Both Toys R Us and Gamestop/EB are pushing free games when you buy 2 this week.
Toys R Us is selling new games in store and online. The usual rules apply: the lowest priced game is the free one. This goes for anything excluding pre-orders, so you may be able to get some real steals if you grab 3 premium priced $50 or $60 games. I’m going to use this as an excuse to grab Mortal Kombat 7 and maybe some DS games I’ve missed….

Gamestop and its still completely seperate but identical sister store EB Games are running the same sale but only on USED product. This again might yeild some pretty incredible deals, as its possible you might grab 3 massive current gen games for under $20. You can also use the sale on DVDs, but the last time I saw a DVD I liked in Gamestop it was one I traded in the week prior.

Tonight, Gamestop/EB are holding a super lame Gears Of War party with no demo.
All they’re showing is a single video, which might be little more than the beginning of the game.
Since we are blessed with an INTER-NET that laughs at the idea of waiting or exclusivity, you can watch the whole thing here now.

Keep an eye out over CliffyB’s shoulder for a Powermaster Optimus Prime.

A complete fan film, but light hearted and accurate enough to be direct from Nintendo.

Breaking: Variety is reporting Fox and Universal are pulling out of the adaptation of Bungie’s massively successful Xbox game. Citing rising costs and Microsofts unwillingness to back down on their cut of the gross or their upfront payday, the two studios are cutting financing, leaving the software giant to find a new partner.

Bungie themselves have been eerily silent about the movie. They promised a big update on their site around the time Neal Blomkamp was announced as director, but still haven’t said anything to even acknowledge that much. Weekly updates do continue to note when Bungie staff go to New Zealand to meet with WETA for pre-production. Executive Producer Peter Jackson seems more dedicated than ever, even starting work on his own Halo game for the Xbox 360.

Pre-production is rolling on according to reports, but no formal statement has been made from Microsoft or Bungie. The guiding light and motto for this whole production has been “make a GOOD Halo movie or make NO Halo movie” and I’m inclined to say it looks like the latter right now.

This does however make me thinkg Halo will miss 2007 and possibly 2008 for release. Hey Microsoft: Pay for it yourself! Then just hire a distributor! It worked for George Lucas.

Big news about the PlayStation 3 comes to us from Gamespot. For a limited time the PS3 system will have an extra incentive to buyers with a free Blu-Ray version of the hit movie Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby. While Sony seemed to be losing the race earlier in the year with it’s heavy price tag, weak showing at E3, lack of games, poor controllers, console that looked like a George Foreman grill, suicidal Blu-Ray support, ridiculously under produced number of systems for launch day, late start in Europe and laughable advertisement campain this move is sure to make up for these minor shortcoming.

This movie will truly make the most of the Blu-Ray high definition standard as it brings us breathtaking images of Hollywood hunks Will Ferrell and John C. Reiley like only 1080p high deffinition can!

So set aside a few dollars a week for a PlayStation 3 and high definition TV because mock Nascar never looked so good.

So let’s do the math!

Blu-Ray player: 999.95$
Talladega Nights Blu-Ray: 22.99$
PS3 + Talladega Night Blu-Ray: 599$

That’s a 421.94$ savings for the Blu-Ray player and disc alone! Let me break that down for you, the consumer. Sony is paying you over 400$ to buy a game system! And this thing even plays games!!!

Price of the Wii: 249$

Price of Wii – Net prices of PS3 = 249$ – (- 421.94$) = 670.94$

That’s right my friends! Buying a PS3 is actualy 670.94$ cheapers than buying a Wii AND you won’t have an additional cumbersome Blu-Ray disc player taking up valuable real estate in your home entertainment area this way.

Sorry Nintendo but Sony just won the console wars.

This week, I’m gonna do a little something different.  Remember all those games like Robotron, Space Invaders, and Galaga where you didn’t play to see some 45 minute ending or unlock a whole bunch of stuff?  All you played them was to beat the highest score.  Well, Bizzare Creations’ Geometry Wars is just that.  You play it for the challenge, and it’s addictive.  It began life as a hidden feature of Project Gotham racing, but evolved into something more.  This update adds in flashier graphics and music, while keeping the gameplay simple.  As a ship, you try to survive as long as you can against an onslaught of enemy polygons.  The left analog stick is used for moving, while the right is used for shooting, a’l’a smash TV.  You can even play your own soundtracks while playing it.  Check it out, it’s available on the marketplace for only $5.  (400 points to be exact.)

In the late years of the PS1, Bandai released a game that, while it captures the essence of what we love about classic gaming, it also updates it with a clever twist.  You play as Jutah, a man running from the demons of his past while by attempting to save the world from a rogue warship.  It’s a top-down shooter, but instead of blasting at enemies, you plant bombs on them and detonate them.  This game play turns what would have been an average shooter into something totally different from the norm.  The setting and detonation of bombs allows for a new layer of strategy.  Also, it’s pretty fun and sadistic to plant bombs on moving targets, even if they are just robots.  When you get tired of the vs mode, there is a 2-player vs mode you can play.  This game is pretty rare, so if you manage to find a copy, do yourself a big favor and pick it up.

After snagging the new in-store demo download of the America-only sequel to a well-loved Japan-only Nintendo DS rhythm game, SeanOrange and myself do a quick & dirty introduction and comparison of the franchise.