Well…if you want to part with two qualifying items.

Qualifying trade-ins include:

34 PS3 titles including Borderlands, Call of Duty 4, Fallout 3 Game of the Year Edition, LittleBigPlanet Game of the Year Edition and Uncharted 2: Among Thieves

34 Xbox 360 games including the above mentioned, minus LittleBigPlanet but including Halo 3: ODST and WET

Playstation 2 systems – the original and the slim

The “sale” runs between now and the 29th of November. If you read the fine print, you’ll see that you might be responsible for full sales tax depending on what state you live in.

The fact that GameStop is putting a trade-in premium on the PS2 systems just goes to show you that the system is still in high demand – it’s one of my personal favorites.

Toys “R” Us has the Wii listed at $199.99 so after you trade in two game that you paid $60 a piece for new I’m not quite sure how good of a deal this is. BUT, if you have a PS2 hanging around in your house that you never use anymore and maybe you’ve beaten one of the games on the list then you really have nothing to lose by trading them in, putting some cash with it and getting a new system out of the whole thing.

Image|Amazon

Post from: EveryJoe

Wii for $149.99 at GameStop

Sure, the game was cool to watch, but at that time, I was more interested in impressing the boy with my ability to hang-out on the couch and watch him and his friends play hours and hours and hours of the game.

Occasionally, I would manage to wrench the controller from his sweaty, pale hands and get a couple of shots in. But, for the most part, my job was to sit on said couch and look interested.

And then I saw my first episode of Red vs Blue and the heavens opened up and the angels sang and I was FINALLY entertained.

OK. So maybe there weren’t any angels and maybe I was a bit drunk but that shit is funny! The videos, not me…oh, whatever.

Sadly, Red vs Blue has been absent for a while.

But hold on just a second! With the release of Halo 3: ODST, Rooster Teeth has partnered with GameStop to put out more Red vs Blue episodes featuring ODST content and best of all, GameStop is holding a contest for Red vs Blue PSAs.

Didn’t you ever imagine that you could write a Red vs Blue episode? Have you ever dreamed of getting your name out there as a kick-ass writer who “gets” the gaming world?

Here’s your chance, Sonny. Don’t let it slip you by.

And, while you’re crafting your masterfully written Red vs Blue PSA [keep it under 8k characters, kids], take a look at Red vs Blue’s first Halo 3: ODST episode:

Image|IGN

Post from: EveryJoe

Red vs Blue PSA Contest

Nathan Fillion, who sci-fi geeks (like me) might know from shows like Serenity and Castle, provides the voice for the main character Sgt. Buck.  Gamers will see everything from Buck’s perspective as he and his team search for clues about what happened to their squad.

The graphics seem really crisp and I think the four-player “Firefight” mode looks awesome since you can connect with other gamers as you embark on new campaigns and face waves of opponents.

If you haven’t gotten into the whole Halo craze before and you’re curious, don’t be intimidated by the fact that you are a beginner.  As I mentioned before, this is a stand-alone game so it’s perfect for people who want to test out the franchise without having to go back to an outdated game.

If you’re a super Halo fan, make sure you check out the R/C vehicles based on Halo 3: ODST.  In the meantime, check out this preview of the “Firefight” feature.  Just one more day!!

Post from: EveryJoe

“Halo 3: ODST” Out Tomorrow

R/C vehicle producer, NKOK, has announced their fleet which includes faithful representations of the M12 Warthog LRV, M274 Mongoose ULATV, and Hornet AAV.  From the images that I was sent, I can tell you that these collectibles look pretty awesome!

The Halo R/C Vehicles will be available exclusively at Toys R Us (in-store and online), GameStop (in-store and online), Walmart Canada, Blockbuster, and specialty retailers through Diamond Comic Distribution. They will also be available for purchase online at www.target.com.

The Warthog R/C car has a top speed of about 7 MPH which makes it the fastest of the collection.  Signals are received at 27 MHz and you’ll need six AA batteries (four for the Warthog itself, and two for the controller).

The unit comes with a Master Chief and Blue Spartan figurine and the rear-mounted M41 Light Anti-Aircraft Gun turret is fully moveable and has a place to position one of the figurines (which is great because I hate when you’ve got a figurine and you can’t put it on the vehicle!).

If you’d like to relive those Team Capture the Flag matches, the Warthog is perfect.  It’s now available at an MSRP of $24.99.

The M274 Mongoose is a faithful representation of the ATV used by the UNSC forces in Halo 3.  This vehicle also comes with a Master Chief figurine and reaches a top speed of about 6 MPH and receives signals at 49 MHz so it would be pretty cool to race it against the Warthog.

As with the other model, the Mongoose requires six batteries (four for the Mongoose and two for the remote control).  It will be available in late September with an MSRP of $24.99.

Gamers became familiar with the AV-14 Attack VTOL Hornet in Halo 3.  The R/C vehicle is an indoor flying helicopter, lifted by a pair of gyroscopic propellers. It features stability and precision speed control which I think is pretty cool.  I’ve never owned a remote controlled chopper so I am very interested in how this one works.

The Hornet can be switched from A to B to C banks to fly along with two other Hornets simultaneously since it is operated by a Tri-band infrared control selector.

The remote control is powered by six AA batteries and the Hornet itself runs on a rechargeable Li-Poly battery. The Hornet will be released with the Mongoose in late September and will be offered at an MSRP of $34.99.

images used with permission

Post from: EveryJoe

R/C Vehicles Based on “Halo 3”

Citadel is all about close combat since the map is small and cramped and if you suck at communication with your team then you might be best served to avoid the map.

Heretic looks like Midship from Halo 2 so if you played the map in the previous game then you should be right back in your comfort zone.

Longshore is a horse of a map with tons of industrial buildings, cat walks and inlets for you and your team to use for concealment. Longshore seems to have the most possibilities when it comes to game play since it has so many different elements.

This is a standalone game so if you don’t have the others then don’t sweat it; it doesn’t matter.

A cool new thing that comes with ODST is a new co-op multiplayer mode called Firefight. The gist of it is that you get three sets of “waves” of enemies and each wave gets harder and harder. It’s just you and your team against the bad guys that also get “smarter” as your proceed. Richard Mitchell at Joystiq did a bang-up job of explaining Firefight if you’re interested in reading more about it.

If you’re still on the fence about Halo 3: ODST know that buying ODST will give you access to the Halo:Reach multiplayer beta. Reach is being released sometime in the fall of 2010.

Talk about a pretty sweet carrot to get you to buy this standalone.

Images|Microsoft

Post from: EveryJoe

New Multiplayer Maps and Screens for Halo 3

If you don’t have the prior Halo games, don’t worry – this is a standalone expansion of the series.  The game takes place before the events of Halo 3 with players will take on the role of UNSC soldiers/Orbital Drop Shock Troopers (ODST).  People familiar with Halo 3 will enjoy it since it offers a different perspective since they will be seeing things unfold through the eyes of the ODST.

As we get closer to the release date, I’ll write a more detailed preview but I will say that the new features included with this game look very interesting.  As a rookie, you’ll get separated from your squad (of course) and you’ll look for clues about what happened to your buddies.  Each clue you discover will add a whole new dimension to the overall plot.

There will be a 4-player cooperative “Firefight” mode that allows you to connect with friends over System Link or Xbox LIVE and puts you on a campaign in multiple environments, on foot/in vehicle as you face wave after wave of the Covenant attackers.

Anyway, I could go on and on but it’s probably better to watch this preview I found by IGN.  I love the clarity of the graphics.

image: Amazon

Post from: EveryJoe

Pre-Order “Halo 3 ODST”

Halo 3: ODST [Orbital Drop Shock Trooper] is the next Halo game that will feature Firefight [a co-op multiplayer mode].

From the release:

[...] up to four players can assume the role of an ODST squad and fight together to take on increasingly challenging waves of enemies. Also included are three new “Halo 3″ multiplayer maps on a 2nd standalone disc, which includes all original “Halo 3″ maps, as well as the “Legendary,” “Heroic,” and “Mythic” Map packs for a total of 24 maps.

“Halo 3: ODST” is available for pre-order in both a standard package and a “Halo 3: ODST Collector’s Pack” which includes the game and a new and exclusive Wireless Controller. Those that pre-order “Halo 3: ODST” at participating retailers worldwide will receive a token to unlock Sgt. Johnson as a playable character in Firefight.

Features: Top features include the following:

• All-new campaign content. The “Halo 3: ODST” campaign explores mysterious events leading up to the Master Chief’s return to New Mombasa in “Halo 3.” Experience the fate of Earth from the brand-new perspective of a special forces ODST (Orbital Drop Shock Trooper), adding a unique outlook and new gameplay elements to the events that unfold in the trilogy’s finale. This new chapter captures the same great feel of previous “Halo” experiences while offering fans new tactics, tools and weapons to defeat the Covenant.
• A new hero: Prepare to drop. ODSTs or “Orbital Drop Shock Troopers” are highly-trained special forces operators. Known for their courage, valor and willingness to tackle missions no sane soldier would, ODSTs pride themselves on being the first unit deployed into hostile situations, often in one-man drop-pods that burn through planetary atmospheres at break-neck speed.
• Expanded multiplayer experience. No “Halo” game would be complete without groundbreaking multiplayer content. “Halo 3: ODST” introduces an entirely new way to play “Halo” with Firefight, a cooperative multiplayer mode included on the campaign disc that lets up to four people jump immediately into combat. As an ODST squad, you will face increasingly challenging waves of enemies together, striving to earn the highest scores possible, while various “Halo 3″ “Skulls” are progressively activated. The experience is intense and ever-evolving. “Halo 3: ODST” also includes a separate, standalone multiplayer disc which includes three new “Halo 3″ multiplayer maps, all original “Halo 3″ maps, as well as the “Legendary,” “Heroic,” and “Mythic” Map packs for a total of 24 maps.
• Ever-growing community options. Players will continue to enjoy all the great “Halo 3″ technological innovations, including Saved Films, screenshots, Campaign Scoring and four-player co-op over Xbox LIVE. All of the new “Halo 3″ multiplayer maps fully support the Forge editor, offering near endless gameplay customization possibilities for fans.
• Key to “Halo: Reach.” As a special bonus for fans, all copies of “Halo 3: ODST” will provide access to the “Halo: Reach” multiplayer beta when the beta goes live. More information about the “Halo: Reach” multiplayer beta will be shared at a later date.

Game should hit Sept 22 of this year. Look for it. Pre-order it. You know you want to.

Images|Microsoft

Post from: EveryJoe

Halo 3: ODST

Microsoft and Bungie have released a whole slew of new screenshots and a brand new trailer for Halo 3: ODST to coincide with E3 2009.

Click through for the screens.

Screenshots: Copyright 2009 ©Microsoft.

Post from: EveryJoe

E3 ‘09: Halo 3 ODST

Taken from the E3 2009 show floor on Tuesday, June 2nd. Much more to come throughout the week!

The Stay-Puft Marshmellow man from Ghostbusters, right outside the convention center to promote the new video game.

Ecto-1 from Ghostbusters.

LEGO Universe promo poster. Sadly, the game is not playable on the show floor.

Eidos booth.

Xbox booth.

Beware the Rabbids!

A mech thingamajig from James Cameron’s Avatar.

EA Games booth.

A Prius 3 promoting The Sims 3, in South Hall. (Note the floating green crystal.) Appropriate, no?

Warner Bros. Interactive promo area for Lord of the Rings: Aragorn’s Quest.

Inside the Batman: Arkham Asylum demo area. Kind of sums up all of E3!

Holy E3 Expo, Batman!

Nintendo’s booth.

The first-ever concert held live and in a persistent MMO game. In this case, the band is The Dares, and the game is Free Realms.

DJ Hero being demoed at Activision’s booth.

Post from: EveryJoe

E3 ‘09: Sights from the Show Floor