Games

Take a look at all the Portal toys that are currently available, and you’ll realize just how much gamers like to own physical models of the digital characters that they know so well. When it comes to characters that are really physically “weird,” though, there can be a problem – goofy anatomy that works in a computer-generated world may not work in the real world. In other words, a physical model of a monster from a video game may be too top-heavy to stand up on its own, its arms may positioned in such a way that they can’t bend properly, or it may otherwise just be plain ol’ gimped. However, new software has been designed to solve those problems – it takes any three-dimensional computer character, and then uses a 3D printer to create a fully-assembled articulated figure based on it.  Read More

When it comes to real world action shooters, the Tom Clancy Ghost Recon series has stood head and shoulders above many of its contemporaries. Tense tactical squad based combat where your demise is one ricochet away, is what this series has always been about. Following its release on PS3 and Xbox 360 in May, Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon: Future Soldier has landed on PC and the third person tactical shooter hits the bulls eye more often than not.  Read More

Ouya (pronounced Ooo-yah) is a new Android-powered games console currently under development. New games consoles from companies other than the established big three of Sony, Microsoft and Nintendo are rare, and with good reason. Gaming hardware is notoriously difficult to get right and is usually a loss-maker with the software sold being where the real money is. However, Ouya isn't your typical home games console, and it isn't designed to go head-to-head with the PS3, Xbox 360, or Wii in any real sense. Instead it's an Android-powered device that will sell for just US$99.  Read More

Part of the huge appeal of the electronic follow-me game of Simon was its simplicity. Anyone in the family could step up and play without needing advanced scientific know-how or seriously fast hand-to-eye co-ordination skills. It was an entertaining challenge where the punishment for incorrectly following Simon's lead resulted in no more than a disapproving buzzer sound ... until now. A group of hackers has constructed a modern violence edition as a qualifying entry for this year's Red Bull Creation competition that is quite literally a bone shaker.  Read More

The GameDock is a new accessory in the works for iPhone and iPad that converts your mobile device into a retro game console, complete with controller support for two players and video output for big screen gameplay. The controller is similar to the original Nintendo Gamepad and features a single directional pad and two action buttons in a comfortable and well tested layout.  Read More

Sony Computer Entertainment (SCE) announced today that it has acquired cloud-gaming company Gaikai for approximately US$380 million. Sony further confirmed that it is to employ the newly acquired technology to launch a brand new cloud service of its own, perhaps pointing toward the tantalizing possibility of PlayStation Vita integration in the near future.  Read More

Since bringing news of the release of a limited supply of evaluation Ringbow prototypes in April last year, quite a few changes have been made to get the "touchscreen gaming accessory" ready for production. Developers Efrat Barit and Saar Shai have enhanced the directional pad on the outside of the device and narrowed down its main user base to mobile gamers, where the extra control would doubtless be most welcome. It's also moved beyond its Android-only confines to other platforms and includes an internal battery that's said to be good for at least five hours of continuous use.  Read More

How can you possibly keep track of how much you're "winning" if you don't have something to keep score on? The simply named Portable Scoreboard is a scoreboard for the new generation of winning. Whatever your game is, the digital scorekeeper gives you a variety of ways of tallying up - everything from old fashioned push buttons to an open-source build that allows for external sensors and custom programming.  Read More

A robot hand developed by the University of Tokyo's Ishikawa Oku Lab is reportedly so adept at the game rock, paper, scissors that it is unbeatable against a human opponent.  Read More