| Ideas on how to shop for family-friendly video games
With the success of Nintendo's Wii as a family console, Sony and Microsoft are offering packages this holiday season aimed at making their own platforms more family-friendly. Microsoft is offering a new Xbox 360 Arcade Console that includes five games, a wireless controller, a high-definition multimedia interface connection to enable high-def output and 256 Mb of memory to store games and entertainment content. The five games in the bundle include Pac-Man Championship Edition, Uno, Luxor 2, Boom Boom Rocket and Feeding Frenzy. Sony is repackaging it's older, but still popular, Playstation 2 console with the SingStar bundle as a low-cost alternative for families. The bundle features a white PS2 console, the SingStar game, a controller and two microphones. SingStar is a karaoke game similar to American Idol.
Sony halves fees for PlayStation 3 software development to encourage outside game designers
TOKYO -- Sony halved the fees it charges for a software development kit for the PlayStation 3 video game machine Monday to encourage outside designers to make more games for the struggling console. Sony Corp.'s gaming unit, Sony Computer Entertainment Inc., said prices for the development package for the PlayStation 3 will be reduced to US$10,250 in North America, 950,000 yen (US$8,600; ��5,900) in Japan and ��7,500 (US$11,250) in Europe. The move follows the price cuts on the PS3 around the world that the company announced last month in an attempt to woo buyers. Tokyo-based Sony will also strengthen backup support for making new games for the PS3 in an effort to make the machine more popular, it said in a statement. Although its predecessor the PlayStation 2 dominated the gaming market, the PS3 has struggled against the hit Wii console, the rival offering from Nintendo Co., which makes Pokemon and Super Mario games.
Third-party PS3 developers targeted as Sony halves fees
TOKYO - Sony has halved the fees it charges for a software development kit for the PlayStation 3 video game machine to encourage outside designers to make more games for the struggling console. Sony's gaming unit, Sony Computer Entertainment, said prices for the development package for the PlayStation 3 will be reduced to US$10,250 in North America, US$8,600 in Japan and US$11,250 in Europe. The move follows the price cuts on the PS3 around the world that the company announced last month in an attempt to woo buyers. Tokyo-based Sony will also strengthen backup support for making new games for the PS3 in an effort to make the machine more popular, it said in a statement. Although its predecessor the PlayStation 2 dominated the gaming market, the PS3 has struggled against the hit Wii console, the rival offering from Nintendo Co., which makes Pokemon and Super Mario games.
Hot toys '07 | Retailers stocking shelves
The first trick-or-treater is barely out the door, and Christmas is already on retailers' minds. Aisles down from the costumes and candy corn are fake fir trees and candy canes. And Columbia-area merchants are quickly stocking shelves for wide-eyed children — and adults. Traditional dolls and character plushes, such as Fisher-Price's Tickle Me Elmo and Ganz's Webkinzs, are expected to sell big in Columbia, along with the new video console wonders of PlayStation 3, Xbox and Wii. The Consumer Electronics Association found that households with Internet access will spend an average of $172 on electronic toys for their children. In fact, the Guitar Hero III video game and controller set that retails for about $100 has been named an overall top seller this Christmas by Toys "R" Us.
Dolls gone wild: Unhappy moms want wholesome alternatives
Moms are hunting through toy aisles for more wholesome-looking dolls, concerned that the scantily clad Bratz dolls with their Party Palaces and Magic Make-up Studios are sending their daughters the wrong message about how they should dress and act. With their heavily made-up faces, short shorts and halter tops, Bratz are the No. 2 best-selling dolls in the country, just behind Barbie, but creeping up on her with their own lines of clothing, school supplies, video games and, most recently, a live-action movie playing in theaters. And some Moms are not happy about it. "I don't want my daughter viewing herself that way," says Gloria Baca of Tempe, Ariz., who has steered her daughter, now 10, away from Barbie and Bratz in favor of an American Girl doll by Mattel named Josefina.
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Disregarding the fact that Halo 3 was released on Wednesday - netting Microsoft a cool $170 million in the US alone in just one day - this week's line up of new releases "belongs" to THQ, with no less than five games out across different formats. Juiced: Hot Import Nights, Conan, Moto GP 07, Bratz The Movie and Ratatouille to be specific. We can't vouch for their quality, but it's not often that a publisher pushes out so many titles all in one go. Unless it's a budget publisher, but they only do that to save on distribution costs. The skanks. This week's biggie though, again ignoring Halo 3, is FIFA 08. Don't actually ignore Halo 3 though - it's ruddy good! The Wii version of FIFA 08 would appear to be the one to go for - EA has added loads of extras, including a Footii Party mode presented by a Mii take on Ronaldinho.
Christmas Wish letters arrive at The Bulletin
Christmas Wish requests are rolling in, and it looks like it's going to be a busy year. The mission of The Baxter BulletinChristmas Wish project is to make sure every child has a nice gift to open Christmas morning (clothing and/or a toy) and food for a holiday meal. Application forms are available at The Bulletin officeat 16 W. Sixth St. The deadline to submit a Wish request is 5 p.m. Nov. 2. Forms may be brought to the office or mailed to P.O. Box 1750, Mountain Home, AR 72654. Wish is unable to accept forms via fax or e-mail. .
Big fish from a small port has Scots in sight
ESKIFJÖRDUR, population 972, is one of Iceland's major fishing towns inclusive of export harbour with direct sailing to Europe. It also markets a fine line in international footballers with ambitions of leading their country to the 2010 World Cup. One is Brondby's Stefan Gislason, another Eggert Jonsson of Hearts. The latter took his international bow aged 19 in Copenhagen's Parken Stadium last week, whilst back home the gathered residents in Eskifjördur's local tavern felt their Omega 3-filled hearts swell with pride. Two local boys in the same Iceland team was indeed cause to pour a Brennivin or two. .
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