As much as we love playing games, sometimes we can't help but wonder if there's something more constructive we could be doing with our time instead of staring wide-eyed into the phospherous glow of the nearest screen.
Thankfully, Nintendo's come up with a cunning solution to this age old dilemma by creating Dr. Kawashima's Brain Training: How Old Is Your Brain?, a game that successfully manages to combine the fundamental elements of fun while being equally productive by exercising your brain for optimum efficiency.

You'll have no doubt heard of Nintendo's Brain Training series by now, thanks to its huge popularity in Japan - most intriguingly the game's been a massive hit with the elderly, presumably desperate to ward off impending senility. While the franchise has reached part two over there, Nintendo's poised to bring the original game to Europe on May 19 - with the more family-focused Brain Academy arriving a little later.

Dr. Kawashima's Brain Training: How Old Is Your Brain? is set to hit UK shelves at the bargain price of 20 GBP ...

As much as we love playing games, sometimes we can't help but wonder if there's something more constructive we could be doing with our time instead of staring wide-eyed into the phospherous glow of the nearest screen.
Thankfully, Nintendo's come up with a cunning solution to this age old dilemma by creating Dr. Kawashima's Brain Training: How Old Is Your Brain?, a game that successfully manages to combine the fundamental elements of fun while being equally productive by exercising your brain for optimum efficiency.

You'll have no doubt heard of Nintendo's Brain Training series by now, thanks to its huge popularity in Japan - most intriguingly the game's been a massive hit with the elderly, presumably desperate to ward off impending senility. While the franchise has reached part two over there, Nintendo's poised to bring the original game to Europe on May 19 - with the more family-focused Brain Academy arriving a little later.

Dr. Kawashima's Brain Training: How Old Is Your Brain? is set to hit UK shelves at the bargain price of 20 GBP ...

PS3 will launch simultaneously in Europe, Japan and North America in early November 2006, Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. has announced.
Finally, finally confirming a release date for its next-gen console in Tokyo earlier - to much rejoicing around the globe, no doubt - SCEI claimed that it has a monthly production capacity of 1 million PS3 units. The company "will push forward a powerful product launch to spread the platform rapidly throughout the world, together with a strong and attractive lineup of PS3 game titles," it stated.

A November release for PS3 might be later than Sony originally planned, but the company unsurprisingly wants to ensure it gets things spot on with its next-gen console. "Instead of rushing it, we want to make sure we execute a solid launch... We wanted to make the Thanksgiving sales," Sony big wig Ken Kutaragi has said.

David Reeves, president of Sony Computer Entertainment Europe has added: "We are absolutely delighted that we will be able to bring PS3 to gamers in Europe and Australia before Christmas. This is an exciting first for Europe, and is a huge endorsement and vote of confidence in the strength of the European market and its importance globally."
PS3 in Australia too then before we bid farewell to 2006? Feel the Sony love, all you folks 'down under'.

Meanwhile, no doubt in an effort to rob Sony's launch announcement of some of its thunder, Microsoft was happy to fire off a warning that a late arrival into the next-gen console war could cause significant problems for the Japanese giant. Craig Mundie, Microsoft's chief technical officer, is quoted as saying that if "they [Sony] slide too far [with PS3's launch, we assume] they'll find themselves in the same situation as the Xbox did when they launched the PS2 a year before we entered... That's a hill to climb.''

Anyway, SCEI went on to say in its announcement on launch plans that PS3 incorporates the final specifications of the Blu-ray disc format and that it will be compatible with standard definition and high definition TV sets. It additionally mentioned that consumers will be able to connect PS3 "to high-speed broadband network through Gigabit Ethernet and comfortably enjoy a wide-range of rich and exciting content and services over the network."

Well, we've got launch confirmation, so what we need now is pricing information. It's highly possible we'll be slapped with this at GDC next week, where Sony's Phil Harrison is delivering a keynote speech entitled 'PlayStation 3: Beyond the Box'. ...

Sony's PS3 console will definitely utilise a hard drive, with Sony's Ken Kutaragi confirming that such a storage device will be required for games on the next-gen console.
"The hardware was developed with the hard disk in mind," Kutaragi said at Sony's PlayStation business briefing in Tokyo earlier today. He continued: "We view the hard drive to be mandatory for the PS3...Rather than have developers create games for the PS3 with or without the HDD, we will be asking them to develop games as though all PS3s have the HDD installed."

The PS3's base hard drive will be 60Gb in capacity, but will be upgradeable, meaning, we guess, we should expect a detachable HDD unit - like the Xbox 360's. The drive will run Linux and will perform media hub and home server/network platform services, with Sony additionally saying that the hard drive unit will enhance gameplay and allow for full internet access.

What's not clear currently is whether the hard drive unit will ship in the PS3 package, Kutaragi saying on this matter that Sony "might end up installing it in all PS3s, though that depends on the market".
Seems a bit of an odd comment, especially after confirming that PS3 will require a hard drive for games, but maybe that's simply because we're observing matters from a videogame-fan angle. It sounds as though Sony is considering following the Microsoft route, offering consumers a premium 'with hard drive package' and basic 'without hard drive package', but we guess more will be revealed in the fullness of time. ...

Source - CVG

It's all about the PS3 this morning and, following confirmation of a worldwide release date for the console this November, Sony President Ken Kutaragi has also provided first details of the console's online offering.
Referring to the "PlayStation Network Platform" during the Tokyo announcement this morning, Kutaragi explained that the service would be ready for the console's launch in November.

While it doesn't seem like we're in for a direct all-encompassing competitor to Microsoft's Live (at least initially), the PNP is set to feature all kinds of multiplayer game match-making services including voice chat. It will also apparently include some kind of marketplace and commercial aspects, including a software download facility.

You'll be able to connect to PS3 online via high capacity broadband networks through Gigabit Ethernet and the PlayStation Network Platform has apparently been created with the help of Sony Online Entertainment. Potential PS3 owners will be relieved to hear that the PNP will be free in its standard form, although presumably that doesn't rule out some paid components in the future.
We'll keep tracking developments and bring you more comment and analysis shortly, while we mull this one over. ...

Source -CVG

PlayStation 3 might have been dominating the headlines following this morning's PlayStation briefing, but Sony has also dropped more than a few bombshells in the direction of the console's sleek handheld brother, the PSP.
PlayStation father Ken Kutaragi kicked off the briefing with some good news for those yet to splash the cash on the handheld. The PSP will receive a worldwide price cut this month; a "base unit" will be available in shops on March 22 for 199 Euros (around 140 GBP). Presumably the base pack will be devoid of headphones and accessories - much like the package already available in Japan.

Speaking at the conference, Kutaragi also revealed the company's plans to offer original PS1 games via a digital distribution service, available for download and play on an also-announced official PS1 emulator. Unfortunately, there's no word yet on whether we'll be able to transfer our games from original PS1 discs.
Release details on the PS1 emulator were scarce at the briefing, although Kutaragi was more than keen to talk about the PSP's flashy new USB EyeToy-style camera, which will be hitting in September. Motion-tracking games similar to those on the PS2 will be possible on the camera, along with video-chat and video voice-over-IP, which will be available in October.

Kuturagi also divulged info on the handheld's upcoming software update, which will include Macromedia Flash and improved RSS support, for playback and saving of net-broadcast radio and video.

There was no word today on the previously rumoured built-in PSP hard-disk, but the company did provide fresh news on the long-forgotten GPS functions previously revealed alongside the PSP's E3 debut. The GPS reciever will launch this autumn, with Hot Shots Golf being the first game supported. Interestingly, SCE lists that a library of GPS-compatible games "has already released partially.".

Things are hotting up for the PSP this year then, with those camera and VOIP functions interesting us most. As always, we expect to be fully briefed on the PSP's new hardware features at this year's E3 in May. ...

Source CVG

Take-Two publishing label 2K Games has nabbed the publishing rights to Gas Powered Games' Dungeon Siege RPG series. Accompanying this announcement from the company is news that an expansion for Dungeon Siege II on PC is in the pipeline, along with a Dungeon Siege title for PSP.
Dungeon Siege II's expansion carries the name Broken World and should be with us in the summer. According to the press blurb, the add-on picks up immediately after the events portrayed in the sequel, with a new campaign mode, a new playable race, more items and a brand new multi-class character development system promised.

Meanwhile, the PSP Dungeon Siege game has been whacked with the title Dungeon Siege: Throne of Agony and is currently being whipped into shape by developer SuperVillain Studios. It's a Dungeon Siege project that's unique to the handheld platform with "all-new playable characters and a freshly designed, non-linear, single-player campaign as well as support for Ad Hoc co-operative and competitive multiplayer games."
Dungeon Siege: Throne of Agony is due in the autumn. ...

Source - WindowsITpro

Responding to customer demands for a version of the PlayStation Portable (PSP) that is better configured for watching recorded TV shows and movies, Sony will reissue the PSP later this year in a new configuration that includes 4 GB of internal storage. Today, PSP users have to put up with the Memory Stick Duo slot, which requires expensive add-on memory cards, if they wish to up the PSP's storage allotment. The new PSP will also include an integrated camera, according to reports. It's about time, but I'd also like to see a larger hard drive-equipped version with 60 or 80 GB of storage. ...

Source GTAPortable.com

You heard it! Who would have thought that modifications for Liberty City Stories would ever turn out like this. adepsp today released the LCS Flight School that's almost similar to that of flight school in San Andreas or certain flight missions in Vice City. Basicly you start off in the dodo plane and should fly through a number of checkpoints.

So far there's an easy and a hard mode to start in and two lessons.

More info at the link above ...