15 Year Old's Traumatic Xbox Incident

So I am still currently a teenager for just a few months. I know that we can be difficult and at times unreasonable, but I never thought that rebellion could go this far. A fifteen year old boy, who lives in Buffalo Grove, Illinois, experienced severe trauma when his parents decided to punish him by taking away something near and dear to his heart…his Xbox.

At 12:50 p.m. on Sunday, November 15th, 2009, this young man grabbed the phone and called 911. He intended to question the police as to whether or not his parents had the right to withhold his precious game system from him. After making the call though, the fifteen year old decided to hang up before posing his question. Naturally, the police made their way over to the boys house to see what was going on. Once the boy explained the reason for the call, the police were quick to explain that it was most definitely within his parents rights to confiscate his Xbox, and it would probably be in his best interest to listen to what they said if he ever wanted to get it back.

So just a word to the wise, you better be on your best behavior because if you aren’t and your parents decide to punish you by taking away your game system, the police will give you no help whatsoever.

MySims Agents for Wii Review

Electronic Arts' Sims franchise has been one of the most popular gaming franchises ever, and now they're taking it to the Wii in MySims Agents. MySims Agents has been called an "entertaining yet fairly simplistic game." It's not packed with lots of action but it requires a lot of brainpower.

The goal of the game is to become a special agent. To do this, you take on assignments and foil evil plots created by Morcubus, the corrupt CEO of MorcuCorp. How does this work? Essentially, you send your agent through a variety of settings, looking for clues and usually tools you'll discover throughout the game. As you move throughout the game, you can even recruit other agents with other talents, personalities, and interests, and put together your own "crime-busting dream team.

Create your agent and send him or her to tough cases in exotic places, from an icy mountain top to an ancient temple. You'll need your brain and your gadgets to solve mysteries, track footprints, pick locks, hack into computers, follow leads and collect clues. You'll also need to jump and balance your way through tricky situations. Your headquarters can be customize to your desire, and you'll need to equip it to maximize the skills of your team.

The game is fun but requires patience as it's not very action-packed and can be tedious. Also, once you beat the game, it replays exactly the same, down to every detail. It's a one-player game, though you can save a number of different accounts for different players, and is played mostly using the Wii Nunchuk to direct your character around each level. The graphics are bright and vivid, making it fun to watch.

You may not get a physical workout, but the game is sure to work your brain with puzzles that require completing and deductive reasoning skills needed to find clues and solve mysteries. Parents and teens may get bored with the game, but it's great for younger children who are just beginning to read. The directions are simple and easy to follow, as are hints and clues you receive instructing you on what to do next.

Xbox Live Users Banned By Microsoft

With so many illegal downloading sites out there, it can be difficult to resist the temptation to download those couple songs or watch that pirated movie or maybe even download that new game that you don’t feel like paying over $50 for. Well, you may want to reconsider things if this has become a habit of yours.

Giving into the temptation to download pirated games may have just cost over 1 million Xbox Live users the ability to continue to utilize the service. It has been said that Microsoft has banned over 1 million service users due to the fact that they altered their Xbox consoles to be able to play pirated versions of games.

Just this week, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 was released. Pirated versions of the game had popped up before the game was even released, and it is believed that the developers at Activision might have encouraged Microsoft to initiate the ban.

Although the gamers who have had a ban placed on their Xbox Live service will not be able to play any online games, they still have full capabilities to play any kind of game offline. Microsoft has still not been clear as to whether this ban is permanent or if users will be able to return to Xbox Live later on down the road. They did release a statement saying that their "commitment to combat piracy and support safer and more secure gameplay for the more than 20 million members of the Xbox Live community remains a top priority. All consumers should know that piracy is illegal and modifying their Xbox 360 console violates the Xbox Live terms of use, will void their warranty and result in a ban from Xbox Live. We can assure you that if an Xbox Live member follows the Xbox Live terms of use, purchased a retail copy of Modern Warfare 2 and played the game on an unmodified Xbox 360, no action will be taken."

On the Xbox support page, there is now a list of circumstances from the Xbox Live Director of Programming that detail what could cause a user to be banned from Xbox Live.

This new ban set down by Microsoft is not something to be taken lightly. Users could be banned for days, weeks, months, or maybe permanently. This means they won’t be able to go online at all. So before doing something that you think could be considered questionable, you might want to consult the Xbox Live Terms of Use instead of waking up to find yourself banned from Xbox Live forever.

"The Biggest Loser" for Wii Review

Last month, THQ released "The Biggest Loser" for Nintendo's Wii. Following the success of the Wii Fit, exercise and fitness games are becoming increasingly popular. Combine that excitement with one of the most popular shows on television, one that has motivated millions of people across the country to get up and get fit and live healthier lifestyles. So, is "The Biggest Loser" game as motivational as the show? Is it sure to become the next Wii fit? Let's take a look.

To begin the game, you have to create your own personal fitness program. After creating your own persona, you choose which contestant from the show you are most like and then you can decide if you'd rather work with Bob or Jillian, the show's two trainers. Next you'll decide what you'd like to gain from your fitness program. Are you looking to lose a little weight or are wanting an educational game that will lead you to a healthier lifestyle?

After setting up your profile, the game takes you to your homepage where you can see how many calories you're allowed per day. There is also a place for tracking how many calories you've already consumed. Keeping track of calories for weight loss is one of the game's high points. The game also provides you with a number of recipes that are varied to your taste and lifestyle.

You can also take part in a variety of exercises using the Wii Balance Board. Depending on how well you do, you will earn points, much like you do in other Wii fitness games. But in the end, it seems as though the game is more efficient at helping you maintain your fitness program, verses allowing you to use it as a tool for working out.

The game excels at education, but as far as actual exercise, you'll probably be pretty disappointed. If you really want to lose weight, you're not going to do it with this game alone. However, if you are just starting out, this game will compliment your fitness regimen.

Guitar Hero World Tour on Major Sale at Walmart

Walmart has just recently announced a sale that should definitely spark some interest in the gaming community. Guitar Hero World Tour Band Kit for XBOX 360 has just dropped from the original price of $199 to $79.99, a savings of $119.01. This deal absolutely shocked me and made me want to run out and grab one. The kit includes the game software, a wireless mic, the wireless drum set, and a wireless guitar.

Guitar Hero World Tour is following the footsteps of many other games that have been available since the outbreak of band centered games. It does a great job of fixing any of the issues you might have faced with the previous Guitar Hero games and makes sure to feature things that make it stand out from any of the Rock Band games.

One aspect of Guitar Hero that is awesome is the ability to extensively customize your avatar and guitar. Not only can you choose hairstyles and clothing, but also you can go so far as to change the angle of their chin or the size of their skull. You are also given the ability to choose the dances that your character does before and after the game. All of these customization give you the ability to really create an avatar with personality. You can also customize your guitar is various ways from the body to the color to the strings.

Now one of the things that I always consider when I’m looking at all these band games is the songs that they feature. So, I included a complete song list from Guitar Hero World Tour.

* 311 - “Beautiful Disaster”
* 30 Seconds To Mars - “The Kill”
* Airbourne - “Too Much Too Young”
* The Allman Brothers Band - “Ramblin' Man”
* Anouk - “Good God”
* The Answer - “Never Too Late”
* At The Drive-In - “One Armed Scissor”
* Beastie Boys - “No Sleep Till Brooklyn”
* Beatsteaks - “Hail to the Freaks”
* Billy Idol - “Rebel Yell”
* Black Label Society - “Stillborn”
* Black Rebel Motorcycle Club - “Weapon of Choice”
* blink-182 - “Dammit”
* Blondie - “One Way or Another”
* Bob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band - “Hollywood Nights”
* Bon Jovi - “Livin’ On A Prayer”
* Bullet For My Valentine - “Scream Aim Fire”
* Coldplay - “Shiver”
* Creedence Clearwater Revival - “Up Around The Bend”
* The Cult - “Love Removal Machine”
* Dinosaur Jr. - “Feel The Pain”
* The Doors - “Love Me Two Times”
* Dream Theater - “Pull Me Under”
* The Eagles - “Hotel California”
* The Enemy - “Aggro”
* Filter - “Hey Man, Nice Shot”
* Fleetwood Mac - “Go Your Own Way”
* Foo Fighters - “Everlong”
* The Guess Who - “American Woman”
* Hush Puppies - “You're Gonna Say Yeah!”
* Interpol - “Obstacle 1”
* Jane's Addiction - “Mountain Song”
* Jimi Hendrix - “Purple Haze (Live)”
* Jimi Hendrix - “The Wind Cries Mary”
* Jimmy Eat World - “The Middle”
* Joe Satriani - “Satch Boogie”
* Kent - “Vinternoll2”
* Korn - “Freak On A Leash”
* Lacuna Coil - “Our Truth”
* Lenny Kravitz - “Are You Gonna Go My Way”
* Linkin Park - “What I've Done”
* The Living End - “Prisoner of Society”
* Los Lobos - “La Bamba”
* Lost Prophets - “Rooftops (A Liberation Broadcast)”
* Lynyrd Skynyrd - “Sweet Home Alabama (Live)”
* Mars Volta - “L'Via L'Viaquez”
* MC5’s Wayne Kramer - “Kick Out The Jams”
* Metallica - “Trapped Under Ice”
* Michael Jackson - “Beat It”
* Modest Mouse - “Float On”
* Motörhead - “Overkill”
* Muse - “Assassin”
* Negramaro - “Nuvole e Lenzuola”
* Nirvana - “About a Girl (Unplugged)”
* No Doubt - “Spiderwebs”
* NOFX - “Soul Doubt”
* Oasis - “Some Might Say”
* Ozzy Osbourne - “Crazy Train”
* Ozzy Osbourne - “Mr. Crowley”
* Paramore - “Misery Business”
* Pat Benatar - “Heartbreaker”
* R.E.M. - “The One I Love”
* Radio Futura - “Escuela De Calor”
* Rise Against - “Re-Education Through Labor”
* Sex Pistols - “Pretty Vacant”
* Silversun Pickups - “Lazy Eye”
* Smashing Pumpkins - “Today”
* Steely Dan - “Do It Again”
* Steve Miller Band - “The Joker”
* Sting - “Demolition Man (Live)”
* The Stone Roses - “Love Spreads”
* Stuck In The Sound - “Toy Boy”
* Sublime - “Santeria”
* Survivor - “Eye of the Tiger”
* System of a Down - “B.Y.O.B.”
* Ted Nugent - “Stranglehold”
* Ted Nugent’s Original Guitar Duel Recording
* Tokio Hotel - “Monsoon”
* Tool - “Parabola”
* Tool - “Schism”
* Tool - “Vicarious”
* Trust - “Antisocial”
* Van Halen - “Hot For Teacher”
* Willie Nelson - “On The Road Again”
* Wings - “Band on the Run”
* Zakk Wylde’s Original Guitar Duel Recording

The gameplay is basically the same as the other Guitar Hero games and includes all the original levels of difficulty. Although this game was released over a year ago, Guitar Hero World Tour is a fun game for all and at Walmart’s new low price I think it would make a great Christmas present for any band-loving gamer.

Tony Hawk RIDE Uses Realistic Skateboard

On November 17, 2009, Tony Hawk: Ride (the tenth game in the Tony Hawk Franchise) will be released in North America for Wii, Xbox 360, and Playstation 3. Players will be able to use the new skateboard peripheral that comes with the game as though they are actually riding a skateboard. It is shaped like a real skateboard, only slightly smaller, and has infrared sensors, which help detect motion. Players will be able to turn, lean, hop, and perform other actions that will appear realistically in the game. The controller takes four AA batteries.

This will be the first hands-free game in the popular Tony Hawk series. Tony Hawk Pro Skater was released in 1999 and since then, the franchise has made over $1.1 billion in sales. Eletronic Entertainment Design and Research analyst, Jesse Divinich says the game will not just attract Tony Hawk fans, but new gamers as well, "By adding the peripheral, you open yourself up to a broader consumer base. Look at Wii Fit.

The game will feature the following pro skaters: Tony Hawk, Mike Vallely, Cara-Beth Burnside, Stevie Williams, Rodney Mullen, Christian Hosoi, Daewon Song, Dustin Dollin, Lyn-Z Adams Hawkins, Steve Nesser, Nyjah Huston, Ryan Sheckler, Paul Rodriguez Jr., Alex Olson and Mike Mo Capaldi. Players will have the opportunity to play levels in Southern California, Chicago, New York City, Tokyo, Spain, and Frankfurt, Germany and participate in speed races, trick competitions and half pipe performances.

In a statement, Hawk, himself, said of the game, "This is the game I've always wanted to make. Playing on the board is unlike any other game, and I'm excited for everyone to have the chance to feel what it's really like to experience the true feeling of skateboarding."

More on The Dark Side of Disney's Mickey Mouse

Mickey Mouse is the symbol of Disney’s happy-go-lucky, dream-filled company. The Mickey that we have known has been helpful, funny, and happy, but this is not always how the beloved mouse has behaved. Back in 1928 when Mickey was introduced to the world, he was not a very well behaved mouse. Today, one of the most well known video game designers would like to hone in on that darker side of Disney’s ever popular character.

The Deus Ex franchise is currently developing a new game called Disney’s Epic Mickey that will explore a side of Mickey that many of us have never seen. Warren Spector, the game’s designer is excited with the chance to “re-imagine” Mickey Mouse.

The expected release date for Disney’s Epic Mickey is fall 2010. The adventure-platform game will be created exclusively for Nintendo’s Wii. The story of the game will focus on a world created by the sorcerer from The Sorcerer’s Apprentice and contain a series of forgotten Disney creations and characters. Oswald, who was one of the earliest character created by Walt Disney, is one of these lost characters. In the game, Oswald becomes jealous of Mickey’s exploding success, so Mickey demolishes Oswald’s comfort zone within the cartoon wasteland. After his outburst, Mickey is forced to face the consequences of what he has done.

Although this may seem rather dark for our favorite cartoon mouse, we are still reminded throughout the game that our hero Mickey is a mouse who solves problems by changing the world around him and positively interacting with the people and places he comes into contact with.

Spector started up his company, Junction Point, in 2005. Disney quickly bought the company and commissioned Spector to start on the Mickey Mouse game. He was thrilled to work with Disney because he has been a fan of them all his life and admits to being an animation freak. When Disney first approached Spector with the idea of a Mickey Mouse game, he immediately told them that he wasn’t into designing games for kids. Disney was quick to explain that they were going for a whole new kind of Mickey that would appeal to a different kind of gaming crowd. On hearing this, Spector was in.

Spector says that he hopes that this game will reinvent people’s perception of the much-loved mouse. He hopes that he will now not only be a cuddly adorable character that children around the world love, but also a hero that teens and adults can appreciate. Mickey will now be able to go back to his more mischievous side with this new game but while still learning from any mistakes that he might make. After saying this, Spector makes sure to clarify that they are not making Mickey evil by sticking a sword or gun in his hand. He is simply able to make mistakes.

I personally am very intrigued by this new idea that Disney is developing. The thought of a new kind of Mickey Mouse is something that certainly has caught my attention. I can’t wait to hear more about this game and eventually give it a try. Epic Mickey definitely sounds like a game that will be worth looking more into.