With plenty of sales over the last week it’s very clear how just about anyone could take advantage of the savings. Everything from Cameras to video game peripherals and Bluetooth Headsets have been graced with low prices, some of which the lowest we’ve ever seen. Here’s some of the best that are still around:

10. Nikon Coolpix S9100 12MP Digital Camera – $230

This dynamo of a camera was released earlier this year at a fair price of $350, but now thanks to some clever savings from Abe’s of Maine you can get this Nikon Coolpix S9100 for much cheaper. Just use the coupon code LOYALTY10 to bring the price down to this level and you can start snapping high quality 12MP photos with ease and get the perfect close-ups with its intense 18x Optical Zoom capabilities. Can’t go wrong here.

9. Bose Bluetooth Headset – $88

You remember eBays offering on this one? Yep it’s still around, and you can still grab this Bluetooth Headset from Bose at the lowest price on the net. This one is designed to be your swiss army knife for calls on the go, mainly in part to its noise cancellation technology on both ends to keep voices crystal clear even in very loud circumstances. The earphone portion is based on the powerful Triport technology Bose employs in their portable headphones, so sound quality is a definite plus here. This definitely won’t last much longer so grab it while its still alive.

8. TomTom VIA 1505T 5.0-Inch GPS – $120

Crutchfield still has some special savings you can grab on this brand new TomTom Via 1505T. It’s not very often we see discounts on the 5.0-Inch models, but this one pulls all the stops and supplies you with perfect voiced navigation and free lifetime traffic support to avoid the jams before you arrive at them. 3A825 is the coupon code you need to type in at the credit page to get this price, and it’s definitely worth it.

7. HP Photosmart All-in-One Printer w/ 1 Year of Ink – $119

Believe it or not you can still save on this HP Photosmart Printer. Just use coupon code SAVE30HP to cut down the price and experience the thrill of full color photo prints with ease. This one can also copy and scan at a high DPI for picture perfect quality and print at up to 33 pages per minute for blazing fast prints altogether. For a limited time you can also get a years supply of ink for free with your order, and when it comes to saving you money there is no better way than that.

6. Sony Blu-Ray Remote for Playstation 3 – $13

Best Buy has gone and lowered the price on this Remote for the PS3 to the lowest we’ve seen! It’s quite a simple peripheral but definitely necessary for taking advantage of one of the most popular features of the PS3; full support for Blu-Ray discs and movies. This remote has all the buttons and controls you need for a full home theater movie experience but manages to tag on Bluetooth connectivity for plenty of range and easy control no matter what direction you face. Tax and shipping may apply to this one, or you can save more and pick it up in a Best Buy near you.

5. Samsung PN43D490 43-Inch Plasma TV w/ Free 19-Inch TV – $550

If you were looking for a great sized TV for a great home theater experience then this combo is for you. Still alive and kicking you can grab this 43-Inch Samsung Plasma TV and receive a free 19-Inch Samsung to go along with it. This one has a 720p HD resolution which may not be the best around but it also sports 3D support and a 600Hz SubField drive to smooth out the picture like never before. It also includes 3 HDMI 1.4 inputs for HD/3D connectivity all around.

4. Samsung Stratosphere 4G For Verizon – FREE

We like things that are free, and when you grab a contract with this brand new Samsung Stratosphere 4G you get just that. This powerful smartphone comes with Android and a 1Ghz Hypertasking processor. It includes a large 4.0-Inch AMOLED display for HD viewing all around and a full QWERTY keyboard which slides out for underneath and makes typing quickly a breeze. You can also share its 4G connection with mobile hotspot over 8 other devices so nothing has to go without.

3. Asus U36SD-A1 13.3-Inch Netbook – $709

After a small shipping fee of $9 you still manage to save $300 on this powerful Asus U36SD Notebook. Not only does it come with a compact 13.3-Inch High Definition display but also a powerful Intel Core i5-2410M 2.3Ghz processor paired up with 4GBs of DDR3 RAM. Graphics are provided from NVIDIA’s 520M discrete solution for easy viewing of HD videos and gaming on the go. Top that off with a 640GB hard drive, gigabit Ethernet with Wireless N and Bluetooth and a massive 9 hours of battery life and you have yourself the perfect notebook to take anywhere.

2. NOOK – The Simple Touch Reader – $79

Unbelievably, you can still save big via eBay on this refurbished NOOK Touch Reader. This popular solution for eBook reading provides you with everything you need to take all your favorite novels and stories with you anywhere. It includes a 6.0-Inch E-Ink display which won’t hurt your eyes during extended reading sessions. It also runs on the Android Operating System and therefore provides the ability to fully browse the Web on the go. 2GBs of memory is included with SD support for even more. Thousands of books are at your fingertips at a price you can afford.

1. Battlefield 3 – Limited Edition Pre-Order

Battlefield 3 is out tomorrow, so you still have the ability to take advantage of these pre-order savings! Amazon has you covered on all platforms here, giving you a bonus offer of Dog Tags and the Back to Karkland expansion pack free with any version. The PC downloadable version is discounted to $49 but the console versions for PS3 and Xbox 360 maintain the traditional price but offer $20 in Amazon Credit to go along with it and that can be spent anywhere on the site. The latest and greatest installment to the series will shortly be here, so grab these extras while you can!

Amazon is offering the best savings so far with this Battlefield 3 Limited Edition with $20 Amazon Credit!

Thanks to this new offer Amazon officially has every platform covered in some way to benefit your Pre-Order of Battlefield 3 even more! When you set up your order for this intense multiplayer action game now you will not only receive the Back to Karkland Expansion pack free of charge but you will also receive limited edition Dog Tags and $20 free credit which can be used anywhere on Amazon. As most of you know already Battlefield 3 is this years’ highly anticipated First Person Shooter which gives you the air of open combat and the ability to not only jump into tanks and jeeps but to even pilot helicopters and Jets as you dominate the Battlefield. The release date is coming very soon, and these offers will only last until then so don’t miss out!

This is a special preorder that won’t last – the game comes out soon.  It costs $59.95, but Amazon will give you a $20 credit o spend on anything on their website.  You’ll also score the Dog Tag Pack as well as the Battlefield 3: Back to Karkand expansion pack for free.

After putting the fans on a mission to recruit nearly a million ‘likes’ on FaceBook, EA DICE have released the eagerly awaited and hyped 12 minute game play trailer for Battlefield 3!

Dubbed ‘Fault Line,’ this trailer shows off the power of DICE’s Frostbite 2 engine, its impressive graphical capabilities as well as the true potential of their Destruction 3.0 system. The Striking Urban backdrop shown off at the beginning gives you a good idea about the realistic graphics and quickly changes into a chaotic warzone with everything from dust particles to shrapnel flying around. Buildings that once stood tall are reduced to a pile of rubble as you fight for your life against the insurgents in a clear ambush. One big thing to notice is that although we have our normal Middle East locale, it bears a striking difference to the cliche sands we’re used to seeing, with a full city complete with huge buildings towering into the sky and glittering in the sunlight.

Battlefield 3′s release date is yet unknown, but it is aimed for release this Fall. With the fan mission complete you can also take a look at another version of this trailer complete with Producer’s commentary here.

5 out of 5 stars

There’s something about unrealistic racing games. Not the ones that are so far removed from reality, but the ones that weigh right on the line of fantasy and reality. They charm us, lull us into a comfortable unease, give us that pleasant itch that demands scratching. Therein lies the most enjoyable racer of last year, Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit.

Hot Pursuit, a reimagining of the 1998 original and 2002 sequel, levies hardcore street racing with policing the streets and enforcing the law. Developer Criterion Games took a tremendous step away from prior NFS titles to introduce a uniquely new concept, without making a cartoon or Death Race videogame of the series. Recreating roads based on actual California highways – most of which I’ve actually driven, albeit at sub-relativistic speeds (purportedly) – only furthers the seriousness of their creation, making it even more enjoyable. For as they say, great fiction is always based on reality. The same applies games.

Thus, we are given a choice: the racing elite with money burning holes in their pockets and a desire for unsafe velocities normally reserved for cartoon roadrunners and coyotes; or the police, the Seacrest County Police Department, which attains high-performance machines through unruly high taxes and the absurd number of wealthy residents therein. Whose side players wish to race for is a come-as-you-please affair. As I’ve found, some days just feel like a speed freak, while others demand more damage dealing and hand cuffing.

And that’s a good thing, because to really enjoy Hot Pursuit is to play it for weeks and months, not days. For reviews, we game critics tend to do the latter, because our readers want to know before the game releases and time is of the essence. In this case, I took my time, and am glad I did. Hot Pursuit is a title worth playing long after its release, even if they announced the following Need For Speed immediately after.

Long-term enjoyment comes courtesy of two well-developed themes: a huge variety of race types, and a large number of races overall. Professional racers could complete the game’s campaign in 10 hours, though my playtime was about 13 hours with plenty of resets and races played repeatedly. All races are scored by medals (gold, silver and bronze) based on the points earned, time achieved or placement in the race. Points are then totaled and added to the player’s overall points, known as bounty. As more bounty is earned, more cars are unlocked and players level up, thereby opening higher-class cars for racing.

This system works surprisingly well, except when it doesn’t. As I played the single player campaign, I switched between playing as a racer and cop, but ultimately settled on completing the game as a racer first. In doing so, I finished every race at a level 14. As a cop, I finished at level 11, and for the last ten or so races had no choice on the race itself. I simply had to do this one, then that, until it was completed and the next opened up. This indicates a point system with a contingency for better drivers, though I was only better because I’d raced so much on the other half of the campaign.

In fact, the racer campaign is overall more enjoyable than playing as a cop. As the police, players must shut down races, which is tremendously fun, but cops don’t have as much pressure. They only need to worry about the racing vehicles. Compared to the same Hot Pursuit races (as they are called) for racers, the cops have it easy. Racers must avoid the cops and competing drivers, avoiding traps and attacks from up to a total of 13-15 other vehicles, helicopters included. As a cop, there is the game mode to catch an individual racer, who does whatever it takes to shake players and escape, but the AI is rarely intelligent enough to outrun or outpace any human. Finally, the police races are just not as good.

As a racer, there are some amazingly fun courses to drive and compete in. The final map is a 43.5 mile stretch that takes anywhere from 13-15 minutes, as insane as that sounds. Careening down a highway in a Bugatti Veyron at 256 MPH is, quite frankly, fun as hell. Doing so when competing with seven other vehicles, all capable of equally daring speeds, is challenging, perhaps more daunting than anything else. The scope of that individual race is boggling, especially when compared to the earlier 6-miel races.

Though the class of cars requires for the longer races were not the most enjoyable. I found that the super car section, featuring vehicles like the Ford GT, Nissan GTR, and my personal favorite, the Ford Shelby GT500 Super Snake. These cars topped out at 217MPH, amazingly fast but humble compared to the Hyper Class (which breaks the 250MPH barrier), yet they mean something to those of us who actually drive. They’re exotic, but not so much that we’ll never see one in real life. Admittingly, I’m spoiled in this regard, knowing where to find garages with a Ford GT, a brand new white Nissan GTR, a number of Ferarri’s (a notably missing company for the game), along with every Porsche one can imagine. Still, we see them on the roads…no one ever bears witness to a Zonda on the street.

The 100 miles of road in Seacrest County is spectacular. Varying weather conditions and times for races are superb and add a degree of change that can make you choose one car over another. In several races, I found it far too difficult to succeed with my car of choice, and used a different model because it had better handling, or rear-wheel drive instead of all-wheel, or it simply drifted better. As the game progresses and players become more and more accustomed to the different vehicles, your style of driving will be suited in a quiet selection of cars, but one easy to stick with, and also easy to extend with trying different models.

One aspect in which Hot Pursuit really falls short is the music. Epic race sequences cut the soundtrack’s “popular” modern hits with an orchestral rhythm, a fine tune, but everywhere else the music which today’s kids apparently like just doesn’t work. At every turn the score attached to Hot Pursuit fails to mesh with the game, fails to connect players to the race. It isn’t so far removed that I felt forced to turn it off for my own personal soundtrack or none whatsoever, but I have yet to hear a song that worked with the high intensity of fast-paced, fun driving.

And ultimately, that’s what Hot Pursuit is: a super-fast racer which is far from a simulator like the prior Need for Speed (Shift), instead promoting fun driving and reckless abandon on the speedway. It is clearly superior to any other racer released in 2010, and I have a feeling it will be better than any driving game in 2011 as well. And described in this review was only the single player…multiplayer online is even more exciting and treacherous. Because as enjoyable as racing against the AI is, it’s still dumb. The single player campaign will keep people playing for weeks. The multiplayer will keep you playing for months.

4.5 out of 5 stars

Can horror be brought to the iPhone? Perhaps so as Dead Space publisher EA sought to secretly release Dead Space on the iPhone, a separate yet unique game to the franchise, simultaneously with their full-fledged console Dead Space 2. While Chris reviewed the home version, I got to play the handheld one, playing as unknown protagonist Vandal in what turned out to be a phenomenal iPhone game. But is it scary?

Read on to find out how to win a copy of Dead Space on the iPhone!Dead Space is a futuristic sci-fi 3rd person shooter that would fall in the horror category, but hasn’t been all that frightening. That is to say, it doesn’t scare you in the way horror movies do, with cheap tricks and shocking scenes. Dead Space is a psychological thriller, and the iPhone game follows suit, though the smaller screen does make it much more difficult to take seriously.

Gruesome scenes like this are commonplace. Though a miniature meat farm isn’t as disgusting
on an iPhone for some reason…

This of course is standard with all mobile games. Really getting into them requires a lot of focus, or some amazing game development. Dead Space looks great on the iPhone and runs very well (my iPod Touch, the device I tested the game on, crashed the game twice. Once in the gameplay video and once when I had some 30 applications open). It’s smooth, it’s fast, and the imagery is as gruesome and grim as one could ask for the handheld. But the game didn’t grip me, for two reasons.

First, it’s Dead Space on a much smaller scale. Anyone who played the original will instantly feel at home with how the game functions. Tight corridors, handfuls of undead nightmarish creatures stalking you during a frantic mess of searching for more ammunition and aiming properly so the shots do damage. That gameplay is great…on a console, in the comfort of your living room and couch in the dark of night. On an iPhone? Let’s just say the pangs of mobile gaming run deep. And those who have played the original, or even the new Dead Space 2, may find that the iPhone game feels like a dumbed down version.

Second, the hardware limitation becomes bluntly clear when only so many enemies attack at once, or when defeating certain enemies becomes a matter of time rather than a matter of skill. The famed “strategic dismemberment” returns and works surprisingly well. In fact, there is no iPhone game which utilizes environmental items better than Dead Space, except for id Software’s Rage HD: Mutant Bash TV. Then again, Rage’s in-game items were just there to press. in Dead Space, players can manipulate them using kinesis.

Zero G gameplay is minimal, but still very cool

But back on point, the lack of physical button controls and the limited iPhone hardware puts a real damper on how sophisticated, and thus how frantic and intense gameplay can be without sacrificing graphics. And for a horror game in 2011, graphics is a must, especially if half-eaten and bisected bodies are to be found in every fifth room of the game. The combined effort makes Dead Space a difficult game to get lost in.

That said, it’s still one of the best games on the iPhone. The stop and go pace is like that quote on war. Frantic scenes are common, and if you wear headphones (which the game recommends), there are a handful of scenes that may cause you to jump out of your seat. Headphones, or at least a good pair of speakers and quiet settings, are absolutely necessary to fully enjoy the game. Playing in a cafe with earphones and obnoxiously loud people nearby just doesn’t cut it. Neither does a family car ride.

Because Dead Space is so demanding, my iPod Touch ran out of battery twice (albeit over the course of two days and running other light applications), once during gameplay. One scene, which I won’t spoil, tricks players into thinking their battery is dead. The irony is ten minutes before the scene, my iPod showed the 20% warning, and I’d gotten up to go plug it in before I realized it was all in-game. Well played EA.

Like in Dead Space, Vandal starts seeing things. They say the first thing to go is the mind…

A generally bland plot of mistakes, redemption, trickery and a demonic plague are nothing new to the franchise, but this time Isaac Clarke is not on the scene. A voice-morphed Vandal is instead, and with many of the same Dead Space weapons like the Plasma Cutter and Line Gun, players must redeem themselves, or die trying. Oh, and you will die.

Dead Space on the iPhone is a great game. It’s limited only by the hardware, which in turn stunts gameplay significantly, but not enough to take away from the experience. It just keeps it from being immersive. At $7 and with four hours of gameplay and three difficulty settings (plus the option to replay any completed difficulty with all previously attained items), Dead Space is a keeper. And, as if that weren’t enough, registering the game gives you two free bonus items in Dead Space 2. Whether you’re in a zero-G room or ripping off the limbs of some poor, heartless sub-human creature, Dead Space is a bucket of fun. Boy, do I like buckets.

Did somebody say contest? Why yes, we do have a contest! You can check it out by clicking this link!

With the holidays coming around, game companies just love to shell out their holiday spirits. Some, like EA with Epic Games’ Bulletstorm, take a more literal approach. When they sent an email around yesterday (above picture), I didn’t know what to expect, but it’s been busy. I forgot about it. Lo and behold…the Nutcracker.

It’s a real nutcracker, not just a wooden voodoo doll like it quite seriously appears to be. The box itself is a laugh. Here’s a closer look:

And on the back, after a brief introduction for the February 22nd release, the following: “Of all the violent acts in Bulletstorm’s brutal skillshot system, it’s the “nutcracker” that provides a euphoric kind of satisfaction unlike any other. Upon execution, the reaction on your victim’s face is priceless. The accelerated swell of gratification through your veins is almost overwhelming. At first a foreign feeling, it quickly evolves to that of aggressive addiction. It’s for this reason that the “nutcracker” has been hailed by scholars of whimsy, citing it’s flawless implementation as “…darn near erotic.”

So, happy holidays, and watch your nuts!

It’s $64.99 + free shipping = $64.99!

With the closing of Game Crazy, where will most of you buy your used games?  Gamestop, Gamefly, eBay, Craig’s List, or somewhere else?  Starting a trend with VIP codes from Battlefield: Bad Company 2, EA is now burying the hatchet on used games and piracy with their new Online Pass.

Simply put, starting with Tiger Woods ’11, select new EA Sports titles will include a one time code you’ll have to enter when you buy the game in order to play it online.  If you buy the game used, you’ll have to fork over an extra $10 for the Online Pass and access to the game’s online content.

Weak?  Typical business move?  I’m not sure what to think about this just yet.  I think it’ll have to effect me firsthand for me to be actually pissed about it at this point.  Either way, I’m sure it’s just business as usual over at EA.

Thoughts?

Read

A few choice words come to mind when I think about the Nintendo DS.  Those words are, in no particular order: Imaginative, innovative, and children.  The DS has made a name for itself with its unique brand of gaming that cannot be found on other systems thanks to its touch screen and penchant for new ideas.

Having never really considered myself an actual adult, it’s easy for me to relate to DS games to find the good and bad in them from an open minded “manchild” like perspective.

The movie tie-in G.I.Joe: The Rise Of Cobra game is definitely geared towards a much younger crowd, but contains enough simple carnage to satisfy anyone looking to blow things up.

Storyline/Plot:

In direct correlation with this past summer’s blockbuster movie of the same name (I haven’t seen it),  Cobra is bent on evil and world conquest and it’s up to the “Joe’s” to foil their dubious intentions.  Simple as that the, story has to be the absolute worst part of the game.  Boring as all hell dialog plagues the flow of the game and really detracts from the destruction.  Due to the turtle like pacing of the dialog, you can’t help but grind your teeth as you try and hurry up the scrolling text as fast as you can so you can get on with the game.  I can’t imagine even anyone younger finding the story presentation one bit compelling.  Anyway enough about that.  On to the better stuff.

Graphics:

I know I just said “on to the better stuff” but the graphics, unfortunately, are not that.  Pixeled-out to the point of chunky, the top down view, while mildly effective in the gameplay department, is not at all flattering.  Some of the effects are cool, but the graphics are just plain ugly.  Let me try and find something nice to say about the graphics.  They compliment the storyline?  Nope.  Okay, the gameplay is not totally marred by the graphical limitations.  That’s positive right?

Sound:

Average at best.  Gunfire and explosions are the stars of the show with little to no supporting cast.  Background music is your stock action adventure fare with some mixed in dialog bleeps to let you know you should be looking at the bottom screen.  The guns and explosions are not all that varied between characters but it the midst of battle it is often hard to gripe on that anyway.

Gameplay:

Playing G.I.Joe is a mixed bag.  The controls are accurate and it’s easy to figure out what you’re doing, but you often get hung up on objects that surround the battlefield.  From enemy cover to barbed wire fences and rock formations, getting stuck on these things is a regular occurrence.  Not that it hampers gameplay entirely, but you might end up losing some lives because of it.

The leveling up of characters adds a nice bit of depth and the weapons are fun to use.  As you level up you unlock different colored uniforms and upgraded weapons.  I ended up using my stronger characters more often because the game got harder as it progressed and therefore making the weaker characters obsolete. Vehicles and fixed weapons are also a great feature that brings some immersion to the game and some of the vehicles are throwbacks from from the early days of G.I.Joe toys.

What could have added to the immersion level would have been the use of the touch screen.  It goes largely under utilized and is only used to display the map and dialog boxes.  Bomb setting and defusing, inventory management, weapon load outs, and dialog options are all easy ideas that would have made the game differ from say a GameBoy Advance game.  It also makes no use of the DSi camera which could have also added some innovative ideas.

Multiplayer:

Offering a local only multiplayer scenario, I didn’t get the chance to play.  Simply guessing I would think that this could be a fun way to play this game because you could negate the story entirely and skip straight to the core gameplay.  It would have been nice if there was WiFi connectivity so you don’t have to actually know anyone else with the same game.

Replay Value:

The game itself is very point-A to point-B with each level requiring the same basic linear objectives, but you could play through it a couple times by leveling up different characters to mix it up a bit.  If you can find someone to play multiplayer with I’m positive it would add some quality replay value to this game as well.

Final Endings:

Despite all the shortcomings I mentioned above, G.I.Joe: The Rise Of Cobra is actually a fun game.  A mildly lengthy single player campaign coupled with some visceral action makes for some appealing gaming.  The game would have received higher marks if it weren’t for the constant dialog interruptions and weak graphics.

In the end, The Rise Of Cobra is a game for those of you who like top-down shooters in the vein of the retro Ikari Warriors with some modern twists thrown in.  Give it a shot if you are looking for some simple, destructive fun.

Pros:

• Intuitive control scheme makes it easy to play
• Mild depth
• Decent replay value if you care about playing with different characters

Cons:

• Dated and uninspired graphics
• Dialog and story poorly implemented
• No use of touch screen or DSi camera

Buy it here for $28!

Don’t forget Dell’s 20% coupon: ZCFLR1BTX5Q1D$ (expires: 12/17, 7k uses)

Features:

• Drums, mic, guitar and game
• Everything is wireless
• For PS3

Circuit City has it for the PS3 for $50 + Free Shipping = $50 Shipped!

Amazon has it for the Xbox 360 for $60 + Free Shipping = $60 Shipped!

Description:

Rock Band 2 lets you and your friends take your band on an even more expansive and immersive world tour – in person or online – and continue your rock and roll fantasy. Harmonix, deliver Rock Band 2, the next step to the platform that lets audiences of all ages interact with music in an all-new way. Rock Band 2 lets players vicariously jam out as some of the best guitarists, bassists, drummers and singers of all time. Featuring a track list with more than 100 on-disc and downloadable tracks from some of the most hallowed bands of the rock pantheon, Rock Band 2 by challenges rockers to master lead guitar, bass guitar, drums and vocals.

Description:

Rock Band 2 will feature more than 80 tracks on disc – but it doesn’t stop there. Players will have access to all DLC tracks, packs, and albums released to date as well as future DLC releases, as well as the ability to export most or all of the original Rock Band disc tracs; that’s more than 200 song choices and counting. The music in Rock Band 2 features all master recordings and spans all genres of rock from punk, metal, and alternative to classic and southern rock.

Buy it: Electronic Arts Rock Band 2 Video Game – $50

Alternatively, Amazon has it for $150 + Free Shipping = $150 Shipped

Features:

• Complete Rock Band kit and video game
• Includes guitar, drums, mic and Rock Band game

Buy it: Rock Band Special Edition Xbox 360 – $140

Features:

• Includes wireless guitar, drums and microphone
• Playstation 2 model – don’t get it confused for the PS3
• Includes Free drum silencer with purchase

Buy it: Rock Band Bundle for PlayStation 2 – $90