LavaElks.com Levels Up

I finally updated the site, although it still looks like it was created in the 90s. Here is a list of most of the updates:

-Right column on homepage has personal updates (twitter, twitpic, and flickr)
-Link to LavaElks.com YouTube channel has been added to the homepage
-Cut out a whole page of useless Fire Pro stuff
-Contact button goes right to your default e-mail
-Fire Pro main page lists number of edits in each organization under org. image
-Newest edits links have been added to Fire Pro main page and each organization page

Continue...

Monthly Overview: September 08

September, Spore, Star Wars, and Samba. It is the month of the 'S' apparently. On the other hand I could say Hockey, Horstachio, and Homicide. But if I said that you might think a hockey player committed homicide while riding a horse, so let’s stick with the S’s. Either way, this month is providing the gaming public with quite a few worthy-of-your-money titles. Hit the jump for the main three you should be playing all of September (plus some honorable mentions).

1. NHL 09 ($59.99 – Xbox360/PS3 – Sept. 11^th)

If you somehow read my article in The Keystone last year you got a chance to read about how I told everyone to trust EA for once. Just like last year, trust EA again. If you happened to play the NHL 09 demo you might think we are getting more of the same. You have to look a little harder to see the differences, but they are there.

For one, the hitting is completely revamped, defensemen have a few new weapons for their arsenal (updated pokecheck and all new stick lift), and forwards can play dump and chase with the puck, as well as do a one-handed deke. The star of the show is the Be A Pro mode, which can be played online like an MMO (a first in the sports world). Yet again, EA’s NHL series looks to be the sports game of the year.

2. Spore (Galactic Edition - $79.99, Regular Edition - $49.99 – PC – Sept. 5^th)
Spore looks to recreate the wheel. Well, more like recreate civilization. You build a creature and start out in the cell phase, working your way up to walking on land, building a civilization, and eventually traveling through and taking over the whole galaxy.

The main draw is the creation mode, where you customize the creatures from the ground up. You can also import creatures that others have made and they will inhabit other planets throughout the game. I rarely, if ever, suggest the purchase of a PC game. Buy Spore.





3. TNA Impact! ($59.99 – Xbox360/PS3 – Sept. 9^th)

Just like in real life, WWE is finally seeing the rise of a competitor in the videogame market. TNA Impact! looks to bring the fast paced action from TNA wrestling to your Xbox 360 or PS3 with their first videogame release.

While it might not have all of the flashy features of a Smackdown Vs. Raw, Impact! looks to welcome back old wrestling fans with their old school control scheme Think of this game as No Mercy with updated graphics, the Ultimate X match, and the ability to bring your created character into storymode. It might not be the best wrestling game ever made, but it gives wrestling fans options besides the same old WWE game.





Honorable Mentions:
-Star Wars: The Force Unleashed ($59.99 – Xbox 360/PS3 – Sept. 16^th)
A Star Wars action adventure game where you play as the apprentice of Darth Vader and lets you throw Stormtroopers and Tie Fighters about with ease? Yes, please.

-Viva Pinata: Trouble in Paradise ($39.99 – Xbox 360 – Out Now)
The follow-up to the piñatafest that was Viva Pinata. More Pinatas, online co-op, and taking snapshots of your candy filled friends is what you can expect in this worthy sequel.

Continue...

FPWR: Crash the wrestling ring

This Wednesday will see the release of the best Xbox Live Arcade game to date with Castle Crashers. So to celebrate, I have posted four Castle Crasher edits for Fire Pro Wrestling Returns on my site. For those of you who have no clue what the hell Castle Crashers is (shame on you), below is a comparison picture between the knights from the game and the Fire Pro edits.

Castle Crasher knights

Fire Pro Crashers

Continue...

E3 Nintendo: Animal Crossing: City Folk

While the Nintendo press conference was quite disappointing, one decent thing we got out of it was a Wii Animal Crossing game. Better yet, it is coming out this year (Nov. 16th to be exact). Keep reading to see an interview with Animal Crossing creator, Katsuya Eguchi, gameplay footage, and learn about visiting the big city and looking like your Mii.

The city aspect of the game looks enjoyable even though it isn't a completely new feature since it houses some old shops from past Animal Crossing games. The addition of changing your characters head into that of your Mii is a nice touch. The thing is, it just seems like an "EA upgrade" to me. There isn't anything that catches my eye and makes me go, "Wow, I never thought they could add that into the game." It is only slight enhancements to what is already a stellar game series.


LINKS:

Gameplay (in town 1)
Gameplay (in town 2)
Gameplay (entering city)
AC at Nintendo press conference
Official Nintendo AC gameplay

Continue...