Games and gear

It's a bit late for Valentine's Day, but this was just too cool to pass up. Plus, if you're adventurous, it could be a nice wholesome President's Day long weekend activity. Flickr user "Bakalov" has made chocolates using the packaging from the Wiimote and nunchuck. Just remember, it's the packaging. This epicurean Nintendo fan was not actually filling his Wiimote with chocolate. Got it? Good.

As Kotaku said, "Everything is better if you fill it with molten chocolate.

So you're ready to take on the world with your Lightsaber phone and MP3 Lightsaber. But wait--your Millennium Falcon develops engine trouble. What's a Jedi to do?

Why, whip out your Safety Wand and Megaphone, of course--"a safety beacon that amplifies your voice up to five football fields away," as Uber-Review says. It's not an official piece of equipment from the Lucas empire, but it sure could have fooled us. (Do we hear the pitter-patter of trademark attorneys?)

Anyway, at least your ship has been rescued. And good thing you didn't have a … Read more

Nintendo threw a little shindig last night, and I went to sample the company's upcoming wares. The games Nintendo showed off included Super Paper Mario, Tiger Woods PGA Tour 07, and Mario Party 8. Frankly, all three games look darn good.

I spent the most time on Super Paper Mario, sequel to the excellent GameCube RPG Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door, and it's even weirder than its predecessor. Unlike the straight role-playing in previous Paper Mario games, Super Paper Mario is a puzzle-filled platform game with some loose RPG elements. The titular 2D plumber gets the power to … Read more

This item falls squarely under the category of major geekdom, but we're here to serve, not to judge. So we herewith offer the "Card Saber DS"--a sleeve that holds three DS games and a cartridge, according to Ubergizmo. Yes, it's not the most practical thing, but it costs only about $7. Besides, there's no price on the ability to unsheathe your games like a samurai. And it would go splendidly with your MP3 Lightsaber.

Last night, we got a sneak peek at one of the most disturbing video games we've ever seen, at a press event hosted in New York by game publisher D3. The company is best known for games based on kid-friendly Japanese licenses (Naruto, Hi Hi Puffy AmiYumi), but Earth Defense Force 2017, for the Xbox 360, is decidedly less cheerful.

This shooter's basic concept--a lone hero has to fend off alien invaders amid sprawling urban environments--isn't new, but swarming armies of gigantic bugs that you have to fight took us by surprise. There is nothing more unsettling … Read more

Dear Nintendo: you've had a great couple of months. The Wii is awesome, the DS still sells out everywhere, and everyone is pumped about your upcoming games (except maybe Wii Play). It's totally cool if you just want to take a break for a while, recharge your batteries and come back refreshed. You're starting to run out of ideas, and it shows.

Last night, Nintendo launched the Everybody Votes channel on the Wii. It's a polling/survey system that lets Wii users log in and answer various, seemingly random questions. They vote by dragging their Mii … Read more

As far as complicated computer apparatuses are concerned, we weren't so sure about the "Ergopod 500," especially for those who live anywhere near earthquake country. But Russian-based Gravitonus seems to have done it right, with a new gaming system for the physically disabled that appears a lot more secure.

The "Alternative Computer Control System" shown on Medgadget looks like a cross between a piece of ultra-modern Danish furniture and something you'd find in Dr. Evil's underground control center. Despite the aesthetic qualities, it's an engineering marvel that incorporates features even quadriplegics can … Read more

Gamespot reports that a new "A-Hole Button," so coined by Bungie Studios, will allow Halo 3 gamers to mute unwanted...ahem feedback...from other players.

The new feature will allow the back button on the Xbox 360 controller to bring you to a menu where you can choose to instantly mute other players.

The feature came in response to complaints from Halo 2 community players about poorly behaved players ranting and raving against other gamers on Xbox Live, a community liaison told Gamespot.

Wii Play seems like such a great idea. About $50 for a brand-new Nintendo Wii remote and a collection of games that take advantage of said Wiimote. With games like pool, target shooting, and table tennis, it should be a sure hit. Well, we just got Wii Play in, and after a night of gaming I'm ready to offer my first impressions.

Wii Play is a lot of things, but it's not a sure hit. The games that should be instant classics--target shooting, table tennis, and pool--are instead disappointments.

Lots of nostalgic gamers are excited about the target … Read more