To all our readers and members I’d like to say Merry Christmas! I hope your holiday is filled with good food, good family and friend time, and the peace of Christ. I hope that you are able to reconcile with old friends and family, make new memories, and connect with God as you realize his love.

Take care this holiday season friends, and God bless.

- Cornelius

“Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.”

- Colossians 3:15

Tags: Christmas, colossians 3:15, holidays

NinjaBee’s A World of Keflings was a game I mentioned previously on the site. As a sequel to the original XBLA hit A Kingdom for Kelfings the sequel looked to expand upon that by introducing new regions, building types, and NPC.

Well now the day has finally arrived. A World of Keflings is out now for the Xbox Live Arcade for 800 Microsoft points. I’ll be downloading it as soon as I can, and if you were interested in the first one at all I would recommend you would do the same. It’s looking to be another fun, addicting game.

The Kefling Kingdom expands into a whole world on December 22nd for 800 Microsoft points.

Tags: 360, arcade, keflings, kingdom for keflings, ninjabee, world of keflings, xbla, xbox

If you are an avid buyer or seller of video games new or used, you might be interested in Video Game Price Charts. Video game prices fluctuate often depending on the demand and popularity of a particular system or game, and this site is a good way to track prices on Amazon, Half.com or Ebay.

Check out the Genesis Top 5. Blockbuster World Championships II is only $2,000 used.

They have popular price lists for whole systems such as the NES or Genesis that you can scroll through, or if you’re interested in a particular game you can click on it and be taken to a page showing a graph of it’s average price over time. You can compare that to the number of units sold each year as well. So a game that sells only a handful of units each year may have a higher price than a game that sells more units for less.

For just $.75 you too can be a Rad Racer.

For a completely automated system it’s pretty good, although some way of tracking individual games free with a profile would be nice (you currently can do this, but you need to be a paying member to do so). Still if you want more in depth information and the ability to download daily prices updates you can check out their free trial. Even without the paying subscription VG Price Charts should have more than enough information for most video game enthusiasts.

Tags: price trends, video game price chart, video game prices, video game trends

I just wanted to take a moment to acknowledge someone who has given me a lot of advice about this site: Cannonfodder from Beaten Video Games.

Cannonfodder took some time out to respond to some emails of mine and encourage me to continue posting news and own my position as not just a gamer or a Christian, but a Christian gamer. That’s something that I have and will try to continue to embrace in my writings. I hope that comes through to you readers.

So thanks to Cannonfodder, and be sure to check out Beaten Video Games. They review games, but only after they have beaten them, unlike so many other sites out there. So be sure to check them out, you won’t be disappointed.

Tags: beaten video games, beatenvideogames, beatenvideogames.net, cannonfodder

Bethesda announced the upcoming release of The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim at the Spike Video Game Awards Saturday night. Skyrim is due out  November 11, 2011. Bethesda community manager Nick Breckon said that the game will use a brand new engine.

Outside of that we know pretty much nothing about the game, and no gameplay footage has been revealed yet.

Still, the teaser alone is enough to get people excited for it:

So the question is, are you excited for another Elder Scrolls?

Tags: 2010, Bethesda, Elder Scrolls, Elder Scrolls Skyrim, Elder Scrolls V, Elder Scrolls V teaser, Elder Scrolls V trailer, Skyrim, Skyrim teaser, Skyrim trailer, Spike, VGA, Video Game Awards

SNK Playmore has announced plans to bring their classic NeoGeo games to the Playstation Network, for download on the PSP or PS3 starting December 21st. Ten titles will be launched initially, with a price of $6.99 for a PSP download and $8.99 for a PS3 download.

The games will be emulated through the NeoGeo Station, which will also add multiplayer to games in the form of either online co-op or a versus mode. Most titles will be hitting the PS3 side first, but eventually they will all make their way to the PSP in January 2011.

The first ten launch titles will be:

• Fatal Fury
• Alpha Mission II
• The King of Fighters ’94
• Samurai Shodown
• Baseball Stars Professional
• Magician Lord
• Metal Slug
• League Bowling
• Super Sidekicks
• Art of Fighting

Not a bad looking lineup if you’re a fan of retro gaming or fighting games. For either $7 or $9 you should be getting good arcade style emulation on your PS3 or Playstation Portable. From what I’ve seen most of the NeoGeo games seem pretty clean content wise, so they should be safe for most people.

Tags: Alpha Mission II, Art of Fighting, Baseball Stars Professional, Fatal Fury, League Bowling, Magician Lord, Metal Slug, neo geo, neogeo, neogeo emulation, neogeo station, ps3, psp, retro, retro gaming, Samurai Shodown, SNK, SNK Playmore, sony, Super Sidekicks, The King of Fighters '94

IGN recently did an interview with game designer Jenova Chen.  Jenova is also the co-founder of thatgamecompany, which has already released fLOw and Flower.

Jenova’s next game is Journey, a PS3 game that takes place in a desert wasteland and focuses more on exploration than fighting. IGN apparently liked this concept and did a brief interview with him.

One of the things he was asked was if he believed in God. Jenova denied that claim stating, “I don’t believe in a particular god, but I believe in the unknown. I believe that there’s something bigger than us. I have my own purpose, which is not what Christians have defined—but my purpose is to benefit the human race, to contribute to a bigger group. I believe that is the way to become happier and my lifelong goal is to chase happiness. In the end there’s a sense of belonging, and if I feel like I’m helping others that’s the best thing I could be doing. But god? No.”

It’s an interesting question to ask someone in the industry.  IGN seemed to be asking it out of curiosity, because Jenova said that his game was inspired by the hero’s journey prevalent in so many religions. In fact during the interview IGN questioned him more on his personal work philosophy and his role as a game director than they did the actual game.

While Jenova professed having no religion or belief in God I’m curious what other game developers, writers, and designers would say in his place. How prevalent is Christianity or any other kind of belief system in the video game industry? What would others say in his shoes?

I applaud IGN for taking the time to ask him though. It’s not often the concept of God comes up in a video game interview.

Check out the trailer for Journey below, and see what all the buzz is about.

Tags: fLOw, Flower, Jenova Chen, Journey, ps3, sony, thatgamecompany

With Christmas right around the corner I wanted to stop and take some time to spotlight some good, portable gaming deals, since so many of us will be traveling during the holidays or are maybe just looking for a good game.

I’ve decided to briefly mention some interesting DS and PSP games that have gone on sale or been on sale. These are games that may be a few years old, but still have good gameplay value. Best of all I tried to pick out the ones for $19.99 or less, so you may even be able to get a couple of them. Hope this helps you in your holiday gift giving season.

***

So here we go, 20 games for under $20 new:

DS

Theresia
Genre: Point and Click Adventure, Horror
U.S. MSRP: $14.99

Theresia is a game from a few years back in which you play two separate storylines in a traditional adventure game, a la Phoenix Wright or Hotel Dusk. Unlike those games however this is strictly horror, and revolves around two separate but entwined storylines. The graphics are pretty mediocre by most people’s standards, but if you can get past it seems like an interesting horror game. Supposedly the dialogue and in game descriptions of the places you visit and things you experience do an excellent job of presenting a good, creepy vibe.

Intellivision Lives!
Genre: Classics, Re-makes, Compilation
U.S. MSRP: $14.99

Intellivision Lives! is a compilation of games from the classic Intellivision system. There are over 60 games to choose from such as Baseball, Space Battle, Pinball, Bowling, Slam Dunk, Checkers, Roulette and more. Also included are a handful of previously unreleased games. If you’re into classic games check out this Intellivision compilation.

Final Fantasy III
Genre: RPG, Japanese
U.S. MSRP: $9.99
Final Fantasy III came out a few years ago as a high profile remake with new 3D graphics. Odds are you’ve seen plenty of copies in stores, but if you’re a Final Fantasy or JRPG fan and haven’t tried it yet you might want to check it out. For only $10 you can’t go wrong.

Sonic Rush
Genre: Action
U.S. MSRP: $9.99
Much like Final Fantasy III, Sonic Rush has been out for a while, and even spawned a DS sequel. If you enjoyed the 2D Sonic games or the Sonic GBA games then it’s worth it to check this one out. It’s not a flawless game by any means, but it’s better than quite a few of the 3D Sonic games over the years.

The Legendary Starfy
Genre: Platformer, 2D, Action
U.S. MSRP: $19.99
Starfy is a simple 2D platformer from Nintendo. Graphic and gameplay wise it is very similar to Kirby, so if you enjoy the Kirby series you will probably enjoy this as well. This is actually the first entry in the U.S., but it’s a well established series in Japan. There might not be as much replay value as other games but if you’re interested  in 2D platformers (which can be few and far between), then check out Starfy.

Touch the Dead
Genre: Horror, Shooter, First Person Shooter (FPS), On Rails Shooter
U.S. MSRP: $19.99

Like it’s name would imply, Touch the Dead is an on rails first person shooter from Secret Stash Games. The top screen of the DS displays your weapons and HUD, while the bottom screen is where all the action takes place. Simply point and touch to shoot the shambling zombies on screen. Reviews of the game were mixed, but given the shortage of FPS games on a system tailor made for them (especially if you count non-Call of Duty games), and given the popularity of zombies and horror, Touch the Dead is worth considering. The downside is that it is only a few hours long, and while very arcade-like in nature, it lacks high scores and re-playability.

Picross 3D
Genre: Puzzle
U.S. MSRP: $19.99
Picross 3D is a 3D variation on the traditional picross puzzle game, which plays similar to Minesweeper. You have to uncover a picture hidden inside a 3D object made up of tiny cubes. Chisel away at the cubes one at a time to carefully reveal it. Too many mistakes and it’s game over. If the hundreds of  puzzles already available aren’t enough for you there are more to download online.

Disgaea DS
Genre: Strategy RPG
U.S. MSRP: $19.99
Disgaea DS is an incredibly lengthy SRPG with multiple endings, hours of gameplay, unit customization, and a new game + feature. It plays similar to a standard turn based strategy game, but with tons of humor and clever writing thrown in. Instead of playing as a good guy you play as a demon who wants to become king of the Netherworld. The only thing that it seems to be missing is online play, but with so much replayability and challenge in the story mode you may not need it.

Sonic Classic Collection
Genre: Action, Classics, Compilation
U.S. MSRP: $19.99
This is simply a portable collection of Sonic the Hedgehog 1, 2, 3, and Sonic and Knuckles. Odds are you’ve played most if not all of these games before, but if you want a portable version then for $20 it’s worth getting. New to the portable version is a save game feature for Sonic 1 and 2. Some slowdown is bound to happen, but the emulation is supposedly pretty decent otherwise. If you or someone you know is a Sonic fan or casual gamer then you might as well get them four games for $20.

Sonic and Sega All Stars Racing
Genre: Racing
U.S. MSRP: $19.99
Think Mario Kart but with SEGA characters such as Sonic, AiAi, Amigo, Billy Hatcher, and even a zombie named Zobio from House of the Dead. The standard staples apply here: select your character and vehicle, pick a track, and then race and attack your opponents to the finish line. As a decent all around Mario Kart clone with online it’s worth trying out.

PSP

NBA 2K11
Genre: Sports
U.S. MSRP: $19.99
Not much to say here, NBA 2K11 is simply a portable basketball game for the PSP. If you like the NBA and have a PSP then you might want to pick this one up for $20.

God of War: Chains of Olympus
Genre: Action
U.S. MSRP: $14.99

Chains of Olympus is a pre-quel to the hit Sony series. This time around the action focuses on Kratos as he battles Morpheus, the God of Nightmares. This game was developed by Ready At Dawn, a newcomer to the series, but overall it got critical acclaim (despite it’s short length).

Little Big Planet
Genre: Platformer, 3D
U.S. MSRP: $19.99
Little Big Planet is a portable iteration of the hit PS3 game. Much like the PS3 version you can create and share your own levels with others. Also included are 35 pre-designed levels in case you’re not ready to jump into creation yet. If you like platformers or games that allow you to create and share content freely then you might want to check it out. Even if you have the PS3 version it might be a good idea to buy a portable one, and for only $20 it’s a steal.

PixelJunk Monsters Deluxe
Genre: Tower Defense, Real Time Strategy
U.S. MSRP: $9.99
PixelJunk Monsters Deluxe is a portable translation of the hit PS3 tower defense game. This includes both the original PS3 downloadable game and the Encore pack. As a Tikiman you must defend your native village from invading monsters. Much like a standard tower defense game you have towers you can build and upgrade as you go along. While there may not be a lot new here, there is a lot of fun, and if you’re into tower defense games you might want to check this one out.

This game is available as a download only via the Playstation Network.

Powerstone Collection
Genre: Fighting, Compilation, Classics
U.S. MSRP: $19.99
This is a compilation of the hit Dreamcast and arcade titles Powerstone 1 and 2. For those that haven’t played either one, the Powerstone games play Similar to Smash Bros. but from an overhead view. Throw in 4 players simultaneous, bright graphics, and new content such as items and unlockable characters and you have a solid fighting game on the go.

Go! Sudoku
Genre: Puzzle
U.S. MSRP: $19.99
Go! Sudoku doesn’t do anything particularly groundbreaking, but it is a good sudoku puzzle game. There are over 1,000 puzzles, a couple multiplayer modes (one local), multiple difficulties, and a training mode for those that want to learn sudoku but have never played. If you are looking for a sudoku puzzle game for yourself or someone who is a casual gaming then check out Go! Sudoku.

Silent Hill: Shattered Memories
Genre: Horror, Survival, Action
U.S. MSRP: $19.99

Also available for the Wii and PS2, this entry into the Silent Hill series focuses heavily on puzzle solving as opposed to action. While this may turn some off, a creepy atmosphere and excellent sound design may help draw people into Silent Hill. Just understand that you will spend most of your non-puzzle solving time running from monsters, and depending on how you like your horror games this may or may not be your style.

King of Fighters: Orochi Saga
Genre: Fighting, Compilation, Classics
U.S. MSRP: $19.99
This is a King of Fighters collection that contains 5 games: The King of Fighters ’94-’98 entries. While the series never gained the popularity of Street Fighter or Mortal Kombat, it always had a following. The games still look good, but you will have to put up with some poor loading times depending on which game you are playing. Still, if you like 2D fighters and have grown tired of Street Fighter or Mortal Kombat then King of Fighters is worth checking out.

BlazBlue: Calamity Trigger Portable
Genre: Fighting
U.S. MSRP: $19.99

Another 2D fighting game, BlazBlue was an early 2010 release. BlazBlue has a nice selection of game modes such as story, training, versus, arcade and score attack. The game looks fantastic, with large, detailed characters and beautiful backgrounds. It is also considered to be the first canonical entry into the series, so if you want to get into the series without too much confusion then this is a good starting point.

Fat Princess: Fistful of Cake
Genre: Strategy, Real Time, Tower Defense
U.S. MSRP: $19.99
Much like the downloadable PS3 version, Fat Princess has two sides battle it out to steal the other side’s princess. However, you can make her harder to carry by feeding her cake, which in turn will cause your enemy to require more soldiers to carry her. Included are simple but bright graphics and a unique sense of humor.

***

Hopefully there’s something on this list that interests you. For $20 you can pick up at least one good game for yourself or a friend, and there are quite a few gems on here that you may have missed previously. Don’t be afraid to give any of these a shot, I’d love to hear if this helped you any and what you think.

Tags: 2010, affordable games, BlazBlue, cheap games, cheap video games, Christmas, Disgaea, DS, Fat Princess, Final Fantasy, Go! Sudoku, God of War, handheld games, handheld gaming, holiday shopping guide, holidays, Intellivision, King of Fighters, Little Big Planet, NBA 2k11, nintendo, Nintendo DS, PixelJunk Monsters, portable games, portable gaming, Powerstone, psp, sales, Silent Hill, Sonc the Hedgehog, sony, Sony PSP, Starfy, Theresia, Touch the Dead

Xbox Live’s Director of Programming Larry Hryb (better known by his gamertag Major Nelson), announced on his blog a slew of upcoming downloads just in time for the holidays.

Most of the downloads are snow or winter themed, such as the Gears of War 2 Snowblind Map Pack. Others are simply games on sale, such as Uno Rush for 400 Microsoft points (50% off), or Zuma for half off at 200 points.

What I’m most excited about however comes at the end of the month in the form of three new games: ilomilo, Raskulls, and my personal favorite (a game I formerly talked about looking forward to): A World of Keflings, which arrives December 22nd.

Check out the full list below:

Xbox LIVE Deal of the Week (Gold members only) :

Week of December 6 – Winter Wonderland:

Polar Panic, 400 Microsoft Points (50% off)

Burton Snowboard, 120 Microsoft Points (50% off)

Burton RED Hi Fi Helmet, 80 Microsoft Points (50% off)

Gingerbread Man, 120 Microsoft Points (50% off)

Gears of War 2 Snowblind Map Pack, 160 Microsoft Points (60% off)

3 on 3 NHL Arcade, 200 Microsoft Points (50% off)

Week of December 13 – Casual Arcade:

Bejeweled 2, 400 Microsoft Points (50% off)

UNO RUSH, 400 Microsoft Points (50% off)

Zuma, 200 Microsoft Points, (50% off)

Tetris Splash, 400 Microsoft Points (50% off)

Feeding Frenzy 2, 400 Microsoft Points

Xbox Games On Demand:

December 7:

Army of TWO: The 40^th Day

December 14:

Battlefield: Bad Company 2

Xbox LIVE Avatar Marketplace:

December 2:

NBA Collection

December 2:

Trials HD

December 9:

Star Wars: The Force Unleashed II

December 9:

Holiday Collection

Game Add-Ons:

December 8:

Pinball FX 2: Marvel Comic Table Pack, 800 Microsoft Points

December 14:

Forza Motorsport 3 Community Choice Classics Pack, 400 Microsoft Points

Tags: A World of Kelfings, Christmas, Christmas 2010, deals of the week, Feeding Frenzy 2, holidays, ilomilo, Raskulls, xbox, xbox 360, xbox live, Zuma