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	<title>XBox Solution &#187; Nintendo</title>
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	<link>http://www.xboxsolution.com</link>
	<description>Xbox and Xbox 360 news and information.</description>
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		<title>Wii Gets Price Cut To $199</title>
		<link>http://www.xboxsolution.com/2009/09/24/wii-gets-price-cut-to-199/</link>
		<comments>http://www.xboxsolution.com/2009/09/24/wii-gets-price-cut-to-199/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 24 Sep 2009 18:31:00 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Matt Jo</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Games]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Nintendo]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[On the Web]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Sony]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Xbox 360]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[slashdot games]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[wii]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.xboxsolution.com/2009/09/24/wii-gets-price-cut-to-199/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[After watching Microsoft and Sony drop the prices on the Xbox 360 and the PS3, Nintendo has decided to jump in with a price cut as well. Starting September 27th, the Wii will cost $199 in North America, a $50 drop from the previous price. Japan will be getting a slightly smaller price cut, but Europe seems to be left out of this change. Nintendo is hoping this reduction and the release of New Super Mario Bros. Wii and Wii Fit Plus in the coming months will boost slipping sales rates. Read more of this story at Slashdot. ]]></description>
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		<item>
		<title>The Beatles: Rock Band Now Available</title>
		<link>http://www.xboxsolution.com/2009/09/10/the-beatles-rock-band-now-available/</link>
		<comments>http://www.xboxsolution.com/2009/09/10/the-beatles-rock-band-now-available/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 10 Sep 2009 10:53:06 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Jason Rybka</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[About VG Cheats]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Nintendo]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[On the Web]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Xbox 360]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Games]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[video game cheats]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Xbox Live]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.xboxsolution.com/2009/09/10/the-beatles-rock-band-now-available/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[ Honestly, I think we all could have done without a Beatles specific Rock Band... but who am I to say. There are millions of Beatles fans... OK, so they did have a few catchy tunes. Lucky Beatles fans all over can now play to some of their favorite Beatles tracks in The Beatles: Rock Band , which is now available for the PS3, Xbox 360, and the Nintendo Wii. ( Sorry PS2 owners, no love this time around. ) This early in the game there aren't many codes - in fact there is just one that has been discovered so far. As soon as I get word on more confirmed codes for The Beatles: Rock Band I'll be sure to post an update here. The Beatles: Rock Band - PS3 The Beatles: Rock Band - Xbox 360 The Beatles: Rock Band - Nintendo Wii For more information on the game visit the official Beatles Rock Band site . ]]></description>
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		<item>
		<title>Guitar Hero 5 Cheats and Codes</title>
		<link>http://www.xboxsolution.com/2009/09/02/guitar-hero-5-cheats-and-codes/</link>
		<comments>http://www.xboxsolution.com/2009/09/02/guitar-hero-5-cheats-and-codes/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 03 Sep 2009 00:14:54 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Jason Rybka</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[About VG Cheats]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Nintendo]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[On the Web]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Xbox 360]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Games]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[video game cheats]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Xbox Live]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.xboxsolution.com/2009/09/02/guitar-hero-5-cheats-and-codes/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[ The latest and greatest Guitar Hero video game is now available, and so are the cheats. Of course, if it is indeed the greatest is still undecided. As per usual Guitar Hero 5 boasts a good number of cheat codes for you to groove to, just select the platform of your choice and get playing. Guitar Hero 5 Cheats - PS2 List of GH5 cheats for PS2. Guitar Hero 5 Cheats - PS3 List of GH5 cheats and trophies for PS3. Guitar Hero 5 Cheats - Nintendo Wii List of GH5 cheats for Wii. Guitar Hero 5 Cheats - Xbox 360 List of GH5 cheats and achievements for Xbox 360. Need more information about Guitar Hero 5? Here are a couple related sources from the web. Destructoid - Review: Guitar Hero 5 - While there's a fat “five” tagged to the name of this game, by no stretch of the imagination is this only the fifth Guitar Hero game to hit the market. Ignoring the mobile and handhel... Guitar Hero 5 will import tracks - for a fee &#124; Electricpig - Activision has announced plans to let Guitar Hero 5 owners import tracks from earlier versions of the game. Unlike Rock Band owners, though, Guitar Heroes will. Also suggested: try the official Guitar Hero web site . ]]></description>
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		<item>
		<title>PS3 Slim and Xbox 360 Elite now both $300</title>
		<link>http://www.xboxsolution.com/2009/08/27/ps3-slim-and-xbox-360-elite-now-both-300/</link>
		<comments>http://www.xboxsolution.com/2009/08/27/ps3-slim-and-xbox-360-elite-now-both-300/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 27 Aug 2009 08:54:15 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Jason Rybka</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[About VG Cheats]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Consoles]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Nintendo]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[On the Web]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Sony]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Xbox 360]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Games]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[video game cheats]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.xboxsolution.com/2009/08/27/ps3-slim-and-xbox-360-elite-now-both-300/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[ If you haven't been following video game news recently then you may have missed a couple of key announcements from two big players in the industry. First off, Sony announced a redesigned PlayStation 3 console aptly named the PS3 Slim. As you might have guessed from the name the size of the console has been tweaked down a bit, and so has the price... beginning September 1st you'll be able to pick one up for $300. Apparently September 1st isn't an official release date, as PlayStation Guide Roger Altizer points out here , you might be able to pick one up now. Microsoft, in swift fashion has now lowered prices on the Xbox 360 consoles. Beginning August 28th you'll be able to pickup an Xbox 360 Elite for $300 as well. Other versions of the Xbox 360 have been lowered also. Turns out the struggling economy may be just what the doctor ordered to make video game consoles more affordable. And without a doubt, this will make holiday dreams for many a bit more accessible. Where is Nintendo in all of this you ask? Sitting pretty at number one watching Sony and Microsoft battle to the death. ]]></description>
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		<item>
		<title>Madden NFL 10 &#8211; Limited Cheats So Far</title>
		<link>http://www.xboxsolution.com/2009/08/23/madden-nfl-10-limited-cheats-so-far/</link>
		<comments>http://www.xboxsolution.com/2009/08/23/madden-nfl-10-limited-cheats-so-far/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 24 Aug 2009 02:10:52 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Jason Rybka</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[About VG Cheats]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Nintendo]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[On the Web]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Xbox 360]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Games]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[video game cheats]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.xboxsolution.com/2009/08/23/madden-nfl-10-limited-cheats-so-far/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[ If you've been waiting around to get your hands on some cheat codes for Madden NFL 10, sadly, it looks like the wait may be even longer. From what I've gathered, only the Nintendo Wii has codes, and since I don't have that version of the game and I can't vouch for their validity. Either way, I've put code pages up that at least list the achievements, trophies and the Nintendo Wii Madden NFL 10 codes. If you know of any that aren't there but do work let me know and I'll add them in. Here are the cheat pages. Madden NFL 10 Cheats - Wii Madden NFL 10 Cheats - Xbox 360 Madden NFL 10 Cheats - PS3 Madden NFL 10 Cheats - PS2 Madden NFL 10 Cheats - PSP All Madden Video Game Cheats (the full list) ]]></description>
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		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>The Conduit Cheats &#8211; Nintendo Wii</title>
		<link>http://www.xboxsolution.com/2009/07/15/the-conduit-cheats-nintendo-wii/</link>
		<comments>http://www.xboxsolution.com/2009/07/15/the-conduit-cheats-nintendo-wii/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 15 Jul 2009 09:27:12 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Jason Rybka</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[About VG Cheats]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Nintendo]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[On the Web]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[FAQs]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Games]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[video game cheats]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Xbox 360]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.xboxsolution.com/2009/07/15/the-conduit-cheats-nintendo-wii/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[ There are two types of cheat codes in The Conduit video game on the Nintendo Wii. First, there are cheats that are entered as codes into the cheat menu, these codes unlock skins and other gameplay elements. Next, there are cheats that can be activated via the in-game cheat menu, these cheats are unlocked and can be activated once certain in-game achievements have been reached. Head over to The Conduit Cheats page to get the details. ]]></description>
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		<title>Wii bowling ball accessory breaks cover</title>
		<link>http://www.xboxsolution.com/2009/06/18/wii-bowling-ball-accessory-breaks-cover/</link>
		<comments>http://www.xboxsolution.com/2009/06/18/wii-bowling-ball-accessory-breaks-cover/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 18 Jun 2009 17:41:00 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Matt Jo</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Games]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Nintendo]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[On the Web]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[TechRadar Gaming]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Xbox 360]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[gaming]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Hardware]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.xboxsolution.com/2009/06/18/wii-bowling-ball-accessory-breaks-cover/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[ After having had the pleasure of playtesting the awesome, much-improved new bowling game in Nintendo's forthcoming Wii Sports Resort, we are happy to bring you the news of the latest Wii peripheral on the shelves – the Wii bowling ball controller! CTA Digital's "Bowling Ball for Wii" apparently helps you "turn your Wii bowling experience into a perfect 300" and "allows you to mimic all the critical motions a 'striking' performance requires." The ball features the standard three holes for your fingers, with your Wii Remote fitting snugly inside. A bowling shirt with your name sown onto the top pocket and a pair of mod-style shoes are not included in the package... Do NOT let go The peripheral comes with the hilarious warning for users to "never, ever release the ball!!" and to "make sure to wear the wrist strap securely around your wrist, this will prevent the ball from accidently flying out of your hand," after which "you are ready to bowl virtual strikes like a Pro! Price and availability still to be confirmed. We are also yet to hear if this bizarre gaming peripheral will work with the new Wii MotionPlus dongle recently released by Nintendo. Related Stories In Depth: The evolution of gaming graphics Exclusive: Native iPhone 3G S gaming a long way off Steve Ballmer confirms Natal Xbox 360 for 2010 Alt-Delete: Hollywood does videogame comedy Activision threatens to stop making PS3 games ]]></description>
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		<item>
		<title>Guitar Hero: Smash Hits Cheats and Track List</title>
		<link>http://www.xboxsolution.com/2009/06/17/guitar-hero-smash-hits-cheats-and-track-list/</link>
		<comments>http://www.xboxsolution.com/2009/06/17/guitar-hero-smash-hits-cheats-and-track-list/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 18 Jun 2009 02:05:23 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Jason Rybka</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[About VG Cheats]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Games]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Nintendo]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[On the Web]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Xbox 360]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[video game cheats]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.xboxsolution.com/2009/06/17/guitar-hero-smash-hits-cheats-and-track-list/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[ I know what you're thinking... " Another Guitar Hero, another release of the same songs wrapped in another package. " Oh, you weren't thinking that? Sorry. Perhaps you should be. As the name implies Guitar Hero: Smash Hits is a compilation of previously released Guitar Hero songs, as voted for inclusion within the game by gamers. One would think we would have the cream of the crop here, and without a doubt there are some good songs on the list. Guitar Hero: Smash Hits is now available for PS2, PS3, Wii and Xbox 360. As with previous Guitar Hero video games Smash Hits also has a nifty cheat feature. I'm not sure that I have a full list just yet, but there are about a half-dozen codes so far. Take a look at the track list and grab the codes for the game at the links below. And as always, if you have additional codes, hints or tips let me know and I'll add them in. Guitar Hero: Smash Hits Track List Guitar Hero: Smash Hits Cheats - PS2 Guitar Hero: Smash Hits Cheats - PS3 Guitar Hero: Smash Hits Cheats - Nintendo Wii Guitar Hero: Smash Hits Cheats - Xbox 360 Edit: Guitar Hero: Smash Hits Cheat pages have been updated with additional codes. ]]></description>
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		<item>
		<title>iPhone Shakes Up the Video Game Industry</title>
		<link>http://www.xboxsolution.com/2009/06/17/iphone-shakes-up-the-video-game-industry/</link>
		<comments>http://www.xboxsolution.com/2009/06/17/iphone-shakes-up-the-video-game-industry/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 17 Jun 2009 18:29:00 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Matt Jo</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Games]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Nintendo]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[On the Web]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Sony]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Xbox 360]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[cellphones]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[playstation]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[slashdot games]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.xboxsolution.com/2009/06/17/iphone-shakes-up-the-video-game-industry/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Hugh Pickens writes "Troy Wolverton writes in the Mercury News that in less than a year, the iPhone has become a significant game platform, but its bigger impact could be to help change the way the game industry does business. 'It's got everything you need to be a game changer,' said Neil Young, co-founder and CEO of ngmoco, which develops games solely for the iPhone. With a year under its belt and an installed base of iPhone and iPod Touch owners at around forty million, the iPhone/iPod Touch platform has eclipsed next-gen console penetration numbers and started to catch up to the worldwide penetration of both Sony's (50 million) and Nintendo's (100 million) devices. Wolverton writes that not only is the iPhone one of the first widely successful gaming platforms in which games are completely digitally distributed, but on the iPhone, consumers can find more games updated more often, and at a cheaper cost per game than what they'd find on a typical dedicated game console. While an ordinary top-of-the-line game for Microsoft's Xbox 360 sells for about $60, and one for Nintendo's DS about $30, a top-of-the-line iPhone game typically sells for no more than $10. With traditional games, developers might wait a year or two between major releases; ngmoco is planning on releasing new versions of its games for the iPhone every four to five months. 'You have to think differently,' says Young. 'It's redefining what it means to be a publisher in this world.'" Read more of this story at Slashdot. ]]></description>
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		<item>
		<title>In Depth: The evolution of gaming graphics</title>
		<link>http://www.xboxsolution.com/2009/06/17/in-depth-the-evolution-of-gaming-graphics/</link>
		<comments>http://www.xboxsolution.com/2009/06/17/in-depth-the-evolution-of-gaming-graphics/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 17 Jun 2009 15:30:00 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Matt Jo</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Games]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Media]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Nintendo]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[On the Web]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[TechRadar Gaming]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Xbox 360]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Hardware]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.xboxsolution.com/2009/06/17/in-depth-the-evolution-of-gaming-graphics/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[ Whenever you got into gaming, we're sure you were impressed by it at the time. It can be tough to remember, but over the last 30 years, we've moved from simple shapes floating around black screens pretending to be spaceships, all the way through simple sprites, full-screen cartoons, full-motion video and early experiments in 3D, and into blisteringly detailed virtual worlds that we can explore at will. Right now, the likes of Crysis and GTA4 are the bleeding edge. Before long, they'll look bleeding awful. Our jaw-dropping first drive through the rebuilt Liberty City will be as quaint as Space Invaders to the gamers of the future as they sit in front of their PCs, munching sci-fi snacks such as Mars bars and Galaxies and Doctor Hula Hoops and wondering how we lived in the days before we could walk our game characters up to our own houses, peek through the virtual curtains and see ourselves sitting at our computers going "Neat". Part of the problem with these games is that they set out to simulate reality, albeit in a stylised way. This is impressive at the time of release, but as time moves on, so do our techniques and technologies. In the case of 3D games, one particularly noticeable sign of age is that it took years before characters were capable of moving their lips while they talked, instead of just staring and nodding as a line of dialogue played. STILL GOT IT: The hand-drawn Broken Sword games have grown old gracefully Conversely, games that focus on artistry rather than technology often hold onto their looks surprisingly well decades later. Adventure games from the 1990s are a perfect example. Many look every bit as old and retro as they are, but no low resolutions or old processors can detract from the sheer artistry dripped into games such as Sam and Max Hit The Road , Gabriel Knight , or of course, Broken Sword , which was recently re-released on both Nintendo DS and Wii. Is it a bird? No, it's a plane For most of the 1980s, artistic merit of any sort took a distant second place to simply trying to hammer the primitive graphics of the time into something that the player would find vaguely recognisable. Early PC developers barely bothered at all. It was far easier to draw a map and make a strategy game, throw together something simple such as an Arkanoid clone, or sidestep the thorny issue completely by developing yet another text adventure. The PC was still thought of as primarily a work machine and it would be years before that preconception changed. NEW ANGLE: Isometric games add a level of depth to early gamers' adventures What separated this era of gaming from the likes of Crysis (if you ignore roughly 15 quantum leaps in various areas of technology) was that tricks such as these were essential. Elite used wireframe 3D graphics on most platforms because that was as much as they could hope to handle. Most games assumed the player would understand that principle, although some built it into the fiction of the game. Starglider was one of these, shipping with a novella to explain that the wireframe graphics were actually a tactical aid built into your HUD. Reading it was also your best way of realising that the game wasn't actually set in the depths of space and that the reason you took damage if you flew too far in a downward direction was that the big black bit at the bottom of the pitch black background was in fact 'the ground'. Games of this era were nothing short of a war between programmers and their machines. The Commodore 64, released in 1982, was a surprisingly powerful system, but games on platforms such as the ZX Spectrum could be instantly identified by their bright, clashing colours – particularly when dealing with conversions from more powerful arcade cabinets. The art style was mainly a way of compensating for the system and used tricks such as setting translucent characters against coloured backgrounds, or promoting the graphical details by making the active game area a single colour, with objects outlined in black and all other colours saved for the frame. BACK IN TIME: Space Quest IV used time-travel to let its hero revisit his own prequels Sprites were simple and often very stylised, Dizzy the adventuring egg being one of the most enduring icons. Most games were happy to throw almost anything into the mix, from remote-controlled heads to a Monty Python stomping foot. The most surprising thing is that some of the creators weren't high. Pretty and programmed The PC was largely left out of all this craziness through most of the 80s, thanks to developers focusing on three rather serious genres: adventures, RPGs and simulators. Technology limitations meant that the early simulations had enough to worry about just drawing the ground and a couple of aeroplanes to shoot at, but the RPGs almost went out of their way to be ugly. Graphics were kept firmly in their place, and that place was frequently a small box framed by the far more important stats and menus. It wasn't until Ultima VII in 1992 that we saw an original PC RPG where the visuals stood up as state of the art against its contemporaries. PRETTY FACE: Ultima was one of the first RPGs to make an effort to look attractive Adventure games took a totally different direction, to the point that, until 3D came along, they were the place to see the latest graphical styles. The first major graphic adventure, King's Quest , released in 1984, was designed as a showpiece for the PC. No mean feat, considering how bad our favourite platform's graphics were at the time. The basic colour graphics format was the hideous Color Graphics Adapter. This typically ran at a resolution of 320x200 and resulted in some of the ugliest graphics seen by mortal eyes. UGLY PALETTE: CGA graphics were barely passable in 1984, and time has not been kind It had 16 colours to play with, but they were split into two palettes containing six hues (with two blacks each), which developers had to choose from. The first was the 'winter' palette, offering cyan, white, grey/white and magenta. The second offered green, red, brown and yellow. There were ways of squeezing more power out of CGA, including setting the background colour to blue and thus having the full RGB set to play with, or switching palettes while drawing the screen. Another trick was to abuse the poor quality screens at the time, putting down dithered patterns of dots and letting the display blend them into the required colour. All very clever stuff, but clearly hack territory. Nobody at all shed a tear when CGA was booted aside in favour of EGA and VGA. To catch a sprite In the days of CGA, everything was incredibly simple. With EGA, artists could finally start cutting loose. Backgrounds became more detailed. Shading could finally be more subtle – if not by much – than simply overlaying dots on bits of the screen that were meant to be in shadow. However, in both cases, the results looked like the computer generated graphics that they were. Backgrounds were clearly made up with simple lines and fills, with blocky characters overlaid on top. This changed dramatically when VGA entered the picture. VGA allowed for 256 colours at once, giving artists much more freedom. Games such as King's Quest V and Monkey Island 2 replaced computer generated backgrounds with scanned-in paintings, giving their worlds an incredible sense of detail and atmosphere. Spare colours could be used for effects, such as flickering lights, gradients and proper shading. DETAILS, DETAILS: VGA games used every trick going to make backgrounds look attractive Interestingly, this usually only applied to the backgrounds. It quickly became acceptable to have different styles for the overlaid characters, typically keeping them cartoony, regardless of their settings. This was primarily a logistical issue, given the number of animation frames that would have to be stored and created, but few minded. Many games were quite happy to chop and change media types on the fly, whether by kicking off with a 3D rendered introduction (as in King's Quest VI , Syndicate and almost every early CD game), or showing detailed pictures of characters in conversations. One media mix that never worked well in this context was FMV, partly due to the often woeful production values of the games that used it, but mostly because of issues with converting footage into something that could be used as a game sprite. Low resolutions turned them into a blurry mess and higher resolutions hammered home how badly the non-antialiased sprites sat in the world. As just one example, an FMV character will always have more superfluous detail than a cartoon one, leading to more obvious problems if their walk cycles get broken - frequently making it harder to read body language. Rendered 3D figures suffered from these problems as well, but rarely to such a degree. The only games that made the leap successfully simply used the original footage as a starting point, rather than trying to implement it into the game as-was. These included Prince of Persia with its rotoscoped character animations, and Tex Murphy , which avoided having 2D versions of its characters in the 3D game world wherever possible, and simply cut to a full-on blue-screened FMV sequence for conversations and important actions. It was jarring, but consistent. All of this gave the early 90s a fascinating look. It was an era of mixed media, with classic animation sitting alongside revolutionary new ideas. Free of the constraints of flat colours and simple shapes, developers jumped at the chance to create unique worlds. NO FUN: We'd scream too if our world was made up of such clashing styles In adventures, we saw everything from the pure cartoon style of Day of the Tentacle to photographic/3D rendered hybrids in the likes of Lost in Time , to early attempts to put real people into the mix during the horrific age of interactive movies. One of the most bizarre was Darkseed , which featured two worlds: ours, and a Dark World based on the biomechanical paintings of HR Geiger. (There was talk at the time that the artists needed therapy due to this, but we call bull on that one…) Before there was 3D The success of 3D accelerator cards heralded the birth of a new era for PC games – one where 3D is mother and father and little sister all rolled into one. This is a good thing. Sprites have to be created frame by frame, which makes them inherently limited. Put a skeletal structure in a 3D model and it can do anything from pick up a laser gun to dance the tango, not to mention perform subtle actions such as making eye contact or following you around the room. 3D models also have depth, whereas sprites are just cardboard cutouts. Using the same engine for them and the backgrounds also helps reinforce the notion of a consistent world that characters can interact with. However, PCs powerful enough to make the most of 3D are a recent development and for a long time, sprites vs polygons was a genuine debate. Elite had wireframe polygons back in 1984, as did the first Star Wars space simulator, X-Wing , in 1993. Until Quake in 1996, which also gave the mainstream its first true 3D shooter, almost every FPS was sprite-based, with exceptions such as Terminator: Future Shock few and far between. PROGRESS: Floppy disks eventually became big enough for proper cartoon fun The main reason for this was that sprites offered more detail than the polygons of the time could handle. Much like the early days, it was fine to have simple iconic shapes for spaceships and the like, which is why X-Wing 's instantly recognisable ship silhouettes worked so well. However, early games didn't even have texture mapping (instead relying on simple colours and shading based on the position of the area's light source) and 3D characters were awkward-looking, low-polygon affairs. With sprites, if you could draw it, the computer could handle it. When making Doom , id actually modelled several of its more complicated characters in clay then photographed them from multiple angles to maintain consistency. The first Wing Commander games used a clever trick to fake space, simply moving and scaling sprites in front of the camera to add depth. It fell down when approaching capital vessels, but made for instantly recognisable ships and graphical assets that sat comfortably alongside the character portraits used in menus and cut-scenes. SERIOUS FIREPOWER: As dodgy as it looks now, Outcast was a stunning game in 1999 - if your PC could handle it. Most couldn't 3D was much slower to impress on anything other than a technological level. Quake was a particular disappointment, regardless of its technical prowess. Doom gave us a whole cast of memorable enemies to shoot at, ranging from the humble Imp to the awe-inspiring Cyberdemon. Few of Quake 's blocky, blurry opponents came close, outside of the leaping Fiend and hulking demon Cthon. Not until Sin and Half-Life in 1998 did 3D characters start to impress and even then, the fact that most of them were still animated frame by frame made them feel stodgy. Half-Life 's skeletal animations provided freedom, even if they did usher in several years of comedy ragdolls. Adventures in hyperreality As with the dawn of 2D, 3D games quickly began splitting art styles along genre lines. This was typically done for pragmatic reasons rather than stylistic ones. The more restrictive the game, the more realistic its world could be. Driving games such as Midtown Madness , Driver and GTA could get away with something that pretended to be a real city by confining players to roads and other external locations where real-world textures could turn a simple box into a credible store or tower block. EASY RIDE: Driving games have it easier than most. You don't see much detail at 100MPH Most games stuck with a different approach: creating the illusion of reality, not trying to recreate the actual thing. The more games tried to do this, the more they hit the Uncanny Valley problem – deviations from the expected that break the suspension of disbelief. The simplest solution was to shunt things around a little by setting a game in the future, or in a lab, or in many cases, just not trying too hard. When Tomb Raider 3 set a level in Saint Paul's Cathedral, the challenge was conveying that vibe with a game engine that had only just developed the ability to build levels using triangles instead of square blocks, not recreating reality. Similarly, Deus Ex took great pains to trash New York and Gabriel Knight III devoted as much effort to recreating the village of Rennes-le-Chateau as the Tomb Raider team did to King Midas's crypt. It didn't matter. Much as the classic 2D games hinted at a world beyond the bits that you got to visit, the best 3D games feel like there's more going on behind the invisible walls that block your passage. TAKING OFF: Despite the dramatic music and statues, you can still cross Stormwind faster than you can say 'Not very big, is it?' It'd be wrong to say that current games aren't constrained by technology, but the challenge is different. With modern graphics, we can create almost anything to an acceptable level. The challenge comes from the difficulty of creating all the necessary assets, with level design stretched across multiple disciplines, from 3D modelling to animation and physics calculation. The next step, along with increasing the polygon count and texture resolution, is likely to be to take as much of the load away from the artists as possible to create bigger worlds that retain the handcrafted look. Wherever games go next, they're going to look fantastic. Related Stories Exclusive: Native iPhone 3G S gaming a long way off Wii bowling ball accessory breaks cover Steve Ballmer confirms Natal Xbox 360 for 2010 Alt-Delete: Hollywood does videogame comedy Activision threatens to stop making PS3 games ]]></description>
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		<title>Shigeru Miyamoto: the developers&#8217; developer</title>
		<link>http://www.xboxsolution.com/2009/06/15/shigeru-miyamoto-the-developers-developer/</link>
		<comments>http://www.xboxsolution.com/2009/06/15/shigeru-miyamoto-the-developers-developer/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 15 Jun 2009 12:16:00 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Matt Jo</dc:creator>
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		<description><![CDATA[ Shigeru Miyamoto is not only a legend amongst the Nintendo faithful, with a new poll of over 9,000 games developers showing that he is also the developers' development hero. In the survey, commissioned by the organisers of next month's Develop Conference (which runs from 14-16 July in sunny Brighton) Miyamoto tops the game development hero charts, followed by id Software's John Cormack, Will Wright and a number of other development luminaries. Innovative AND mass market "It's no surprise that Miyamoto-san is the development hero of developers – over the last 30 years he has created games that have not only driven the evolution of the games industry but also changed people's lives," says Andy Lane, Managing Director of Develop organiser Tandem Events. "He has mastered the art of developing titles that are innovative but never at the cost of gameplay: games that are ground breaking, yet still mass market," Lane adds. With no further ado, here is the top 10: 1. Shigeru Miyamoto - often referred to as 'the father of modern video games' for his role in creating legendary games franchises Mario , Donkey Kong , The Legend of Zelda , Star Fox , Pikmin and F-Zero and titles such as Nintendogs and Wii Music 2. John Cormack – co-founder of id Software and lead programmer on Doom and Quake 3. Will Wright - co-founder of Maxis and brains behind SimCity and The Sims franchise and, more recently, Spore . He now runs entertainment think tank Stupid Fun Club 4. Dave Jones - founder of Realtime Worlds ( Crackdown , All Points Bulletin ) and co-founder of Rockstar North (formerly DMA Design), Jones created major game series Lemmings and Grand Theft Auto 5. Sid Meier – founder of MicroProse and developer of Civilization . Second person to be inducted in the Academy of Interactive Arts and Sciences' Hall of Fame behind Shigeru Miyamoto 6. Peter Molyneux, OBE - creator of God games Dungeon Keeper , Populous and Black &#038; White , as well as Theme Park , Fable and Fable 2 7. David Braben - Brit programmer and founder of Frontier , Braben is best known for co-writing the hugely popular Elite. The studio's work on The Outsider promises to deliver yet another ground-breaking title and a number of gameplay firsts 8. Masaya Matsuura – famed for pushing the frontiers of computer music, Masaya took the games industry by storm with the release of PaRappa The Rapper , winning notable awards and changing the landscape of gaming forever 9. Michael Morhaime – president and co-founder of Blizzard Entertainment, the legendary creator of Warcraft, StarCraft, Diablo series and the world's biggest MMORPG World of Warcraft 10. Jonathan Blow – developer of award-winning title Braid For more on Develop check out the conference website at developconference.com. Related Stories Exclusive: Native iPhone 3G S gaming a long way off Wii bowling ball accessory breaks cover Steve Ballmer confirms Natal Xbox 360 for 2010 Alt-Delete: Hollywood does videogame comedy Activision threatens to stop making PS3 games ]]></description>
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		<title>Is Natal actually the next-generation Xbox?</title>
		<link>http://www.xboxsolution.com/2009/06/14/is-natal-actually-the-next-generation-xbox/</link>
		<comments>http://www.xboxsolution.com/2009/06/14/is-natal-actually-the-next-generation-xbox/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sun, 14 Jun 2009 08:14:00 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Matt Jo</dc:creator>
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		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.xboxsolution.com/2009/06/14/is-natal-actually-the-next-generation-xbox/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[ We've already heard plenty about Microsoft's plans for the Natal project and the motion control it will bring to the Xbox, but could it actually turn out to be a new console in its own right? That's the claim being made by the hardcore gamers at 1up.com , who say Natal will, in reality, be the new brand for the Xbox when it launches next year. Better hardware Writer Sam Kennedy cites a previous Microsoft comment about Natal's debut being "as big as the launch of a console" and goes on to state: "Not surprising. That's because Natal is going to be a new console." Without naming sources, he speculates that the 'Xbox Natal' will include the new motion control as well as some minor hardware improvements to give developers more scope to create better games. He also says it will still play current Xbox 360 games. Still just talk Obviously, none of this is proven, but with all three major gaming players set to offer high-definition consoles with motion control, branding and the ability to stand out could become at least as important as the actual product. As for timing, 1up.com suggests the final incarnation of Natal could make its debut at the Game Developer's Conference in March 2010. Related Stories Iwata: Nintendo decided against motion cameras Nintendo to launch an HD Wii? EA: Xbox 360 gaming maxed out but not PS3 Valve: PS3 is 'too complicated' Microsoft funding prizes for 1 vs 100 ]]></description>
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		<title>Nintendo sneaks out new school edition DS</title>
		<link>http://www.xboxsolution.com/2009/06/13/nintendo-sneaks-out-new-school-edition-ds/</link>
		<comments>http://www.xboxsolution.com/2009/06/13/nintendo-sneaks-out-new-school-edition-ds/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sat, 13 Jun 2009 08:35:00 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Matt Jo</dc:creator>
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		<description><![CDATA[ You probably haven't heard about it yet, but Nintendo quietly announced a new version of the DS handheld gamer this week specifically designed to be used in classrooms. The Nintendo DS Classroom features no new hardware, but instead consists of a package of several handhelds, a PC and newly developed educational software for the DS. Free DS for the kids Nintendo, which developed the package with Sharp, says it hopes to persuade schools to take the bundle and issue a DS to each student. Once students and teachers are connected through the DS Wi-Fi link they should be able to share study materials instantly, with students also filing some work and test answers on the handhelds. Cutting bureaucracy The supplied PC software will also make it simple for teachers to keep track of student progress and, theoretically, cut down on administrative paperwork. Nintendo aims to start selling the as-yet-unpriced DS Classroom tool from next February, initially in Japan, with overseas launches likely if the reception is positive. Related Stories New PSP Go revealed accidentally by Sony E3 2009: Sony confirms arrival of PSP Go Sony to open UMD swap shop for PSP GO owners PSP-3000 Lilac bundled with Hannah Montana Exclusive: Opera delighted with Nintendo relationship ]]></description>
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		<title>Exclusive: Opera delighted with Nintendo relationship</title>
		<link>http://www.xboxsolution.com/2009/06/11/exclusive-opera-delighted-with-nintendo-relationship/</link>
		<comments>http://www.xboxsolution.com/2009/06/11/exclusive-opera-delighted-with-nintendo-relationship/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 11 Jun 2009 15:15:00 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Matt Jo</dc:creator>
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		<description><![CDATA[ Opera is hopeful that it will continue to provide browsers for gaming giants Nintendo after the success of its DSi and Wii software. The browsers on both of Nintendo's blockbusting gaming platforms have been well received, with the Wii 'Internet Channel' browser being the most popular television-based browsers around, according to CEO Jon von Tetchner. And Opera's relationship with Nintendo has remained strong, with the former keen to continue to work with the Japanese giants. Wii Friends "We have good relationship with Nintendo, confirmed Opera's von Tetzchner. "The recent addition - the DSi browser - has been provided for free on the device and that's a movement in the right direction. "We are very happy about the fact that Opera on Wii is the most used device to browse on televisions - that is the biggest volume of users. "We feel the browser is a very good user experience and working with Nintendo was very good. "They challenged us and we challenged them and it is clear that they are very focused on making easy to use applications for their products." The Wii 'Internet Channel' was launched back in April 2007 and had been a poipular purchase for many Wii owners, while DSi owners can download a version of Opera 9.5 for their handheld for free. Related Stories New PSP Go revealed accidentally by Sony E3 2009: Sony confirms arrival of PSP Go Sony to open UMD swap shop for PSP GO owners PSP-3000 Lilac bundled with Hannah Montana Nintendo sneaks out new school edition DS ]]></description>
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		<title>Iwata: Nintendo decided against motion cameras</title>
		<link>http://www.xboxsolution.com/2009/06/05/iwata-nintendo-decided-against-motion-cameras/</link>
		<comments>http://www.xboxsolution.com/2009/06/05/iwata-nintendo-decided-against-motion-cameras/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 05 Jun 2009 10:09:00 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Matt Jo</dc:creator>
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		<description><![CDATA[ Nintendo president Satoru Iwata has insisted that his company ruled out motion sensing camera after trials suggested that the accelerometers the Wii uses were more effective. Nintendo's hardware announcements at E3 were limited to a finger pulse-detector – which caused some bemusement at the exhibition – and further demonstration of the impressive Wii MotionPlus technology, which increases the sensitivity of the Wiimote and is arriving soon. Sony and Microsoft, on the other hand, showed prototypes of motion sensor tech that is not yet on the verge of being released; but Iwata told the Financial Times that using cameras to track movement was something Nintendo had experimented with but chosen not to implement. When and how much? Iwata also suggested that, until pricing and arrival dates are confirmed, it would be difficult to make a judgement on the likelihood of success. "Until they say when they're releasing it, how much it costs and what software it comes with, we won't know whether that is the route we should have taken. However?.?.?.?I think they couldn't choose to release exactly the same thing," said Mr Iwata. "Companies whose people said that motion-sensing wouldn't work are now proposing motion sensors," he added. Related Stories Nintendo to launch an HD Wii? EA: Xbox 360 gaming maxed out but not PS3 Valve: PS3 is 'too complicated' Microsoft funding prizes for 1 vs 100 Is Natal actually the next-generation Xbox? ]]></description>
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		<title>E3 2009: What will Microsoft call Project Natal?</title>
		<link>http://www.xboxsolution.com/2009/06/02/e3-2009-what-will-microsoft-call-project-natal/</link>
		<comments>http://www.xboxsolution.com/2009/06/02/e3-2009-what-will-microsoft-call-project-natal/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 02 Jun 2009 18:14:00 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Matt Jo</dc:creator>
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		<description><![CDATA[ We're blown away by the potential of Microsoft's Project Natal tech for the Xbox 360, but our minds quickly wandered. What would Microsoft call the final release? Our friends at Redmond hardly have the best pedigree when it comes to naming new releases and Microsoft's long-meeting and focus group naming reputation has hardly been helped by the launch of Bing. So we decided to dream up some amusing final release names for Project Natal and got some help from our friends in the Twittersphere. See what you think and then send us your own in the comments, @techradar – oh, and if you tweet them, add the hashtag #ProjectNatalFinalName The list so far: XcamMotion 3000 Xbox Immerse @pdouglas MoveIT Starter Edition Nintendo Pfffft @richardcobbett PC 360 @qrter Microsoft VisualTRANSLATE 2012 (No Friends Edition) Microsoft® Wheeeee!™ @chrisphin "With no physical control, surely they have to go with Xbox Vapourware?" @mansonovic Microsoft Movement and Voice Sensor 1.0 MS OBE (Out of Body Experience) Synergistic Photographic Image Entry Signalling (SPIES) XMotionPro2010: Ultimate Edition Microsoft's All Seeing Eye Project Why-Aren't-My-Own-Kids-This-Well-Behaved? Nuttall (to make pronunciation easier) Microsoft DeepView @ Body 360 / 720 (as required) The Aggressotron Microsoft Depression. Because it'll be post-Natal @chrisrice192 "Sony should announce the ante-Natal" And finally: Bong Don't forget to send us your suggestions! Related Stories E3 2009: Microsoft 'Project Natal' will replace controller E3 2009: Seven highlights of the Xbox E3 keynote Analysis: Why Xbox Project Natal is a game-changer E3 2009: Sony at E3 - starting at 7pm UK time E3 2009: Nintendo at E3 - live coverage of the keynote ]]></description>
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		<title>E3 2009: Nintendo at E3 &#8211; live coverage of the keynote</title>
		<link>http://www.xboxsolution.com/2009/06/02/e3-2009-nintendo-at-e3-live-coverage-of-the-keynote/</link>
		<comments>http://www.xboxsolution.com/2009/06/02/e3-2009-nintendo-at-e3-live-coverage-of-the-keynote/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 02 Jun 2009 17:29:00 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Matt Jo</dc:creator>
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		<description><![CDATA[ Nintendo has already got a tough job on its hands if it is to hit the same level as Microsoft managed with the announcement of Project Natal and the prospect of controller-free gaming. But this is Nintendo we are talking about, and the makers of the Wii and the DS are more than capable of bringing their own special brand of gaming genius to the party. TechRadar will be covering the Nintendo keynote from when it starts at 6pm UK time, and although we can't envision it bringing anything mind-blowing, Nintendo are past masters of injecting a bit of pizzazz. Follow all of our coverage here – keep refreshing the page for updates. Live coverage (times are UK) 5:19 Wii Motion Plus gets a showcase - hardly an announcement , it was on show last year, but hasn't arrived in shops yet... 5:15 - Wii Fit Plus is announced - with Nintendo stating that 11m balance board sales make it comparable to its own gaming plaform. 5:07 - Nintendo reckons we should expect surprises. And they start with announcing New Super Mario Bros for Wii. It's a four player co-op game... 5pm - Before Nintendo takes to the stage - will we see a new peripheral or something a bit special? Related Links Why Xbox Natal is a game changer Related Stories E3 2009: Microsoft 'Project Natal' will replace controller E3 2009: Seven highlights of the Xbox E3 keynote Analysis: Why Xbox Project Natal is a game-changer E3 2009: Sony at E3 - starting at 7pm UK time E3 2009: What will Microsoft call Project Natal? ]]></description>
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		<title>Analysis: Why Xbox Project Natal is a game-changer</title>
		<link>http://www.xboxsolution.com/2009/06/02/analysis-why-xbox-project-natal-is-a-game-changer-2/</link>
		<comments>http://www.xboxsolution.com/2009/06/02/analysis-why-xbox-project-natal-is-a-game-changer-2/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 02 Jun 2009 11:15:00 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Matt Jo</dc:creator>
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		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.xboxsolution.com/2009/06/02/analysis-why-xbox-project-natal-is-a-game-changer/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[ The same question keeps popping up: "how can Sony and Nintendo possibly top this ?" Microsoft's E3 press conference started out as a parade of games most people either knew or strongly suspect were happening. Then, towards the end, they dropped the bombshell to end all bombshells. Project Natal, a sky-high ambitious body/face/voice recognition add-on for the Xbox 360 that, if it works as promised, changes not just the 360, not just gaming, but how humankind interfaces with technology. Rumours had swirled for a while that Microsoft, jealous of the Wii's success with non-traditional gamers, was about to reveal some sort of motion sensing device for their own console. Project Natal would seem to stem from that jealousy, but it goes much, much further than the expected response/rip-off. In another world, Natal would be a whole new console of its own – that Microsoft has gone to such R&#038;D lengths for the now relatively elderly 360 proves how desperate it is to win this round of the console wars. And with good cause – this is the generation of console that's most poised to climb beyond being mere game-boxes. There's the PS3 with its Blu-Ray drive, and the 360's own movie downloads – about to be improved further with mooted instant-play 1080p high-def streams – and even the Wii's music, photo and browser applications. 1080p STREAMS: As well as HD insta-streaming (via variable bitrates), you can host virtual film nights- inviting your friends' avatars to appear as an on-screen audience. The time is right for the living room omni-device, and that reveals the real purpose of Project Natal – Microsoft are finally making their own PC, or rather a ground-up-reworked alternative to the venerable IBM-compatible. Natal may well enable all manner of fun body-popping games that are comparable to the Wii's line-up but with the controller replaced by camera-based recognition of gestures. But it was its use as an operating system that really reveals the startling scale of this project. With a wave of the hand, blades of the 360's dashboard UI and pages of photos are shuffled through, or items grabbed and moved to other parts of the screen. Video chat uses facial recognition. Movies are controlled by voice – no remote required. Outdoing Windows 7 - and everything else Microsoft's own Windows 7 team, working on the next iteration of the desktop operating system, must be feeling pretty hard-done by right now: their own company has utterly overshadowed them. But probably not as hard done by as the poor Tony Hawk's Ride team, who trotted onto stage earlier in the conference to show off their new skateboard controller. Half an hour later, we see a kid playing a skateboarding game without any controller whatsoever – only Natal's all-seeing eye. FACEBOOK 360: Does Facebook and Twitter support make the 360 the iPhone of the living room? As well as Natal was the revelation of built-in Facebook and Twitter support for the 360 – and again, if this all works, it really does seem like an all-out assault on the PC. Socialising, multimedia and gaming are three of the major pillars supporting the modern computer. TWITTER INTEGRATION: The Twitter and Facebook apps are tightly integrated with the 360's Avatar system, which could cause something of a schism between 360 social-networkers and PC ones. If there's now a device that does all this, in the living room and on your big telly, and without the need for any input device bar your own body, we could be in for a truly profound change in the man-machine relationship. Really, the only thing holding back massive future-shock at this point is Microsoft's long-tradition of not getting exciting things quite right. Until the press at large gets to try and report on Natal first-hand, the world will keep spinning as always. Meantime, pity Sony and Nintendo – right now, they must be feeling a little like they're the follow-up act after Jesus fed the five thousand. Related Stories Nintendo Wii Fit Plus leaked ahead of E3 Hulu next for Xbox 360, says Twitter tweet E3 2009: Xbox: 1080p streaming VOD and Facebook E3 2009: Microsoft 'Project Natal' will replace controller E3 2009: Seven highlights of the Xbox E3 keynote ]]></description>
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		<title>E3 2009: Seven Highlights of the Xbox E3 keynote</title>
		<link>http://www.xboxsolution.com/2009/06/01/e3-2009-seven-highlights-of-the-xbox-e3-keynote/</link>
		<comments>http://www.xboxsolution.com/2009/06/01/e3-2009-seven-highlights-of-the-xbox-e3-keynote/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 01 Jun 2009 22:16:00 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Matt Jo</dc:creator>
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		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.xboxsolution.com/2009/06/01/e3-2009-seven-highlights-of-the-xbox-e3-keynote/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[ In what can only be described as a riveting opening to E3 2009, Microsoft opened with the Beatles and still managed to save the best for last. The Microsoft Xbox 360 keynote has the enviable curtain raiser slot at E3, but it more than justified its place with a conference that brought cheers, applause and a host of shocked looks from its audience. TechRadar has picked out its seven favourite moments from the E3 Xbox keynote – several of which are likely to become even bigger news in the nest few weeks Natal: In at number one with a bullet was Microsoft's Steve Jobs-esque 'and finally'. Project Natal actually managed to shock a fairly cynical public with its promise of controller free gaming. The 3D mo-cap sensor allows you to play games without the worry of learning the buttons – with movement, and voice, being translated to the screen. The showcased things this could bring were staggering; Lionhead's Peter Molyneux introduced us to a virtual friend called Milo that reacted to emotions on the user's face, gave and received objects that were scanned into the console in real time and interacted in a, frankly, stunning way. And this was just a fraction of what Natal could do; Kung fu fighting, monster stomping, skateboarding, social networking and, simply, gesture control were all shown. Whisper it, but this could be bigger than the Wii. Twitter and Facebook: So we like Facebook, we love Twitter – but when you roll out the delectable ubergeek Felicia Day to showcase them working on the Xbox then you get an instant boost in the popularity stakes. Of course, the key thing will be how the social apps are integrated into an already buoyant Xbox Live community, but stage one, getting the applications onto the platform, is set to be completed by Autumn. 1080p on-demand VOD: Okay so we're all wondering just how you provide streaming 1080p over broadband connections of less than about 8Mb, but if Microsoft can hurdle that wall then this could be a massive boon for the console. Although it kind of undercuts the announcement of the Sky Player on Xbox from last week (SD? Pfft) , the prospect of instant on 1080p movies is a giant leap in making the Xbox 360 a giant in the world of Set Top Boxes, and it plays games as well, apparently Alan Wake: Certainly a highlight of the conference- if only because Alan Wake was shaping up to be the biggest vapourware since Duke Nukem's return. Wake – a mystery thriller – looked fantastic, with the playable demonstration showing the author/hero using light (and a shotgun) to wend his way through an atmospheric stage of the game. However, we'll reserve judgement until the game finally gets a release; the latest date is Spring 2010. Left4Dead 2: It was only the briefest of glimpses – giving us a trailer rather than the fuller demos that other titles got, but the prospect of L4D2 is enough to leave us salivating. Valve have a habit of making a splash at E3 and, although we're a teeny disappointed that there wasn't a Half Life 2: Episode 3 showcase (yet), we'll manage just fine with zombies and chainsaws, thank you very much. Forza Motorsport 3: Racing games are set for a big year, and Forza 2's success has fed into a successor that was given a huge showcase in the Xbox 360 conference. Forza 3 will bring 400 cars and the landscapes could be the prettiest ever seen. Not that you'll be able to concentrate on them, with the design your own car stuff also given a massive push. Beatles Rock Band: When Yoko appeared we feared the worst, but Lord Macca and Ringo also took to the stage to take a look at their 'avataristic' alter-egos in the game as the most famous band's hits arrived in gaming. Related Stories In Depth: First look: Sky Player on the Xbox 360 Nintendo Wii Fit Plus leaked ahead of E3 Hulu next for Xbox 360, says Twitter tweet E3 200: Xbox: 1080p streaming VOD and Facebook E3 2009: Microsoft 'Natal' will replace controller ]]></description>
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		<title>E3 2009: Microsoft &#8216;Natal&#8217; will replace controller</title>
		<link>http://www.xboxsolution.com/2009/06/01/e3-2009-microsoft-natal-will-replace-controller/</link>
		<comments>http://www.xboxsolution.com/2009/06/01/e3-2009-microsoft-natal-will-replace-controller/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 01 Jun 2009 21:03:00 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Matt Jo</dc:creator>
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		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.xboxsolution.com/2009/06/01/e3-2009-microsoft-natal-will-replace-controller/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[ Microsoft has made a bold play by announcing a 'controller free' Xbox experience called 'Project Natal' using full body motion capture and voice recognition offering a jaw-dropping concpet of the future. Natal, which will work with all current Xbox 360s, is a revolutionary 3D motion sensor that incorporates voice recognition, ending what Microsoft termed 'the barrier of the controller.' Steven Spielberg was on stage to support the project – which was not given a launch date. Doing away with the controller "I often asked how can the interactive entertainment become as approachable as any other form of entertainment," said Spielberg. "The vast amount of people are too intimidated to pick up a games controller. 60 per cent of people do not own a video game console so the only way was to make the tech invisible and then they can shine in the spotlight. "It's not reinventing the wheel, its about no wheel at all." "Today with cultural visionaries at our side and controller-free gaming on our horizon, Xbox 360 authored a new page in home entertainment history," added Don Mattrick, senior vice president for the Interactive Entertainment Business at Microsoft. "For us, this E3 is about breaking down barriers — between generations, between games and entertainment, and most important, between video game players and everyone else — in a way that only Xbox 360 can." Games and new social networking Microsoft showcased a whole host of functionality whilst on stage, including a dodgeball 'Ricochet' game, navigating through the Xbox live menus and collaborative painting. "Project Natal development kits will arrive at our partners today," said Kudo Tsunoda It was a massively impressive concept from Microsoft, backed by one of the world's most admired directors, and if it is truly as powerful as the demonstrations suggest it could be as pivotal to the gaming industry as the Wiimote proved a few years ago. Related Stories In Depth: First look: Sky Player on the Xbox 360 Nintendo Wii Fit Plus leaked ahead of E3 Hulu next for Xbox 360, says Twitter tweet E3 200: Xbox: 1080p streaming VOD and Facebook E3 2009: Seven Highlights of the Xbox E3 keynote ]]></description>
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