Review: Super Street Fighter IV 3D Edition Packs a Dragon Punch

By Paul Hunter

Street Fighter is known in the gaming community for possessing two qualities: deep, balanced gameplay and incredibly competitive, online player-vs-player matches. It's also known for having umpteen ports that land on just about every gaming platform known to humankind. So here we are again with another port of a Street Fighter game, and one that fans are probably already familiar with. While you may be wondering how playable Super Street Fighter IV 3D Edition is considering the button layout and small screen found on the Nintendo 3DS, you can rest assured that Capcom has somehow managed to pack the console experience into a tiny 3DS cartridge.

Let's be clear that for those arcade purists out there, SSFIV 3D Edition isn't a replacement for its console cousin simply because there's no way you're playing this game with a 6-button layout arcade stick without some crazy Macgyver modding to your Nintendo 3DS. With that said, the game plays surprisingly well using the Circle Pad and face buttons on the 3DS, and thanks to innovative touch screen controls this is easily the most accessible Street Fighter game to date.

Considering that combat in SSFIV 3D Edition requires six attack buttons (3 punches/3 kicks), Capcom recognized that using the shoulder buttons simply isn't feasible, especially for Ultra Combos which requires players to press all three punch or kick attack buttons at the same time, and so they've introduced touch screen controls using the lower Nintendo 3DS touch pad. There are two types of touch controls available, Lite Controls which lets players assign the four touch buttons to perform advanced moves such as Special Moves, Super Combos and Ultra Combos, and Pro Controls which limit the one-touch shortcuts to basic moves such as all three punch or kick buttons, throws, and Focus Attacks.

I'm sure some Street Fighter fans will cringe at the idea of one-touch combos and special attacks, but I found it added so much accessibility that my overall enjoyment of the game with improved. As someone who tends to stick to the familiar characters from Street Fighter II such as Ryu, Guile and Chun-Li, I found with the touch screen controls that I was much more open to experimenting with the new characters like Juri, C. Viper and Rufus. Sure, it might make some players too lazy to learn how to perform special moves using input commands, but those people (me included) probably have no interest in playing Street Fighter professionally anyway.

It's impressive just how much content and detail Capcom managed to pack into SSFIV 3D Edition. All your favourite modes from the home version are here including Arcade, Versus, Internet Match, Training and Challenge, which lets players practice the Car Crusher and Barrel Buster bonus stages as well as compete in a series of increasingly-challenging trials. Since this game is on the Nintendo 3DS, Capcom thought to include an interesting 3D Versus mode that presents battles from an over-the-shoulder perspective that takes full advantage of the portable device's stereoscopic 3D capabilities. It is cool to see, and it's something you'll want to show to your friends, but ultimately it's not very useful for precise gameplay and you'll switch back to the 2D mode in no time.

There is online matchmaking included, as well as local Wifi for Versus mode. When an online match concludes you'll earn or lose Player Points and Battle Points depending on how well you did. Player Points is essentially a measurement of your overall skill based on total wins/loses, and Battle Points measures your skills with specific characters. There are three match types available using Internet Mode, which are Quick Match for jump-in play without setting conditions, Custom Match for defining match conditions prior to battle, and Friend Match which limits opponents to people on your friends list.

SSFIV 3D Edition also includes a brand new mode called Figure Collection that lets players trade in Figure Points earned during the other modes for character figurines. Using a Nintendo 3DS wireless connection, players can view and trade figurines with their friends to help build their collection. There's also a battle system that uses the Nintendo 3DS StreetPass mode, where players can choose five of their figurines to do battle with people they encounter who also have a figurine team selected and StreetPass enabled. Fights occur automatic and based on how your figurines perform, additional Figure Points can be earned.

Porting the game over to the Nintendo 3DS did come with one sacrifice, many of the background objects and animations are completely missing. What we're left with are bare bone environments with only a handful of objects in each, and for the most part everything is static. It's a shame this cut had to be be made, but in all fairness this is the background we're talking about, not the core gameplay.

Easily the best Nintendo 3DS launch title, SSFIV 3D Edition is also the best fighting game ever to grace a handheld platform. It's amazing that Capcom managed to stuff the entire console experience into a Nintendo 3DS cartridge with only minimal sacrifices, and arguably many improvements. This is a game that Street Fighter fans will still be playing in years to come.

[This article originally appeared on the Future Shop Tech Blog]
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Review: Green Lantern Emerald Knights Teaches Us Some Valuable Lessons

By Paul Hunter

While the world's eyes are focused on the Green Lantern live action film starring Ryan Reynolds, Warner Home Video rather quietly released a second movie featuring Hal Jordan and his band of intergalactic super protectors that serves as a great complementary piece, and may even be the better Green Lantern primer.


Green Lantern: Emerald Knights is the eleventh entry in the DC Universe Animated Original Movie series, following such top notch adaptations as All Star Superman and Batman: Under The Red Hood. Taking the very best comic book storylines and bringing them over to a movie format presents some unique challenges which is why this anthology compiling five of the best Green Lantern stories ever is an even more daunting undertaking.

The five self-contained stories are woven together by an over-arching storyline featuring Hal Jordan (voiced by Nathan Fillion of Castle fame) who gives the young new Green Lantern recruit Arisia (voiced by Elisabeth Moss from Mad Men) a biographical crash-course on some of the more memorable Green Lanterns including Abin Sur, Kilowog, Laira and the living planet Mogo. Each story is written and directed by a different team which gives each piece a distinct tone, but unlike DC Comic's other animated original anthology, Batman: Gotham Knight, the overall art style stays pretty consistent across stories.

The main plot has the evil anti-matter alien tyrant known as Krona threatening to destroy life as we know it, which naturally this draws the attention of the universal peace keeping Green Lantern Corps who show unity in strength as they team to eradicate this menace once and for all. To make matters worse, Krona is fast approaching Oa, the homeworld of Guardians and the Central Battery which powers the Green Lantern rings. Our fearless leader Hal Jordan teams with rookie Arisia Rrab who expresses self-doubt about her ability to ward off this powerful alien life. Hal proceeds to regale about his fellow Green Lantern teammates, telling Arisia that even mighty Lanterns such as Kilowog were once green recruits.

Recounting the story of the "The First Lantern," Hal tells Arisia about the forging of the first four power rings by the Guardians who intend them to go to the bravest candidates in the universe. However, the most unlikely of ringbearer who chosen -- Avra the lowly scribe who has never seen battle before. Avra eventually learns great courage and is the very first Green Lantern to construct objects created by pure willpower.

Through more inspirational stories such as Kilowog's first day in Green Lantern training and Laira Omoto's decision to combat her own family to do what's right for her sector, Hal teaches Arisia that a true Green Lantern isn't without fear, but rather has the ability to overcome fear.

Each story has its own tone, with some being more action oriented and others more serious emotional pieces. There's even a comedic story called "Mogo Doesn't Socialize" that stars Bolphunga the Unrelenting who is obsessed with becoming the fiercest warrior in the galaxy. While searching a distant planet for Mogo, whom he hears is the most powerful being in the universe, Bolphunga soon learns that Mogo is the entire planet, a living world, and sends Bolphunga running scared. All the stories are richly detailed, with a heavy focus on rich greens and yellows that really create a vibrancy throughout the film.

In addition to the superb main movie, Green Lantern: Emerald Knights includes about 75 minutes of bonus material including a sneak peak at Batman: Year One, the next DC Universe Animated Original Movie, a behind-the-scenes look at All Star Superman, the featurette "Only the Bravest: Tales of the Green Lantern Corps" which explores what it means to be brave, and a second featurette called "Why Green Lantern Matters: The Talent of Geoff Johns". There's also a few other bonuses thrown in such as some history lessons on Abin Sur and Laira Omoto, and two hand-picked cartoons from producer Bruce Timm.

While not the strongest entry in the DC Universe Animated Original Movie series (that honour still goes to Batman: Under the Red Hood for me), Bruce Timm and his team have created a worthy entry that Green Lantern fans are sure to enjoy.

[This article originally appeared on the Future Shop Tech Blog]
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Metal Gear Solid Peace Walker HD Demo Footage Is All Looks, No Brains

By Paul Hunter

During Konami's pre-E3 show the company announced an HD home console version of Metal Gear Solid Peace Walker will be hitting shelves this November, and this week they're ready to show the game in action. Even at this early stage the game is looking incredible, much improved over the PSP version which already looked great on Sony's portable device. You have to wonder though, why did Konami let such an incompetent player demo this game for us for the very first time?



You'll notice the blunders right away, with the player advancing Snake to a small shack with little cover only to be spotted by a patrol guard within seconds. Poor old Snake gets shot a couple of times as the player fumbles to neutralize him with a tranquilizer gun. It's the last 30 seconds that are just bizarre to watch, with the player disregarding stealth altogether as he alerts every soldier in sight and then tries to hide in three inch tall grass. Of course he's shot and killed within seconds, the death music chimes in and then it looks to me like an A.I. soldier teabags him. Please tell me I'm wrong.

Obviously the actions of the player in the demo has no bearing on the overall quality of the game, which without a doubt looks stunning in HD. Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker is included in Konami's upcoming Metal Gear Solid HD Collection which will also contain HD versions of Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty, and Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater. The collection will be available for both the PS3 and the Xbox 360.

For Metal Gear Solid Peace Walker HD you already see the rich, new textures that have been applied and the polygons have been rendered in crisp HD. The user-interface has also been redone with a cleaner look and sharper fonts.

Surprisingly enough after searching the Konami YouTube channel I stumbled upon a second demo for Peace Walker HD, led by Kojima Productions Assistant Producer Sean Eyestone, and it's really what the above demo should have been. In Eyestone's walk-through he plays Metal Gear Solid the way it was meant to be played, with stealth, strategy and quick reflexes. Check it out:



To get a sense of just how improved Metal Gear Solid Peace Walker HD is over the original PSP version, check out these comparison screen shots provided by Konami:


Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker HD (PS3, Xbox 360)


Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker (PSP)


Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker HD (PS3, Xbox 360)


Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker (PSP)


Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker HD (PS3, Xbox 360)


Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker (PSP)

[This article originally appeared on the Future Shop Tech Blog]
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Review: Steel Diver Has More Beneath The Surface

By Paul Hunter

When Nintendo unveiled the Nintendo 3DS at last year's E3 a game like Steel Diver is probably the last type of game you'd think would be a first-party launch title. It's a game that is part submarine simulation, part action-puzzler, part first-person shooter and part multiplayer strategy. Wow that's a mouthful. The obvious question is whether or not Steel Diver is a good game, and the answer is yes it is, but you need to understand what you're getting into first. That's why I'm here to help.

On the surface, Steel Diver's main Mission mode will likely come off as a painfully slow and cumbersome submarine game that has you maneuvering your watercraft through bland environments in attempt to reach your goals. The mission goals vary from capturing an enemy base, to navigating a jungle canal, to seeking and destroying the enemy's flagship, but no matter what the objective is the levels play pretty much the same.

You begin each mission by selecting one of three submarines, the nimble and light Manatee, the mid-size balanced BlueShark, or the powerful yet slow Serpent. Controlling the subs is done using the Nintendo 3DS telescoping stylus on the lower touchpad. There is a slider for horizontal movement (reverse/forward), a slider for vertical depth (surface/dive), and in the two larger subs there's a pitch wheel that controls the angle of your vessel. Each submarine also has a "Masker" button that is used to pass by homing missiles unnoticed and a "Torpedo" button (the larger vessels have multiple torpedoes) to blast enemies, destroy water mines and remove barriers blocking your submarine.

There's also an air gauge that depletes every time you press the Masker button, and your supply can be replenished by surfacing or by finding air pockets in underground caverns. Along the way you'll encounter many obstacles that can diminish your damage meter, including enemy fire, volcanic eruptions and collisions with the ocean floor or underwater surfaces. Bringing your vessel above water also has the added bonus of decreasing your damage meter as your crew repairs the submarine.

While the initial few missions are a cakewalk, the challenge ramps up quite quickly and this is where the real joy of Steel Diver sets in. It might sound tedious to have to constantly be adjusting all these sliders to reach your goal, but it's actually surprisingly satisfying to make minute angle and speed changes that result in close-call battle victories and near-miss wall collisions. The Mission mode is quite short unfortunately, only seven missions are included, and considering it's the "meat" of the game you'd think there would be many more. Of course, each mission can be replayed for improved high scores and to clear it with all three submarines, but the replayability is a little thin.

Fortunately, in addition to Mission mode there are two other modes to play around with: Periscope Strike and Steel Commander. The first mode uses the Nintendo 3DS gyroscope to simulate a periscope and you need to physically turn in a 360 degree motion to search for and sink enemy submarines and battleships. There's really not much more to this mode than that, but like the Mission mode it's surprisingly fun to play over and over again. Finally there's the multiplayer Steel Commander mode which feels like a mash-up of Battleship and Hide-and-Seek and can be played against a computer A.I. or with a friend via download play.

Sure I could complain that Steel Diver isn't the Mario or Zelda launch title we were all hoping for, but it's a really engaging submarine simulation game that will hook you with patience. Whether you're eking out a close victory in Mission mode or spinning to find an enemy cruiser in Periscope mode, Steel Diver is simply a lot of fun if you're brave enough to dive below the surface.

[This article originally appeared on the Future Shop Tech Blog]
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Review: Super Monkey Ball 3D Rolls More Than It Rocks

By Paul Hunter

Ten years ago the Super Monkey Ball franchise rolled its way onto the Nintendo GameCube and kick-started a craze that has spawned about fifteen sequels/spin-offs, and at least as many monkey mini-games. In Super Monkey Ball 3D our furry cast of primates are back, and for the first time ever in rich 3D that takes full advantage the capabilities of the Nintendo 3DS. You might think this would be a great idea, and it is, but there's a catch.

Let's start off by addressing the elephant (err...monkey) in the room. For those uninitiated, the premise behind Super Monkey Ball is to roll your monkey through single-level obstacle courses by tilting and rotating the game world. A couple of years ago Sega released a version for the iPhone that utilized the device's accelerometer, allowing players to physically tilt their iPhone to rotate the game world. It was a fresh spin on the franchise and controlling your monkey on the 2D screen was simple and satisfying. The major issue with the Nintendo 3DS version is that Sega decided to implement a similar gyroscope control scheme on a portable device that we all know has a rather narrow "sweet spot" of vision. The result is a blurry mess as you tilt and lose focus constantly as you play.

Thankfully, the game also has a Circle Pad control set-up and that's really the way to go here. In fact, using the Circle Pad makes this quite possibly the most controllable Super Monkey Ball game yet, given the comfortable feel and great sensitivity of the analog control nub. I found even the most nuanced twists and turns of the Circle Pad resulted in precise tilting onscreen exactly as you'd expect it to be. This meant that every fall off the course felt "fair" and could be attributed to control errors such as over steering or too much speed.

Whereas other Super Monkey Ball games contained a dozen or more mini games to play, this version only contains three: Monkey Ball, Monkey Race, and Monkey Fight. The latter two mini games feel like Mario Kart and Super Smash Bros. clones, and unfortunately neither one comes close to matching the bar set by Nintendo. It either goes to show how uninspired these two mini games are, or how superb Nintendo's games are. No matter how you slice it, the only real game worth playing here is the tried-and-true Monkey Ball.

With over 70 levels to play, Monkey Ball offers a decent amount of gameplay time (around 2-3 hours) and of course you'll likely want to replay levels to improve your score. At the end of each level you'll be graded on your performance, including how much of the 60 seconds you've used up, and your score is cumulative so long as you don't lose all your monkey lives. Collecting thirty bananas which are scattered around the stages will net you another monkey and another chance to redeem yourself should a slip off the game world occur. There are some new hazards introduced in this version such as pesky bumpers that ricochet your monkey off the nearest ledge, and sand patches the slow your roll to a crawl.

The 3D effects in the game are occasionally extremely impressive, such as the beginning of each World which has a cool pop-up book style intro or the 360 degree zooming camera spin at the start of each level which shows clear depth between the suspended platforms and the background. During gameplay itself the 3D looks okay, but it does sometimes get out of focus. In order to remedy this, it's best to turn down the 3D to the half-way mark or below which brings the action into much greater focus.

While Super Monkey Ball has been done time and again, this is the first time in full 3D and it seems Aiai and the rest of his monkey crew have a respectable, if not serviceable first outing. If you're a long-time fan of the series the Monkey Ball mini game will give you enough entertainment to pass some time, but ultimately this seems like a paired-down game compared to Super Monkey Ball games already out there in the market.

[This article originally appeared on the Future Shop Tech Blog]
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Review: IMAX Hubble Is Astronomically Gorgeous

By Paul Hunter

The Hubble Space Telescope has been capturing the breathtaking cosmos for over 20 years now, delivering back the richest and most stunning photographs of our vast universe. Back in May 2009, the crew of the Space Shuttle Atlantis launched into orbit to perform essential repairs and upgrades on the Hubble, and onboard was an IMAX 3D camera to capture this incredible space voyage.

IMAX Hubble is a captivating new space documentary that takes viewers 350 miles above the Earth to visit the Hubble Space Telescope in all its grandeur, straight from the eyes of the astronauts onboard the Atlantis. Using IMAX 3D technology, and in cooperation with NASA, the space team of the STS-125 Mission were trained how to use the high-definition cameras to film their space repair mission. The result is a mesmerizing journey to space and back that is occasionally gripping, and often times exhilarating.

Narrating the entire journey is Leonardo DiCaprio, who is a bit of odd choice given his soft, tempered voice, although you can clearly hear his enthusiasm and excitement. I would have liked to have heard an actor with a more commanding voice, such as Morgan Freeman or Patrick Stewart, narrate the film to give it that extra level of oomph, but DiCaprio's performance is memorable.

The audio recordings are nothing short of phenomenal, with no crackling or audio disruptions interfering with the clarity of the astronaut’s voices and shuttle sounds. One of the more memorable audio moments occurs during the Space Shuttle Atlantis take-off, which emits a fiery explosion that sounds about as close to being there as you can get.

Peppered throughout the documentary are images and advanced computer visualizations of the universe, including Saturn’s aurora, the Pillars of Creation in the Eagle Nebula and beautiful Butterfly Nebula. The trip even travels to Orion Nebula, spanning 90 trillion miles wide, for a riveting fly-through of the gaseous cloud puffs. These CGI sequences are incredibly well done, and worth watching a few times to marvel at our rich cosmos.

The documentary is surprisingly short, running a mere 44 minutes, and you have to wonder why IMAX couldn’t have thrown in another 16 minutes to make it an hour-long experience; however, what’s present is gorgeous and extremely satisfying to watch. There are some interesting bonus features, such as an “Inside IMAX’s Hubble” which has the cast and film crew talk about their experiences with the project, as well as a “Mission Logs Webisode Gallery” featuring astronaut Mike Massimo who gives us a behind-the-scenes look at being an astronaut.

Growing up I've always dreamed of traveling to space and while I haven't yet made it out of our atmosphere, IMAX Hubble is the closest I've been yet. If you're a space nut, this is definitely the documentary to watch.

[This article originally appeared on the Future Shop Tech Blog]
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There's A Lot of Pre-order Bonuses At Future Shop These Days

By Paul Hunter

So you like pre-order bonuses, eh? I mean really, who doesn't. With this spirit in mind Future Shop has announced that they will be giving away free bonuses for those who pre-order select soon-to-release games. Looks like there's something for everybody, check out the list they provided:

• Call of Juarez: The Cartel: Pre-orders include an exclusive to Future Shop in-game Mini Machine Gun. Releases July 19.
• Fear 3: Launches on June 19 and includes a limited Steelbook case, exclusive to Future Shop.
• The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D: Releasing June 19, the first customers purchasing this Nintendo 3DS title in-store receives a free 3DS case (a $10 value).
• Shadows of the Damned: Available late June, online-only pre-order customers will receive a Shadows of the Damned soundtrack DLC.
• Driver: San Francisco: Expected to launch late August, pre-order customers are rewarded with free Downloadable Content (DLC) to receive an in-game car: the Aston Martin DB5.
• Gears of War 3: Launching in September, pre-order customers of any Gears of War 3 edition (Standard, Limited or Epic), receive a limited-edition Curb Stomp First Aid Kit, a metal tin kit exclusive to Future Shop, complete with branded bandages inside.
• NHL 12: The excitement returns to the ice in September and rewards pre-order customers with the Downloadable Content (DLC) of Goalie Boost, allowing players to ‘Be a Pro’ and earn EA SPORTS Hockey League goalie elite statuses.

I don't know about you, but I have always wanted to apply a Gears of War bandage. Not that I expect to get hurt mind you.
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Zelda Concert Tour May Come To Canada

By Paul Hunter

At E3 we heard that Nintendo is planning a worldwide Legend of Zelda concert tour, and in a recent interview with Nintendo of America president Reggie Fils-Aime he told Kotaku that the tour could come to a country we love so dearly. I bet you can't guess which one?

I suppose the title gave it away that the country Reggie is referring to is Canada. "It should be do-able," he said in the interview. Sadly it looks like Latin America tour dates are doubtful, but expect concerts in the U.S., Japan, and parts of Europe.

Source: Multi-City Zelda Concert Tour May Dip Into Canada, Ocarina Unconfirmed
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Review: Asphalt 3D Drives Me Around The Bend

By Paul Hunter

Timed with the release of the Nintendo 3DS, Asphalt 3D is one of those games that feels like an early launch title. The game marks the second time that French developer Gameloft released an Asphalt title to coincide with a new Nintendo handheld device, as they did in 2004 with Asphalt Urban GT on the Nintendo DS, and frankly, the series hasn't improved much over the years.

Asphalt 3D feels like a mix between the arcade racing of Burnout and the cop evasion moments of Need For Speed, while never achieving the level of excitement or tension those two games offer. What we have is a very average racer featuring 17 tracks from cities around the world such as San Franciso, Tokyo, Madrid, and Las Vegas. Each of the tracks has its own distinct flavour, ranging from the narrow and congested downtown core of Tokyo to the scenic seaside view of Saint Tropez. While the scenery is diverse, each location feels jagged, unpolished and more times than not just a little too bland.

While the tracks may be dull to look at, the more than 40 licensed cars in the game look good, especially in 3D. You begin the game with only a handful of vehicles at your disposal, and as you gain experience you unlock more powerful cars such as the Mercedes C 63 AMG, Audi S5, and Ferrari 599 GTO. Experience is gained by winning league challenges in the Career mode or finishing races in the Free play mode.

The bread and butter of Asphalt 3D is its Career mode which spans 14 leagues each containing four main challenges and one bonus challenge. These challenges vary from traditional races, Vigilante mode which requires you to eliminate your opponents, and High Speed Chase where the objective is to outrun pursuing police vehicles. The problem is, some of the game modes are just flat out broken. Take Drift for example, the goal here is collect a certain number of drift points by drifting around corners, but it actually doesn't matter what position you place in or how long it takes you to reach your point goal. If you're close the finish line and don't have enough points you can simple U-turn, back track, and then turn back around to collect more drift points. There's another mode that requires you to collect money by smashing into cars or collecting money tokens spread along the course, but again, if you're close to finishing and are short some cash you can simply U-turn and smash vehicles until you've met the criteria.

The 3D effects in the game are okay at best, but don't look quite as good as what's in Ridge Racer 3D, another arcade racing game that launched around the time of the Nintendo 3DS. In fact, unless you're a diehard Asphalt fan there's not much reason to pick up this game over Ridge Racer 3D, which has better graphics, a fantastic soundtrack and is just more fun to play. With that said, Asphalt 3D does provide a very basic level of enjoyment, just don't expect the fast-paced thrills and tension you'd expect from the better arcade racers out there, of which there are lots.

[This article originally appeared on the Future Shop Tech Blog]
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Review: Pilotwings Resort Is a Pleasant Ride

By Paul Hunter

You have to hand it to Nintendo, they sure know how to create a series designed specifically to show off the 3D capabilities of their new hardware platforms. Pilotwings is that flagship series which gave us our first taste of Mode 7 scaling in Pilotwings for SNES, then gave us a taste of polygon processing power in Pilotwings 64, and now the series has been brought to life in full stereoscopic 3D with Pilotwings Resort on the Nintendo 3DS. Over and above being a glorified tech demo, the Pilotwings franchise has been really solid, with great gameplay and visuals to keep gamers coming back for more, and this latest entry is no exception.

Aesthetically, the game looks a lot like Wii Fit and Wii Sports Resort, and for good reason -- its setting is the familiar Wuhu Island. While it might seem like Nintendo was just being lazy reusing this island yet again, for Pilotwings Resort it's the perfect island with its scenic landscape filled with mountains, windmills, a giant volcano and the surround archipelago of mini islands.

The interface couldn't be simpler. You begin by selecting one of you Mii characters (you're forced to use a Mii as there is no create-a-character mode) and enroll them the Wuhu Sky Club to earn their pilot license. You have your choice of Mission Mode, which teaches you the basics of flying and gradually advances to more complex challenges. There's also Free Mode where you can pilot an aircraft freely around Wuhu Island to collect landscape icons or special trophies that unlock different times of day, dioramas, new aircrafts, and more.

There are three main modes of flight: a plane, a hang glider or a rocket belt. Each mode feels unique in the way they handle, their speed, and method of landing. All three feel realistic which is important in a game like this, and are also brought to life with rich 3D effects such as the plane exhaust and hang glider wind rifts.

Mission Mode challenges start off pretty easy and have you perform maneuvers such ascending, diving, barrel rolling and landing. You're graded on a number of variables such as time, number of rings flown through, number of guide dots collected, and the finesse of your landing. Each challenge awards up to three stars based on your performance, and a certain number of stars must be collected before advancing to the next set of challenges.

While the entire game can be "completed" in roughly 4-5 hours this isn't a game that is meant to be rushed through. The real fun of Pilotwings Resort is simply enjoying each flight as you steadily improve your skills and fly with more grace. Wuhu Island looks incredible in 3D and you might find yourself occasionally distracted from flying while your eyes peer off into the distance at a scenic landmark. Definitely a mark of great visuals.

This game is fun pure and simple. It's a great showcase title for the capabilities of the Nintendo 3DS and is perfect for those downtime moments when you have time to spare. Playing through Pilotwings Resort makes me even more excited to see what's next on the Nintendo 3DS horizon.

[This article originally appeared on the Future Shop Tech Blog]
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Hobo With a Shotgun: Interview with Director Jason Eisener

By Paul Hunter

For film director Jason Eisener, $150 and a case of beer was all it took to mark the beginning of career that is nothing short of living the dream. What started as a fake trailer submitted in a contest for the double feature film Grindhouse wound up taking Eisener all the way to Austin, Texas, where he met filmmaker Robert Rodriguez who selected his trailer -- Hobo With a Shotgun -- as the best entry. That fake trailer proved to be so popular it eventually got feature film funding, an international theatrical release, and the attention of the legendary Rutger Hauer who signed on to become the Hobo. Eisener's story is as inspiring as it is spectacular and that's why I got really excited when I was offered a chance to sit down with him to discuss how this all happened, and what Hobo With a Shotgun has meant for his career.

Paul Hunter: Most people remember Hobo With a Shotgun as one of those fake movie trailers in Grindhouse that was put on my Robert Rodriguez and Quentin Tarantino. Where did you get the idea for the trailer from?

Jason Eisener: It all started in this pizza shop that me and my best friend John Davies, the writer of the film, hangout called Ronnie's Pizza and it's where we would go to to pitch ideas back and forth. One day I was sitting in there and my buddy Mojo came in, and at the time he had really long hair, a shaggy shirt on and had just bought an Airsoft Shotgun that shoots little plastic pellets. As me and John were pitching ideas back and forth, Mojo speaks up and says "well guys, why don't you make a movie about me?" and John looks him up and down and says "what, a Hobo with a shotgun?" It just clicked, a lightbulb went off. We thought that was a really cool movie title, but what would that movie be about?

PH: You eventually went on to Austin, Texas, and you won the Grindhouse trailer competition. What was that experience like?

JE: It was amazing. We didn't know at the time they were going to pick one winner, we were told they were going to pick the top three and play them at Robert Rodriguez's Grindhouse panel that he was putting on. When we got there they told us they were only going to pick one. I was already super excited that we were picked as one of the top three and when they told us they were going to pick the top one I thought there's no way in hell we're going to win. They played the three trailers, and Rodriguez picked Hobo With a Shotgun as his top trailer. He put me up on a panel with Harry Knowles and we talked about the trailer. It was awesome, such an amazing experience. What's so cool too is a lot of the other teams who made trailers came to Austin to be a part of the whole thing. We made so many amazing new friends there.

PH: It's crazy too because I understand that you're a big fan of Robert Rodriguez growing up, and his book was a big influence on you. What was it like meeting one of your boyhood idols?

JE: It was so incredible. I read his book Rebel Without a Crew in college and it really inspired me to continue making movies. I got to meet Quentin Tarantino twice as well. It was hard not to act like a fanboy when you meet guys like that (laughs).

PH: The internet viewers really rallied behind Hobo With Shotgun and it got hundreds of thousands of views. What do you think the fans gravitated towards?

JE: I think they were just excited to see something they wouldn't normally get from a studio picture, or something that would be on television. You think that something like Hobo With a Shotgun could only be made and put on the internet, and that would be it. I think people just loved the Hobo character, his lines and how he carried himself. He's the underdog hero, but at the same time he's so angry and teed off, so it's really funny to watch. It's such a high concept, crazy idea that people dug because it's something that nobody would think could be put in a movie theatre.

PH: I heard that the original trailer was made without permits and for only a couple hundred bucks. Was it challenging to secure funding for the feature length film and gain support from the City of Halifax where the filming took place?

JE: Making the trailer only required a few people at a time, maybe three people, and we shot it for about $150. That was just to buy tape, and pizza and cigarettes for Dave Brunt who played the Hobo. We ran around the city with a real shotgun and stealing locations (laughs). I love that spirit, and there was that same spirit when making the feature film too. They were time when I'd grab Rutger Hauer and tell him we're going to steal a location and would get all excited. It was important to me that we shot our first feature film back at home with all of our friends so we could have that support that they give us. It's that heart and soul that you put in the film and that's what shows on the screen. The biggest change was going from three people on set at a time to a team of forty or more when making the feature film. Definitely a completely different experience directing such a large crew.

PH: Some people are obviously going to look at this film and view it as a blood and gore fest, but I found there was a lot of subtext in the film that talks about corruption and exploitation. What were some of the messages that you wanted to convey?

JE: It reflects a lot of what was going on in the world and it leaked its way into the movie. Like you said with corporations and corruption. Mostly for me what I connected with was the idea that there's crime or something horrible happening and people just stand by watching it happen. Although I don't think violence is the answer to solving problems like that. You're right though, some people watch the movie and just see the blood and guts, but some people also see there's a heart there as well. That was always important especially when working with Rutger Hauer because I think I sold him on the heart of the story and character.

PH: Let's talk specifically about the Hobo character, how did you manage to get Rutger Hauer in the film?

JE: For me, Rutger is my favourite actor since I was a kid. When I first saw him in The Blood of Heroes and The Hitcher he totally captured my attention and I tried to track down everything he was involved with. Alliance Films, our distributor in Canada, ask me to write down on a list my top five favourite actors who I'd love to play the role and I thought this was ridiculous for a low budget Canadian film in Nova Scotia, we're not going to get anyone I put on this list. They were really adamant that I do it so I was like all right, fine, and I wrote Rutger Hauer at the top of the list thinking there's no way we'll ever get him, but it'll give them an idea of the kind of actor I want for the role. Within a couple of days they got a hold of his agent and the agent didn't understand the script and told Rutger it wouldn't really be a good film for him. For Rutger when somebody tells him that he's probably not going to like something he finds it really interesting and wants to know why. So he took it upon himself to read the script and he thought it was interesting so he said let me talk to the director and see what he has to say, so I had to get on Skype with him. It was the first Skype call I had ever done and I was so nervous talking to someone who was an idol of mine as a kid, but once we started the conversation it felt so comfortable because he's so down-to-earth. I pitched him the heart of the story, and how I wanted the character to be grounded, and the western theme of the film. He loved it and thought it would be a lot of fun so he wanted to be involved and help us out. Weeks later he was in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia with us making a movie.

PH: With all the success you've had with Sundance, winning the Grindhouse trailer competition, and getting Rutger for the film, do you feel like you're living the dream? Or do you feel this is the first step in the evolution of your career?

JE: I guess both. It was definitely a dream come true. It's not too long ago I was a kid in high school dreaming one day of making my own feature film, but I never thought my first feature film would star someone like Rutger Hauer, or be a movie like Hobo With a Shotgun. We got to do what we wanted to do, we got to make the movie we wanted to make. That's so rare and amazing, there's definitely some times when I have to pinch myself. It sinks in a bit now, but then there's pressure to do something else that's even more fun than Hobo With a Shotgun.

PH: Some of the scenes in the movie are obviously over-the-top and meant to be outrageous, such as the torching of the bus full of kids. Where do you draw the line?

JE: For that scene in particular we wanted to come up with a terrorist act that could flip the community upside down and make them turn on each other, but had to fit the limitation of our budget. I was thinking about other movies that had grand terrorist acts such as the Batman movie where Joker blows up a hospital. We couldn't really do something like that, but we could buy a broken down bus for probably $500, then get a bunch of our friends to bring down their kids and do something crazy. It's such a crazy, outrageous idea but at the same time is does keep with the story and the motivation of the characters. Crazy ideas are fine so long as they support the narrative. Outrageous ideas that we thought could take away from the narrative, or distract people from the characters or the story, we felt wouldn't be necessary.

PH: One thing I couldn't believe is that you beheaded Rob Wells and you slashed George Strombolopolous. How did you manage to convince them to do these scenes?

JE: Rob was awesome. We wanted to work with him for quite some time and we gave him that little role. He's such an amazing guy because he had to sit in that hole for almost two days with sun just beaming down on his head while wearing that manhole thing around his neck. It was so uncomfortable that after we shot that scene he had to walk around for the next week with a neck brace on, but he never complained about it when we were shooting. He was awesome to work with and that death was just so fun. The best story I have about that death is there was this background performer and he had been blind his whole life. We're doing that scene and Rob Wells head pops off and the blood starts shooting out, and this hot chick comes up and starts dancing in the blood. The guy had corrective surgery done on his eyes two weeks prior to filming this scene, and his vision came back to him as this scene was unfolding, so the very first thing he had ever saw is this girl in a bikini dancing in the blood. One of the executive directors overheard him say wow, red is so beautiful (laughs). George was such a pleasure to work with too. My producer sat beside him on a plane ride to LA one day and he showed him one of my short films called Treevenge and he loved it. While we were in LA he gave his phone number to my producer and said hit me up sometime while you're here. So we're out for dinner one night and we thought well why don't we text George and see if he wants to come out thinking he probably won't, but he took a cab and was over within five minutes. We hung out all night and we hit it off and asked him if he wanted to be involved with Hobo, he was totally game. He flew down on his own dime and stayed for a couple of days. On set he wanted to get his hands dirty, help out with the blood rig, so he was really cool and it was fun to shoot that scene with him.

PH: Do you have any idea how much blood was split on set?

JE: I don't, know. Every day I showed up at the set I saw buckets and buckets of blood. We had a guy whose job was pretty much to make blood the whole time. We had a truck that we called the Blood Truck. There should be an extra feature about that on the DVD.

PH: So what's next -- any more exploitation films coming out soon?

JE: Yeah, I'm writing a martial arts film right now that's definitely in that crazy exploitation world. I'm also involved with this anthology project called The ABCs of Death which is being done through the Alamo Drafthouse and Magnet Releasing. Basically what they're doing is giving a letter of the alphabet to a director, so there are 26 filmmakers involved each with a letter, and we each have to create a tale of horror and gore. I think it'll be done around the new year.

PH: Thanks so much for your time Jason.

[This article originally appeared on the Future Shop Tech Blog]
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E3 2011: Nintendo Celebrates The Legend of Zelda's 25th Anniversary With Live Concerts And Games

By Paul Hunter

Last year Super Mario Bros. celebrated its 25th Anniversary and this year The Legend of Zelda has reached the same milestone. You'd never know by looking at the elvish features of series protagonist Link however, who looks like he hasn't aged a day since his early NES days. At E3 this year Nintendo announced big plans to celebrate Zelda's 25th birthday, including a worldwide symphony tour, a new video game on each of Nintendo's platforms, and even a couple of music CDs thrown in the mix.

Opening up their E3 press conference was a full orchestra that gave a teaser performance for an upcoming concert tour that will be coming to North America, Europe and Japan later this year. Dates and locations will be announced over the summer.

Nintendo also highlighted four Legend of Zelda games that will be releasing on Nintendo platforms by the end of the year. Just released last week for Nintendo's new eShop is the Game Boy Color game The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening DX for $5.99. The "DX" version of the game features full colour and an exclusive colour-based dungeon not found in the 1993 Game Boy original.

Launching on June 19 is The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D for the Nintendo 3DS. This remastered version features enhanced graphics and impressive 3D visuals that take full advantage of the Nintendo 3DS hardware. While the core game remains relatively unchanged, there are two new modes -- Master Quest and Boss Challenge -- for players to try out. In Master Quest the entire world of Hyrule is mirrored and enemies will be harder to overcome. The new Boss Challenge mode lets players do battle with any of the previous Bosses they have defeated, or for a real challenge you fight Bosses one after another in a continuous battle.

In September, Nintendo will be releasing The Legend of Zelda : Four Swords for the DSi and Nintendo eShop as a free download. While Nintendo didn't originally specifywhether this would be the Game Boy Advance original (which was bundled with the Game Boy Advance port of A Link to the Past) or the GameCube version, Four Swords Adventures. Turns out it's the GBA version. We don't know yet if there will be improvements over the GBA version, but expect co-operative multiplayer, which is core to this game, to be present.

Finally, there's The Legend of Zelda Skyward Sword, Nintendo's big Wii release this holiday season. Featuring full motion control, players can use their Wii Remote as a sword, whip, slingshot, bow and more, to target enemies, collect items and solve puzzles. Nintendo also announced a limited edition golden Wii Remote controller will also be available when the game releases.

In addition to the concert tour and four games, Nintendo is also releasing two CDs this year -- the official soundtrack of The Legend of Zelda Ocarina of Time 3D for those who register the game with Club Nintendo, and a CD containing music performed by The Legend of Zelda symphony orchestra.

[This article originally appeared on the Future Shop Tech Blog]
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E3 2011: Nintendo eShop Launch Is Sure To Excite

By Paul Hunter

Among all the excitement of Nintendo's new hardware announcement during the company's E3 press conference it might be easy to gloss over the news that the Nintendo eShop was official launched -- but there are many reasons why you should be paying attention. Top of the list is news that Nintendo is giving away a free copy of the NES classic title Excitebike to everyone who downloads the first system update for the Nintendo 3DS, which includes the Nintendo eShop, among other updates.

Excitebike is the first of many in the new "3D Classics" line of games which will appear in the Nintendo eShop. These re-mastered games will feature 3D enhancements adding a whole new layer of depth to classic games. Additional functionality may also be added, and for Excitebike this includes a vastly improved track editor which lets you save up to 32 creations, but even more interesting is how the 3D slider actually changes the perspective and shows more of the stadium's bleachers in the distance.

The eShop is the most robust online store yet on a Nintendo platform, eclipsing that of the Wii and DSi. Nintendo 3DS users will be able to view and download Virtual Console content including Game Boy games Super Mario Land ($3.99), Alleyway ($2.99), and Radar Mission ($2.99), and the Game Boy Color game The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening ($5.99). Nintendo has stated that it plans on adding Game Gear and TurboGraphx console games at a later date. It looks like there won't be a price race to the bottom as Nintendo has put a floor price point of $1.99 on games that appear in the Nintendo eShop.

More than 350 Nintendo DSiWare games will also be immediately available for purchasing with the launch of the Nintendo eShop. For those who want to browse before buying, up to six dual-screen screen shots or six dual-screen videos can be viewed for each title. Each game also includes a game overview and feature highlights.

Nintendo 3DS game trailers are also available for download, including a vast selection from Nintendo's E3 line-up. Trailers for upcoming Nintendo 3DS games such as Mario Kart, Luigi's Mansion 2, Super Mario and Kid Icarus: Uprising can be downloaded directly from the Nintendo eShop and viewed in full 3D on your Nintendo 3DS.

In addition to games, the Nintendo eShop will also include movie trailers, music videos and comedy clips. Already added to the digital shop is a trailer for the new Green Lantern movie by Warner Bros. Pictures and I was pretty impressed by the quality of the visuals.

Nintendo eShop will come out each Monday, however the digital store won't be updated until Thursday.

As an added incentive to visit the Nintendo eShop, a free Pokédex 3D application is available free of charge, and lets you view more than 150 Pokémon characters found in Pokémon Black and Pokémon White in full 3D. Only 16 random Pokémon will be unlocked per handheld and in order to collect the rest you need to download from other people using the Nintendo 3DS SpotPass feature.

If you own a DSi or DSi XL the new system update will allow you to transfer previously purchased DSiWare games to your Nintendo 3DS system.

Other features/enhancements that went live with the Nintendo 3DS system update is the addition of a free Internet Browser that has the capability to display 3D images on websites that display 3D content, automatic future system updates, and improved stability and performance of the overall system.

To install the system update on your Nintendo 3DS, go into "System Settings" from the Home Menu, select "Other Settings" and scroll to the last page to select "System Update." 

[This article originally appeared on the Future Shop Tech Blog]
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E3 2011: Xbox 360 Wheel Controller Coming Soon, Gears of War 3 Controller Coming Sooner

By Paul Hunter

Microsoft took the opportunity to unveil two new Xbox 360 controllers during the excitement of E3 this past week. The products are timed to come out with two of Microsoft's most anticipated games of the year, the first being Forza Motorsport 4 and the second being...

...Gears of War 3, of course. And really, what would a Gears of War release be without an accompanying accessory launch? But before we get into the Gears gear (that was a groaner, I know) let's take a look at the accessory for that other game.

Shipping to retailers on September 26 is Microsoft's new Wireless Speed Wheel controller for play exclusively on Xbox 360. Aimed at novice and veteran racing enthusiasts alike, the wireless controller features intuitive motion steering with force feedback to feel very bumps and skid on the road. While its released has been timed around the launch of Turn 10 Studios' upcoming Forza Motorsport 4, the Wireless Speed Wheel is compatible with all racing games out of the box, with a caveat. Microsoft was quick to point out that the wheel controller does not contain shoulder buttons which may limit functionality in some racing games. So what buttons does it contain? There's two trigger buttons for gas and brake at the tip of each handle, a D-pad for navigation, the standard A,B,X,Y buttons for interactions, and a Guide button that glows when turned on. Looks like Microsoft is going to give the wheel a sturdy feel to bring out the realism of racing while balancing the comfort of a controller.

Next on Microsoft's upcoming accessory list is a Gears of War 3 Limited Edition controller which looks this slick:

The wireless controller, which was designed by Epic Games and Microsoft collaboratively, will be shipping to retailers on August 11 for a suggested retail price of $69.99. While that is on the pricey side, the controller features custom packaging and design, a Transforming D-pad, and the Infected Omen Weapon Pack DLC which features customer skins for the game’s five starting weapons: Lancer, Retro Lancer, Hammerburst, Sawed-off Shotgun, and Gnasher Shotgun. The controller takes two AA batteries and will also be compatible with the Microsoft Play and Charge kit (sold separately).

Featuring a matching design is a brand new Xbox 360 Limited Edition Gears of War 3 console bundle which comes with two custom-designed Xbox 360 wireless controllers, a 320GB hard drive, built-in Wi-Fi connection, a copy of Gears of War 3, a wired headset, and a download token for the Infected Omen Weapon Pack and the Adam Fenix character for use in multiplayer. The Limited Edition Gears of War 3 bundle will be available on September 20 for a suggested retail price of $399.

[This article originally appeared on the Future Shop Tech Blog]
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Ubisoft's E3 Line-up Is (Pretty) Diverse

By Paul Hunter

Looking at all the games that Ubisoft showed off during E3 two thoughts come to mind: whoa pretty graphics, and whoa such diversity. Seems like Ubisoft has a little something for everyone planned in the next year, so let your eyes, ears and hands feast on this impressive line-up:

Rayman Origins (PS3, Xbox 360 Wii, PS Vita, 3DS)

Rayman returns to his roots in this 2D side-scrolling adventure featuring high-definition graphics and fun platforming gameplay for up to 4-players. This has to be one of the best looking games at E3 bar none, and with Michel Ancel, celebrated creator of Rayman, Beyond Good & Evil and the Raving Rabbids heading up this project expectations couldn't be higher. It's been 15 years since the release of the original Rayman, and this new version brings back many of the lovable characters, revived in hi-def 2D form, to help our limbless hero save the Glade of Dreams from the nefarious Darktoons. Expect 4-player jump-in, jump-out gameplay similar to New Super Mario Bros. Wii. The game is expected to ship in Holiday 2011.

Driver: San Francisco (PS3, Xbox 360, Wii, 3DS, PC)

The latest version in the Driver series, coming August 30, is coming to current generation platforms for the very first time. Taking place just after the events of Driv3r, players control the fast driving Detective John Tanner who's on a ruthless manhunt for crime lord Charles Jericho through the hills of the City. An innovative feature known as "Shift" allows Tanner to seamlessly switch from car to car to constantly keep him in the heart of the action. Shift power isn't unlimited however, but is charged up by performing feats such as power slides, big jumps and driving into oncoming traffic. 

Far Cry 3 (PS3, Xbox 360, PC)

Ubisoft Montreal is hard at work on the next iteration of their popular Far Cry series for the PS3, Xbox 360 and PC. While details are scarce, we do know that the game will be returning to a tropical island, this time located somewhere between the Indian and Pacific Oceans. Players assume the role of Jason Brody, a man stranded alone on this mysterious island where lawlessness and violence are a way of life. The game unfolds based on player's decision to engage combat or not, and the allies or enemies they choose to make along the way. The familiar shoot, slash and sneak gameplay returns as players unravel the secrets of the island that has lost all sense of morality.

Brothers In Arms: Furious 4 (PS3, Xbox 360, PC)

Gearbox Studios is readying another Brothers In Arms game, this time taking a tongue-in-cheek approach that has clear inspiration from Inglorious Bastards. Set in World War II, in Furious 4 up to four players can follow a band of Nazi killing soldiers that use a variety of special weaponry in their attempt to eliminate members of the Third Reich. What special weaponry does Ubisoft have in mind? Well, it looks like you and your teammates will be equipped with tomahawks, electricity, a mini-gun and even a branding iron. The co-op campaign will also be joined by an extensive competitive multiplayer mode, although details have not yet been revealed. Expect Brothers In Arms: Furious 4 sometime in 2012.

Assassin's Creed Revelations (PS3, Xbox 360, PC)

While already revealed months ago, a new trailer and new details on the final chapter in Ezio's triology were revealed at E3. Developed and led by Ubisoft Montreal, our assassin hero Ezio Auditore walks in the footsteps of his legendary mentor, Altair, on a journey to Constantinople in the heart of the Ottoman Empire. On a journey to recover five ancient seals which hold the secrets to the Assassins brotherhood, Ezio must use stealth or aggression against the growing army of the Templars that threaten the future of the brotherhood. Along the way Ezio will meet up with important new characters such as master assassin Yusuf Tazim, Prince Suleiman, and Sofia Sorto, who develops feelings for our assassin for hire. Ubisoft has promised that a lot will be revealed during the adventure, tying up the loose ends of the trilogy.

Ghost Recon: Future Soldier (PS3, Xbox 360, Wii, DS, PSP)

Revealed over a year ago, and now pegged with a March 2012 release date, the latest Tom Clancy game promises to deliver cutting-edge, authentic military tech and unique stealth gameplay combined with brutal close-quarter combat. Up to four players can play through 14 campaign missions ranging from the heat and dust of Africa to the Arctic Circle. Utilizing an innovative new augment reality system called A.T.L.A.S, players will be able to see a display of real-time intel that provides live feedback on the evolving battlefield situation. More than 50 unique military weapons are said to be in the game, and with an unprecedented level of customization, players can configure their weapons down to the very last detail. The Xbox 360 version of the game will be fully compatible with Kinect, allowing players to use a combination of hand gestures and voice commands to draw, aim and fire your weapons.

In addition to all these hotly anticipated titles, Ubisoft also showed off more Rocksmith, Raving Rabbids: Alive & Kicking for Kinect, Just Dance 3, Your Shape: Fitness Evolved 2012, andThe Adventures of Tintin: the Secret of the Unicorn: the Game. Lots more information to come on these games and more in the weeks and months to come so stay tuned.

[This article originally appeared on the Future Shop Tech Blog]
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Hot: Duke Nukem Forever Gets Special Pre-order Price @ Future Shop

By Paul Hunter

There are so many reasons why Duke Nukem is so great, but here's another one to add to the list: Future Shop is now offering a special pre-order price of Duke Nukem Forever for PS3 and Xbox 360.

The pre-order price of $53.99 (reg. $59.99) reflects a planned three-day sale for Duke Nukem Forever from June 14-16 that is happening across Canada at all 146 Future Shop stores.

As an added bonus, the first online shoppers to pre-order the game for PS3 or Xbox 360 from Futureshop.ca may receive an extremely limited-edition Steelbook Case free, an item exclusive to Future Shop. An image of the case can be see below:

The limited edition Steelbook Cases will be available at Future Shop stores on a first-come, first-served basis in store, so if you want to get your hands on one you'd best arrive early on June 14.

Duke Nukem Forever is one of the most anticipated video games of all-time, considering it's been in the works since 1997. A typical game development cycle is 2-3 years, but for Duke's latest outing it's has been an astounding 14 years in development. It's amazing how fans have supported this game for so many years and never gave up hope. Well, the wait is finally over as Duke Nukem Forever arrives in North America in three short days.

The game was first developed by series creator 3D Realms, but when development of the title went off track in 2009, a small team of dedicated developers known as Triptych Studios resurrected the game in collaboration with Gearbox Software and Piranha Games. Talk about all-hands on deck.

In what almost seemed like a last-minute joke, 2K Games and Gearbox announced in March that Duke Nukem Forever's release date of May 3 has been pushed back six weeks to June 14. "In case you haven't heard, Duke never comes early," said Christoph Hartmann, president of 2K. 

Well, not only is the Duke alive and well, but his latest game is even getting a pre-order price reduction and three-day sale next week to help celebrate the occasion. Hail to the king, baby, is right.

[This article originally appeared on the Future Shop Tech Blog]
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'Made In Canada' Games At E3 Showcase Our Talent and Innovation, Says ESAC

By Paul Hunter

Canada's presence at E3, the world's largest gaming expo, was strong once again this year says the Entertainment Software Association of Canada (ESAC). Over 10 major titles shown at the expo are being made in development studios across Canada, including Assassin's Creed: Revelations, Mass Effect 3, and Prototype 2.

As reported earlier this month, Canada's robust video game industry now employs 16,000 people who generate $1.7B in economic activity. This positions Canada as the third largest country for game development, just behind Japan and the United States. Last August Canada overtook the U.K. to become the third largest development community in the world, a milestone reached because of factors such as Canada's large pool of talented developers, low-risk business environment, and generous tax incentives.

The full list of games from ESAC members shown at E3 are:

Assassin's Creed: Revelations (Ubisoft)
Far Cry 3 (Ubisoft)
FIFA Soccer 12 (EA Sports)
Hole In The Wall (Ludia / Microsoft)
Just Dance: Kinect (Ubisoft)
Mass Effect 3 (Bioware / Electronic Arts)
Need For Speed: The Run (Electronic Arts)
NHL 12 (Electronic Arts)
Prototype 2 (Radical Entertainment / Activision)
Spider-Man: Edge of Time (Beenox / Activision)
SSX (Electronic Arts)
The Darkness 2 (Digital Extremes / 2K Games (Take-Two Interactive))
War Hammer 40,000: Space Marine (THQ)
X-Men: Destiny (Silicon Knights / Activision)
Your Shape Fitness (Ubisoft)

"The Canadian made games shown at this year's E3 really demonstrate the calibre of talent and innovation here in the Great White North," said Danielle Parr, Executive Director of ESAC. "Canada remains a powerhouse in the world of game development, punching well above its weight," she added.
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E3 2011: ESA Release Their Annual 'Essential Facts' Study On Gamers

By Paul Hunter

The Entertainment Software Association continued their E3 tradition of releasing a new “Essential Facts” gamer demographic study highlighting key trends within the industry. An important takeaway from this year’s study is the increasingly diverse consumer base that is consuming video game content across a wide range of platforms.

The report had some surprising findings such as:

• The average gamer is 37 years old and has been playing video games games for 12 years

• 29% of gamers are 50+ years old

• The average age of the most frequent game purchaser is 41

• Females now comprise 42% of the total gamer population

• 33% of gamers say that playing video games is their favourite entertainment activity

• Top reasons why gamers purchase games is for an interesting storyline, the quality of game graphics, a sequel to their favourite game, and word of mouth

• Puzzle/Boardgame/Game Show/Trivia/Card Games represent the most popular online games

• 55% of gamers play games on their mobile or handheld devices

• Parents are present during the purchasing or renting of video games 91% of the time

• 68% of parents feel that video games provide mental stimulation or education, 57% of parents believe video games helps the family spend time together, and 54% of parents believe video games helps to connect with friends

• 45% of parents play computer and video games with their children at least weekly (up from 36% last year)

• Parents say they play video games with their kids because: they are asked to (85%), it’s fun for the entire family (84%), it’s a good opportunity to socialize with their kids (81%), and it’s a good opportunity to monitor video game content (57%)

• The best selling video game genre is Action (21.7% of total sales), followed by sports (16.3%), shooter (15.9%), and family entertainment (9.1%)

• 44% of games sold last year were rated E for everyone, 24% of games sales were rated M for mature

• The top five best selling video games of 2010 were Call of Duty: Black Ops, Madden NFL 11, Halo: Reach, New Super Mario Bros. Wii, and Red Dead Redemption

• Total consumer spending on video games content, hardware and accessories in 2010 was $25.1 billion

• 24% of video game purchases are now digital downloads

“Our industry’s innovative titles are reaching new consumers in broader, deeper and more-engaging ways,” said Michael D. Gallagher, president and CEO of the ESA. “Technological advancements and terrific entertainment experiences in our industry make it possible for people of all ages to enjoy games at home or on the go, and the creativity of our developers and publishers leads to an ever-expanding variety of video games to choose from in both digital and physical formats.”

To see the full study, entitled 2011 Essential Facts About the Computer and Video Game Industry, visit the ESA website here.

[This article originally appeared on the Future Shop Tech Blog]
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Red Riding Hood: Interview With Adrian Holmes

By Paul Hunter

I had the rare opportunity of meeting up and coming actor Adrian Holmes recently, who's been on a roll as of late starring in Frankie & Alice opposite Academy Award winner Halle Berry and in Red Riding Hood as Gary Oldman's right-hand man. Directed by Catherine Hardwicke (of Twilight fame), Red Riding Hood is a movie based loosely on the folk tale we all remember (or perhaps feared) as kids. Here's what Adrian had to say about the movie, his career, and what's next for him...

Paul Hunter: I noticed that you were born in Wales, and you were raised in Vancouver, and you spend a lot of time with your family in Barbados. How has all of this worldly experience helped you in your acting career?

Adrian Holmes: It’s been a real blessing for me. With all the different cultures that I’ve been exposed to at such an early age it’s just added more tools to my tool box. For example, being born in North Wales, living in Liverpool and Chester, I’ve been able to really utilize a lot of those dialects and experiences in my work as an actor. Also just as a person it makes you more well rounded, and grounded as well.

PH: Congratulations on all your successes lately, working along side Halle Berry in Frankie & Alice and now starring opposite Gary Oldman in Red Riding Hood. I’m just wondering, what’s it like working with such top tier actors?

AH: It’s surreal. When you’ve worked really hard to do what you love to do and when you meet people who are elite in their field it’s just a really good feeling because it’s like you’re sharpening your sword and paid your dues. It feels very right, not foreign at all because you’ve worked hard and you’ve paid those dues. To be in a position to work opposite Halle Berry and Gary Oldman is like yeah, this is how it’s supposed to be, this is what I planned, this is what I expected. When it’s ready, I don’t know, but when it does I’m ready for it.

PH: Let’s talk specifically about Red Riding Hood, you play the role of the Captain. Tell me a little bit about your character.

AH: I play the muscle, the brawn. Gary Oldman plays Father Solomon and I’m his right-hand man. The Captain’s name is Ikechi which is a name I gave him and means “God’s strength.” We’re on a mission to destroy this werewolf that’s been terrorizing this village for years. I really connected with the character right away, it was an amazing script and based on the Brothers Grimm fairytale, the most popular version. For the Brothers Grimm, the had a version of the story were it was a werewolf and not a regular wolf and that’s the story that they used in the screenplay. Leonardo DiCaprio’s company developed it and I was really taken by the script. It had a lot of elements of mystery, and suspense, and paranoia because you don’t know who you can trust and the killer could be anybody. It has this love story between Valerie, Peter and Henry, so there are a lot of elements in there that people can really enjoy.

PH: Your character Captain in the film isn’t your typical back soldier, you have some key moments where you take center stage. What were some of your favourite leading scenes?

AH: One of the really strong moments for me was when my brother was killed, that was very emotional and I had to not show that I couldn’t go on. That was a really emotional scene and I think it came across well. As well as the scene with Gary Oldman where I have to take matters into my own hands and confront Father Solomon at the end of the movie. That was a really monumental scene. It was a big challenge for me because Captain was the strong, silent type, so he didn’t say a lot but when he spoke he really had something important to say. The relationship I have with Father Solomon starts off sort of like father and son but later on when he gets out of control my character steps up and takes the reigns, and steps into that father role so to speak.

PH: What I really liked about this film was the medieval setting, and I understand that filming took place in Vancouver, can you comment a bit on the setting? Did wearing that medieval armour help you really get into the character?

AH: Yeah, well Cindy Evans was the Costume Designer and she did an amazing job with all the costumes. Like any role the costumes are so important, as soon as you put them on it really helps you become the character. With the armour the Captain really came to life. We shot in the summertime so it was hot but the material they used was quite breathable so it definitely wasn’t as hot as it looked. We shot it in a sound stage in Burnaby which was great and they did a nice job with this village and made it look like it was outside. We had three sound stages and I was just in awe every day I walked on set.

PH: We've seen a resurgence in the last few years of movie studios making films based on fairytales, what do you think separates this film from others in the genre?

AH: This movie is so multi-faceted, you’ve got characters such as the wolf who shows that people have a dark side, and asks whether or not to acknowledge it. There’s a lot of suspense and paranoia, with say Red Riding Hood, mother tells her to go down the path, go to Grandmother’s house, but don’t talk to strangers. Along the way though, she stops for flowers and later on she tells the wolf where she’s going. When you’re really young there’s this fear of the dark and the unknown which really plays out in the movie. We all grew up with fairy tales, so I think adapting them for the silver screen is smart because you already have an audience.

PH: What was it like working with Catherine Hardwicke?

AH: It was a delight. She was very professional, prepared, passionate and excited to make a movie. She was like a kid in a candy store and at the end of the day when your energy got low she would bring chocolate to pick up our energy, and it worked. She was really sweet, very generous and we got along very well. We had a great time in London for the UK premiere and I’m really grateful to have met her.

PH: What about your thoughts working with Gary Oldman? I hear he’s a pretty funny guy off set.

AH: Gary Oldman’s great, I really loved working with him. He’s got a great sense of humour and I can’t say enough about that guy, he’s top-notch. I’ve always been a big fan of his ever since I saw Dracula so to work with him was surreal for me.

PH: What’s the future hold for you? Any plans to move from Vancouver down to LA?

AH: Yeah absolutely, like any actor you want to take it to the next level and move down to LA which is the mecca of filmmaking. For that transition I’m just waiting on a few details to be taken care of, it’s just a matter of time. I wanted to wait for the industry to take me as opposed to me going down and struggling. I’m not the type of guy to go down and live in my car (laughs), but moving down is definitely in the works. I have a great agent down there right now, so I’m really excited about the opportunities taking shape.

PH: Before we go I want to touch upon the upcoming Blu-ray and DVD release on June 14th. What can we look forward to seeing?

AH: I’m really excited it’s coming out on Blu-ray and DVD on June 14 so everyone can have a copy. It has so many features like an alternate ending that I don’t even know what it’s going to be, so I’m really excited about it. It’s also got the behind-the-scenes, casting takes of Shiloh, Max and Amanda. It talks about the score which was done by Fever Ray, an amazing Swedish band. There’s gag reels and deleted scenes of course, there’s a lot of stuff in there so I think it’s going to do really well on Blu-ray and DVD.

PH: Can’t wait to check it out. Thanks for your time Adrian!

[This article originally appeared on the Future Shop Tech Blog]
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