Thursday, December 23, 2010

How would you like to get Nail'd on the holidays?




That's right I said it. Your friends from MashButtons are looking out for our valued readers and to show our appreciation, Deep Silver has provided us with the swag pack of swag packs to give out to one fortunate person.

Below is the list of contents:
-a nail’d “high altitude sickness kit” messenger bag
-one tin of White Knuckle Cream
-one copy of the nail’d original soundtrack
-a bottle of nail’d high altitude sickness pills :)
-an “I GOT nail’d” shotglass
-and a copy of the game (your choice of platform)

So how do you get your hands on all this fun stuff? Shoot me an email to Dom@mashbuttons.com telling me why you need to get Nail'd on the holidays, along with your address and console preference, should you be chosen as our lucky winner.

Happy holidays and I'm looking forward to all your responses.

Wednesday, December 22, 2010

Atari gives the gift of car lineup for Christmas, and hotness it is

Atari has given the MashButtons gearhead an early Xmas present this year with the first developer diary and a sneak peak at the specs of some of the hottest cars to be found in the upcoming Test Drive Unlimited 2. Though I did not play the first entry, but from the looks of the social aspect, leisurely drives, and casinos, I can't wait to see how the final product fares.

·Aston Martin One-77 - One-77 fuses advanced technology with stunning Aston Martin design to create possibly the world’s most desirable automotive art form. Based on a sophisticated carbon fibre chassis with a handcrafted aluminium body, this 7.3 litre V12 super car will deliver exhilarating performance for a strictly limited number of discerning customers.

·Bugatti Veyron - The Bugatti Veyron EB 16.4 is a rear mid-engined grand touring car. The Super Sport version is the fastest road-legal car in the world, with a top speed of 431.07 km/h (267.85 mph).

·Chevrolet Camaro SS - Chevy Camaro is an excellent performance-car value whether it's equipped with the base direct-injected V6-powered base Camaro can sprint to 60 mph in 6.0 seconds, thanks to 300 horsepower.

·Corvette C1 - The Chevrolet Corvette (C1) is the first generation of the sports car by the Chevrolet division of General Motors introduced late in the 1953 model year and produced through 1962. It is commonly referred to as the "solid-axle" generation, as the independent rear suspension didn't appear until the 1963 Sting Ray

·Dirty Blue Audi TTS Roadster - Audi TT RS has a turbocharged 2.5-liter engine with direct gasoline injection; it produces 250 kW (340 bhp) and 450 Nm (331.90 lb.-ft.) of torque. The blazing five-cylinder engine enables the Audi TT RS to perform extraordinary feats.

·Dodge Viper SRT 10 - The Dodge Viper SRT10 is Dodge’s flagship supercar model. It is a two-door, two-seat vehicle based on the Dodge Viper. The Viper SRT10 originated in 2003 as a roadster boasting an 8.3 liter V10 producing a staggering 500 HP.

·Ferrari Enzo - The Enzo Ferrari is a 12 cylinder mid-engine berlinetta named after the company's founder, built in 2002 using Formula One technology, such as a carbon-fibre body, F1-style electrohydraulic shift transmission, and Carbon fibre-reinforced Silicon Carbide (C/SiC) ceramic composite disc brakes.

·Koenigsegg CCXR Edition - The Koenigsegg CCXR Edition is a limited edition of the Koenigsegg CCXR manufactured in 2008, only available by special order in a very limited run of 4 production models.

·McLaren MP4-12C - McLaren MP4-12C is a sports car set to be launched in 2011. The MP4-12C features a carbon fibre composite chassis, and will be powered by a mid-mounted McLaren M838T 3.8-litre V8 twin-turbo engine developing approximately 592 bhp (441 kW; 600 PS) and around 443 lb·ft (601 N·m) of torque. The car makes use of Formula 1-sourced technologies such as "brake steer", where the inside rear wheel is braked during fast cornering to reduce understeer.

·Pagani Zonda C12 F - The C12 uses a 7,010 cc (428 cu in) AMG–tuned version of the engine producing 550 PS (400 kW; 540 hp). It can accelerate to 60 mph (97 km/h) in 3.7 secs, to 100 mph (160 km/h) in 7.5 secs and complete the quarter mile in 11.3 secs at 131 mph (211 km/h). The C12 S features an elongated nose, flaps at the rear for improved aerodynamics, and new light clusters and exhausts. Only fifteen 7.0 L C12 S cars were produced.

·Spyker C8-AILERON - The road going Spyker C8 Aileron is powered by an Audi 4.2 Liter V8 that produces 400 HP and accelerate from 0 to 60 MPH in 4.5 seconds and reach a top speed of 187 MPH.

·Wiesmann Roadster MF3 - The Wiesmann Roadster has been in production since 1993. It is a dynamic and powerful sports car, intended for enthusiasts looking for something a little different. It includes a 3.2 L, BMW M3 in-line 6 cyl Transmission, 6-speed manual, a max speed of 158 mph, 0-60 mph 4.9 seconds, 325 bhp horsepower @ 7400 rpm and weight 1180 kg, 2601 lbs.

Sergeant Knox gets introduced in new Operation Flashpoint video

Yes, Sergeant Knox, not General Knox from Borderlands, is a protagonist you will come across in Codemasters' newest entry, Operation Flashpoint: Red River. In Red River, it appears you will go to Tajikistan as part of the USMC. The previous entry, Dragon Rising, was not a very forgiving title in terms of FPS gameplay and difficulty, but for some reason Red River still looks good and though I am not willing to give up on Codemasters FPS titles, the Q2 2011 release of this will be marked on my calendar.

Monday, December 20, 2010

Ken explains Gymkhana in DiRT 3

Anyone that knows me, knows I love racing games, from realistic to arcade. So this comes as no surprise that I am absolutely ecstatic about DiRT 3 and here is a little video brought to you from Codemasters and Ken Block, giving a little introduction and some clips of the new feature, Gymkhana.

Did the robot just give the other robot the finger?

The recent Portal 2 coop triler is now available, and of course, Valve adds their subtle humor to the video. Below is the new trailer if any of you missed it on the VGA's last week. Enjoy and keep an eye out for more to come and please clarify if the fat robot is giving the skinny robot the finger.

Wednesday, December 15, 2010

SSX is FINALLY coming out!

One of the lesser pieces of info to come out of the VGA's last weekend (lesser only since the mega-jackpot of Elder Scrolls V is killer!), was the announcement of EA's SSX re-boot "SSX: Deadly Descents".  No, this isn't a new genre-bending Snowboard-Survival-Horror game (though, what a grand idea, I think I'll patent that); this is the re-imagining/re-boot/re-start of the incredible PS2 launch title that helped define a generation.

Originally put out on EA's BIG label (now, I'm pretty sure that's defunct); if you had a PlayStation 2, you probably played, SSX, SSX Tricky, or even the full-mountain-spanning SSX 3!  All where phenomenal games, in the same vein of the Tony Hawk series (but way better).  Each new installment added new moves, features, and no-loading, that continued to up the ante.

Then they disappeared...no SSX games since 2005 (if you say the SSX Blur for Wii, we don't count that one); but just announced a few days ago, EA Canada is once-again taking the reigns to bring us an all-new mountain adventure, of sick snowboarding.  If you're not jazzed, check yo-self!

SSX: Deadly Descents will be available for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360; no release date is known yet. 

Monday, December 13, 2010

Breaking Mortal Kombat News Following VGA Premier


Some knew another Mortal Kombat was on the way, some didn't, and some just don't even care. Me? Well I was never a bag fan of any of the releases after the third, so why am I excited for this release? Well after playing at E3 and the reminiscent feeling of dumping handfuls of quarters into the Midway cabinets, I wanted more. Some of the big news that was just announced was that Kratos would be available exclusively for the PS3,and now two different editions are being announced. The first is the Kollector's Edition which includes the game, Sub-Zero and Skorpion figurines, art book, and DLC which includes a costume skin and avatar costumes. The Tournament Edition comes with the game, portable fight stick, DLC, and is limited to 20,000 copies.

How much Mario can you get in the All Stars Limited Edition?


Apparently a full 25 years worth in one small package. To celebrate the huge anniversary, Super Mario All-Stars Limited Edition will contain four classic games, playable on the Wii along with a soundtrack CD and commemorative booklet. What will this must have purchase set you back, well an affordable $29.99 while supplies last.

Friday, December 10, 2010

Raving Rabbids: Travel in Time| Review


Synopsis: The Rabbids are back and this time they trying to change history as we know it, luckily our friends at Ubisoft have provided us with a review copy of this Wii exclusive to play the mini games with friends. In the fourth title of the series, Raving Rabbids: Travel in Time, you will wreak havoc on a poor unsuspecting history museum with 20 new mini games played with up to four friends, 30 costumes for your Rabbid, and for the first time players are able to join others online and share scores and trophies. Get ready to break out the remote and nunchuks, and get this…Travel in Time even has mini games specifically for the motion plus, now on with the review.

Praise: I need to start by saying this is my first Rabbids game that I have played but am a fan of the party games, both good and some bad as they are mostly played in small amounts with the wife and kid. The game begins with an amusing cutscene, and then you create a new game by entering the bathroom and exiting into a museum with toilet paper stuck to your foot, funny right? Well the humor does continue throughout the mini games, from collecting beans to flying, my personal favorite, and even dancing. The graphics look great and there is a lot of replay value to be had, even when you don’t have anyone around to play with, the computer plays as the opponent. Another strong feature that this title totes is that it is one of the few games that support the motion plus accessory, and it works great!

Gripes: I wish more of the games within this party title focused on the motion plus, as there were times in which I was fighting with the controller to detect my movement. A small issue I had is that I always felt I was missing something in the museum as it is pretty large with the number of rooms, I constantly felt that certain mini games were being overlooked, but with enough time and exploration, I think I found the majority of the games and costumes, hopefully. Lastly, for a multiplayer party game, navigating the history museum is done by the first player and once your find the game you want to play, then the other players are able to join in the fun.

Overall, Travel in Time is a laugh out loud good time whether playing by yourself against the CPU or with friends. The real replay value shines when you have a group of people to play with, just make sure you have as many nunchuks as you do remotes. This title is targeted to the casual gamer, but hardcore players can enjoy as well when it comes to having some time to kill and looking to have some fun and good laughs. There is a lot to explore and unlock, so get your Rabbid to the museum and be ready to change history as you know it!

Mashbuttons.com gives Raving Rabbids: Travel in Time an 8 out of 10.

Raving Rabbids: Travel in Time is available now for the Nintendo Wii.

Tuesday, December 7, 2010

Disney Epic Mickey | Review


Synopsis: One of the year’s most anticipated games is finally here, toting the Disney name and a number of characters and environments almost forgotten; Disney Epic Mickey is an action platformer for gamers of all ages exclusively available on the Nintendo Wii. You will play as Mickey Mouse on a journey of creativity and discovery, armed with a brush, some paint, and thinner which is used to change environments, solve puzzles, and interact with your friends and enemies, in a play style described as “Playstyle Matters”, where there will be consequences for your decisions and actions. All characters, both friends and enemies, and environments are inspired from Disney’s vault of films and shorts, some newer and some older, such as the ruler of the alternative Disney universe, Oswald the Lucky Rabbit. Will this title from the mastermind behind Deus Ex, Thief, and Wing Commander, Warren Spector live up to its hype?

Praise: To start off, the characters and environments in this title make me feel like I am looking at Disneyland through the eyes of Tim Burton. The graphics and music that accompany the game are beautiful, memorable, and keep players hooked to see what they will encounter next. The “Playstyle Matters” element of gameplay is the standout feature which also provides the games replay value, as the story and character interactions are based on your previous actions, whether heroic or mischievous. The levels are a pretty good length, taking between a half hour to an hour depending on how much you are looking to complete and explore. I really liked how the developers made the world from Disneyland and provided their own twist on how the park would look in their eyes should an evil blot run rampant through it.

Gripes: I really wanted to like this game more but there were a few issues that really affected the gameplay for me. The camera, yes I know this is commonly a complaint from me on adventure games, you cannot manually control it but press a button to bring the camera behind Mickey, unfortunately sometimes that doesn’t work or help. The paint/thinner does get old at times as this is your main means for playing through the story, however, when you have to decide on what to use on each enemy along with challenges, it grows tiresome. I have a love/hate relationship with the controls as I understand why this was made for the Wii, using the remote to aim your brush, but half of the time you aim at something and are unable to hit the target without having to move around trying to find the right angle.

Overall, I had a lot of fun with this title, all gripes aside, the good outweighs the bad. Sure it was very frustrating at times trying to complete quests where the boss seems to be the camera, but once you best the camera, it is very fulfilling and entertaining, until your next fight with the camera. Unfortunately, I do feel that this game was oversold as I had higher expectations, and with a little extra polish to the gameplay it could have been a truly epic title.

Mashbuttons.com gives Disney Epic Mickey a 7 out of 10.

Disney Epic Mickey is available now for the Nintendo Wii.

Nail’d | Review


Synopsis: The time has come for the feel good over the top off road racer which is nail’d, to hit consoles and PC’s and it is our duty as always to play the hell out of it and see how it stacks up. The have done a number of races, both online and off, with Deep Silver's new racer, so let’s get down to the brass tacks. The game is based on it’s over the top speed and tracks, while providing depth with the ability to choose from motorcycles or ATV’s, both being fully customizable. Boosting has been brought into the equation to give you the edge on racers, earned by landing huge death defying jumps, landing on opponents, and making your way through fiery gates. The break neck action is accompanied by a rock, punk, and metal soundtrack fitting to the blur of dominating roller coaster like tracks.

Praise: I’m hooked! I do not think I have had this much fun with an off road racer since the MX vs ATV series, but with speeds that make DiRT 2 look slow, how could it be anything but fun. This is not a racer to be taken seriously but a racer that makes the player sit on the edge of their seat trying to nail unfathomable jumps, with the flair of an SSX title on wheels. One of the biggest features that I feel makes this title forgiving is the ability to steer in midair, though not realistic, the formula works wonderfully. The tracks are massive and beautiful looking with a number of routes taking many plays to master and find gates to keep your boost gauge at max. Whether your preference is two or four wheels, racers can choose their vehicle of mass destruction and customize it as they see fit. There are a large number of events on over a handful of tracks to keep players coming back for more.

Gripes: Though not without faults, it does only have a few that didn’t affect the gameplay for me. The first being that you are unable to pull off tricks, which seems like it would be a good fit for the amount of time spent flying. Licensed vehicles would have also made this game stand out a little bit more, but for the price it isn’t a huge complaint. My biggest issue with this title is probably the small online community as I have not successfully located a server when quick match is selected, however, if I create an online match, it does not take long to locate other people to play against. Other than that, those were the only issues I could find while playing.

Overall, nail’d is my go to guilty pleasure of the year, as there is a good amount of replay value, fast and fun gameplay, and free DLC out of the box, adding to everything racers have to take advantage of. If you are looking for a realistic racer, this is not for you, but if you are in the market for an over the top racer and tracks that leave you breathless at times, I highly suggest this title. For those on the fence, the price starts at $49.99 new to prevent sticker shock. See you all online!

Mashbuttons.com gives Nail’d 2 a 9 out of 10.

Nail’d is available now for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PC.