just can’t go back, because without it, the experience isn’t the same.

Geeked Out: The Terrifyingly Tiny Munny Joker

Stephanie Gutowski — Thu, 20 Oct 2011 01:00:57 +0000

Now that Batman: Arkham City has been set loose upon the world, it seems like everyone’s got Bat-fever. While this week’s Geeked out won’t cure you (you probably don’t want to be cured anyway), it’ll certainly fit right in with your current obsession. This custom Munny comes to us from KidNotorious, lover of Batman and denizen of DeviantArt. They’re not for sale, but you might not even want the Joker hanging out on your bedside table at night. That sounds like a recipe for disaster. Maybe you should just admire it from a far and take a look at some of the other awesome, Batman-inspired Munnies.

Hungry for more hand-made swag? Take a leisurely stroll through our Geeked Out collection.

Hori Wants You To Play PS3 Like a PC Gamer (For $127)

Catherine Cai — Sat, 15 Oct 2011 02:00:44 +0000

“What the hell do you think you’re doing?”

In half-shame and surprise, I dropped the controller. The white 360 controller thudded onto the wooden table and all was still for a moment. Cheeks flaming, I couldn’t look into my friend’s eyes. I had just done the unforgivable and been caught in the act.

“Are you PC gaming with a Xbox controller?!”

Yes. I was cross-dabbling console gaming with PC gaming, the dirtiest sin in my PC purist friend’s eyes.

“…Yes.” I muttered. My eyes were still glued to the floor.

“Sinner!” he hissed in disgust.

And so now I take more care in making sure I’m completely alone before I plug my controller into my computer than most pre-pubescent boys do with their parents when they want to watch porn.

To be fair, I was playing Hunted: The Demon’s Forge at the time, and my God are that game’s keyboard-and-mouse controls fucked. And let’s be honest. Console control schemes for hack ‘n slash games are usually much more intuitive than those for PC. On the flipside (to appease you ‘PC gaming master race’ types), I would never opt to play a first person shooter on a console over a PC. The joystick is much more unwiedy than a mouse for the aiming reticule, so much so that an average PC gamer can probably outplay pro-360 and PS3 gamers.

Well, Japanese videogame peripheral company Hori has the same idea that I had in mind with Hunted… in reverse. Cross-platform gaming between console gamers and PC gamers for first person shooters haven’t happened so far, simply because it’s so much easier to aim with a mouse.

So why not endow the same advantages that PC gamers have to console gamers? That’s exactly Hori’s plan. Yup. Hori has come up with the Tactical Assault Commander 3 mouse, which is a PC gaming mouse and keyboard set for the PS3, specifically for the purpose of playing first person shooters. The device is set for a release in November at ¥9,800, or roughly $127 for those not of the Asian persuasion.

I doubt you’ll be cross-platform gaming with this any time soon, but this surely will turn you from being a FPS console noob into a bloody pro, you cheater, you.

[Via Andrisang]

Geeked Out: Angry Birds Halloween Costumes

Stephanie Gutowski — Thu, 13 Oct 2011 01:00:35 +0000

A little angry bird told me that you’re looking for a sweet Halloween costume, but you seize up at the mere mention of arts and crafts. Fear not, for the internet has a solution to your problems. So stop cutting holes in that bed sheet and buy an Angry Birds costume. Sure, they’re not great examples of master level craftsmanship, but they’re absolutely perfect for you and your fifty-dollar budget. For $49.99, these licensed bird sacks can be yours. Not a fan of the birds? Well, there’s a pig option too. They come in kids sizes as well, so the whole family can get in on your bizarre obsession.

Hungry for more hand-made swag? Take a leisurely stroll through our Geeked Out collection.

Geeked Out: Dragon Age Charms, Coasters, and Swords… OH MY!

Catherine Cai — Sun, 04 Sep 2011 02:00:29 +0000

Epic Weapons, the purveyor of a fine video game fan goods, has a line of Dragon Age II weapon replicas, as well as letter-opener replicas, coasters, and pendants for those of us with slightly smaller budgets.

I’ve always thought being a Grey Warden would be badassery of the highest caliber. Hell, I bet everyone did after the epic Sacred Ashes trailer that BioWare released for Dragon Age: Origins. Well, you certainly might not be guzzling down Darkspawn blood whilst cutting off the nearest genlock head amidst The Blight, but you can definitely feel like a Grey Warden with a replica sword. Yup, this is a life-sized, stainless steel sword forged with etched molding. Weighing in at nine pounds, this beauty can be yours if you’re able to shell out $349.99, which is the price for the sword for the first 200 buyers.

Yeah, that's pretty fierce.

Epic Weapons also has weaponry that aren’t just swords. Well, that’s not completely accurate, but they’ve also made replicas of the Dragon Age II staff sword. You can either get the life-sized version (72″) for $199.95 or the mini version at 24″ for $89.95.

Violence not really your thing? Epic Weapons doesn’t just make weapons. You can spend $12.95 on black nickel pendants for the Chantry, Kirkwall, the Templars, and the House of Tides, so you can be that geek wearing the video game paraphernalia. Flaunt it.

I need them. All of them.

If even $12.95 is too much for you, you can always go with the Dragon Age coasters, so when you have guests over, you can show them how cool/anal you are, because you’re the one person who actually uses coasters. You can get coasters of the same emblem for $11.95, so you can buy that $1 coffee or something off the dollar meal and have a cool little thing to put your drinks on.

Plus six to keeping your coffee table clean.

Epic Weapons has a variety of cool replicas for multiple TV shows and video games. Give the other shows a little gander when you’re done cleaning out their stores of Dragon Age replicas.

Geeked-Out: Fallout Fan Creates Fully Working Pip-Boy 3000

Sam Naylor — Fri, 02 Sep 2011 21:36:10 +0000

An avid Fallout fan has created a real-life, working Pip-boy 3000 to sit on his limp, nerdy wrist.

On;y joking about the wrist, by the way. As you can see in the demonstration video of the device (below), it’s too full of electics to have a wrist placed inside. The Pip-Boy is made from a cast shell with an HTC Desire smartphone fitted inside. An “Arduino Uno with a USB host shield running microbridge” acts as “an ADB host for the phone. The Arduino then sends button presses to the phone via TCP over USB.”

Always cool to see stuff like this make it into the real world. Even better is the fact that it (mostly) works exactly as it does in the game, even if it doesn’t actually work as a wrist-bound item. Superb effort from all involved- Ripten certainly approves. Leave a comment below to tell us what you think- waste of time or beautiful dedication?

Hungry for more hand-made swag? Take a leisurely stroll through our Geeked Out collection.

Geeked Out: Fallout Monopoly, Pip-Boy Sold Seperately

Stephanie Gutowski — Mon, 29 Aug 2011 23:15:14 +0000

This homemade Monopoly board is perhaps the greatest interactive Fallout fan-creation ever. Tired of dominating Park Place? Then grab your Rock-it Launcher and make your stand at Galaxy News Radio. Classic Monopoly pieces have been given a post-apocalyptic treatment, Nuka Cola caps are officially currency, and now taking the G.O.A.T. might actually get you $200. Drawn cards will even give players perks from either Fallout 3 or Fallout:New Vegas.

PinkAxolotl whipped this up for her boyfriend, so there’s a very slim chance of you ever getting one unless you date her as well. We can dream, though.

The board is made of PVC plate and the images were pulled from stock resources across DeviantArt, the coolest art club on the net.

I gotta get me one of these…

Hungry for more hand-made swag? Take a leisurely stroll through our Geeked Out collection.

Awesome Batman: Arkham City Themed Xbox 360 Sighted

Justin Carter — Wed, 24 Aug 2011 22:21:48 +0000

If you’re going to PAX this weekend, head on over to the Warner Bros. booth. Why, you ask? For a Batman: Arkham City themed 360, of course! Why have a plain old 360 when you could have one themed on Batman? One willbe given away this weekend at the Penny Arcade Expo. For more pictures and details, head on over to the Xbox Facebook page. And don’t forget to buy Batman: Arkham City on October 18.

And here’s the flipside of the Caped Crusader themed 360.

[Via Game Informer]

Twitter and Facebook Apps Come to PSVita

Justin Carter — Wed, 17 Aug 2011 00:30:25 +0000

Apps are all the rage these days, what with them Angry Birds and Cutting the Rope and such. The PSVita, for all you people like me who can’t shut up, will have apps for Twitter, Facebook, Foursquare, and Skype. All four apps will be free to download from the Playstation Store and will be joined by the Vita exclusive apps Near and Party.

It wasn’t clear if all four would be made available right at launch, or if they would come separately in intervals. Still, anyone who uses the apps will be hated by their friends forever. Just think about it–”Soul ReaperX just signed into Starbucks!” “Soul ReaperX just won 3 trophies!” That will be insane.

[Via Joystiq]

Microsoft Announces New Bluetooth Headset and Media Remote For Xbox 360

Chris Carlson — Tue, 26 Jul 2011 17:36:47 +0000

Today, Microsoft has announced that a new Bluetooth Headset and Media Remote for Xbox 360 are on the way. The Xbox 360 Wireless Headset with Bluetooth is compatible with Bluetooth devices such as mobile phones and PCs, in addition to being able to connect to Xbox 360 through the console’s standard radio frequencies.

The device has a sleek appearance that evokes the Xbox 360 console design, noise cancellation, and Bluetooth 3.0 technology. Easily switch from Xbox to Bluetooth mode to answer calls with the flip of a switch. Blue and green LED rings of light visually show which mode the device is in. The device comes with three sizes of ear gels and an ear loop to ensure a comfortable fit during extended gaming periods. The device allows up to eight hours of talk time and up to 300 hours of standby on a single charge. When it’s time to charge up, the included micro USB charging cable connects quickly and easily to the Xbox 360 USB ports.

Microsoft also announced a new Xbox 360 Media Remote that anyone can use to control their Xbox 360 Dashboard, DVD and CD playback, and media playback through Xbox LIVE. The Xbox 360 Media Remote also controls volume and power on many popular brands of TVs. Media playback controls include play/pause, skip forward, fast forward, skip back, fast back, and display to control DVD, CD, or streamed media. The TV controls include power on/off, volume up/down, mute and TV input. The Xbox 360 Media Remote’s menu navigation controls include A, B, X, Y buttons, D-pad navigation, back and select

The Xbox 360 Media Remote features a high-polish top case and rubberised keys with solid, key-press feedback. The Xbox 360 Media Remote also includes 2 AAA batteries.

The Xbox 360 Wireless Headset with Bluetooth will be available for $59.99 and the Xbox 360 Media Remote will be available for $19.99 come this November.

The Force is Strong with the Limited Edition Star Wars Kinect Xbox 360 Bundle

Garrett Hartman — Thu, 21 Jul 2011 18:59:07 +0000

Star Wars Geeks have reason to celebrate as Microsoft unveils the Limited Edition Star Wars Xbox 360 Bundle. This first ever custom Xbox 360 and Kinect bundle includes an R2-D2 blue-and-white themed console, a custom Xbox 360 Wireless Controller inspired by C-3PO and the first ever white Kinect sensor. Podracing in Kinect Star Wars lets players compete against the racers of the Boonta Eve in pods and other unlockable vehicles native to the Star Wars Universe.

The bundle is available now for pre-order through participating retailers. Priced at $449.99, the Xbox 360 Limited Edition Kinect Star Wars Bundle will include:

Kinect Star Wars game
Custom R2-D2-themed Xbox 360 Console with custom sounds
White Kinect Sensor
Custom C-3PO-themed Xbox 360 Wireless Controller
320 GB Hard Drive
Xbox 360 Wired Headset
Kinect Adventures game
Exclusive downloadable content

Check out the promotion shots below. May the Force be with you.

Mad Catz Announces Licensed Gears of War 3 Audio Range

Chris Carlson — Wed, 20 Jul 2011 19:32:01 +0000

Mad Catz Interactive, Inc. announced today a new range of licensed Gears of War 3 audio products for the Xbox 360 which is expected to ship alongside the launch of the game. President and Chief Executive Officer of Mad Catz Interactive, Inc. Darren Richardson stated:

“Gears of War 3 is one of the most anticipated titles arriving for holiday 2011, surpassing 1 million pre-orders to date. We are convinced that gamers will appreciate the competitive advantage achieved via our high-quality audio products and that the range will be highly sought out this holiday season.”

Gears of War 3 Dolby 7.1 Surround Sound Headset – $179.99

Emblazed with official Gears of War 3 artwork
Performance-tuned for Xbox LIVE® Voice Communication
Immersive 3D Directional Audio using Dolby® Headphone Surround Sound
Transmit Crystal-Clear Voice Commands to Your Squadron
Independent Game and Voice Volume Controls
Pulsating LED Lighting Effects
Multi-function in-line control with breakaway design
Detachable, flexible microphone with mute
Digital optical input
Precision-balanced 40mm audio drivers
BONUS: Choose to Hear Your Own Voice Through the Headset with Selective Voice Monitoring (SVM)

Gears of War 3 Performance Stereo Gaming Headset – $99.99

Emblazed with official Gears of War 3 artwork
Noise isolating headset with adjustable headrail and plush padding
Choose to hear your own voice through the headset with Selective Voice Monitoring (SVM)
Independent game and voice volume controls
Multi-function in-line control with breakaway design
Detachable, flexible microphone with mute
Precision-balanced 40mm audio drivers

Gears of War 3 Throat Communicator – $29.99

Officially licensed for Gears of War 3
Military-inspired behind-the-neck design
Customizable neckband with foam-rubber inserts
Transparent sound tube blends in with surroundings
Provides lightweight, comfortable hands-free messaging
Crystal-clear communication and sound quality
Integrated volume/mute controls
Perfect for use with Xbox LIVE®

Further details including pre-orders can be found via Mat Catz Store.

Limited Edition Modern Warfare 3 Turtle Beach Headsets Announced

Chris Carlson — Tue, 19 Jul 2011 19:09:12 +0000

Turtle Beach has announced its partnership with Activision to develop a new new line of exclusively licensed limited edition Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 Ear Force headsets. The headsets will be available with compatibility across Xbox 360, Playstation 3, and PC. There’s four total headsets which can be viewed below with information on each and the suggested price.

Ear Force DELTA (EFD) – Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3-Optimized Programmable Wireless Dolby 7.1 Surround Sound Headset with Bluetooth Chat. The top-of-the-line EFD headset comes packaged in a specially-themed carrying case and is pre-loaded with unique custom Modern Warfare 3 presets and voice prompts. Ear Force Delta is the ultimate Xbox 360 and PS3 weapon for the most avid Modern Warfare 3 players . MSRP: $299.95.

Ear Force BRAVO (EFB) – Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 Optimized Programmable Wireless Universal Gaming Headset. Featuring the same custom Modern Warfare 3 presets as the EFD, the EFB provides players with the same optimized experience in a universal headset that’s the perfect Call of Duty® companion on Xbox 360, PS3 and PC. MSRP $179.95.

Ear Force CHARLIE (EFC) – Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 Optimized Multi-Speaker Surround Sound PC Gaming Headset. With eight amplified, acoustically-angled speakers delivering discrete surround sound, this tournament-grade, Modern Warfare 3 optimized wired headset is the perfect choice for competitive PC gamers. MSRP $129.95.

Ear Force FOXTROT (EFF) – Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 Optimized Universal Gaming Wired Headset. For Modern Warfare 3 players seeking effortless cross-platform performance, the EFF provides gamers with high-fidelity amplified audio along with several key features to set it apart. MSRP $99.95.

Turtle Beach’s Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 gaming headsets will ship to major retailers beginning October, 2011.

SEGA Japan Invents New Robot Cat – Creepiest. Thing. Ever.

Stephanie Gutowski — Wed, 06 Jul 2011 01:00:23 +0000

I thought the robot house pet thing died in the late nineties, but Japan apparently believes there’s still something to be gained from inventing more synthetic animals with eyes that will never look upon you with love– which brings us to Yume Neko Smile (“Dream Cat Smile.”) This is Sega’s latest attempt to imitate a living, breathing thing with a pile of plastic and a touch of blood magic. The only explanation I have for these things being completely sold out at the Japan Trend Shop is that Japanese people are hot for mechs, no matter how creepy and soulless their pitch-black eyes may be. This cat screams when you grab its tail and goes limp when you hold its scruff, proving once again that Japan is running out of cats and must fabricate more in order to save the world.

Just look at this thing. Don’t you dare try to tell me that this robot cat won’t be a host for Skynet.

Slash Gear reviewed Yume Neko Smile and praised it for its authenticity, but I’m not falling for that. It’s still just a fancy box of AA batteries wearing a cat suit.

“It’s strange: you can hear the motors whirring, the sounds are pretty obviously electronic recordings, and there’s no warm body beneath the polyester fur, but your senses conspire to reduce you to treating Yume Neko as if she were alive.” -Chris Davies, Slash Gear

What the hell, man? Why don’t you go ahead and pledge your allegiance to the Decepticons and hand us all over now before the rest of the world catches on?

Why, Japan? You make all these apocalyptic animes, and then you give birth to this thing. Not only is it a terrifying golem of destruction, it’s just not cuddly enough. More fluff, less creep, and then maybe I’ll think about buying it… and handing it over to John Connor.