Mushroom Wars is a super simple game – at face value.

The controls are beyond easy, there’s no storyline to speak of and you learn just about everything you need to play the game in the first fifteen seconds of game play.

Mushroom Wars has been available on the Playstation Network for just a hair over two months and for those two months, the game has been fooling people into thinking that the game is going to be a cinch with its simple graphics and simple controls.
Having played the demo [over and over and over] I’m here to tell you this isn’t a game to be screwed with. Those blue mushrooms are out for blood and they want yours…you know…if mushrooms had blood and stuff. When you hear the death cries of your mushroom guys being slaughtered by the blue bastards, you’ll know exactly what I’m talking about.

When you purchase the complete game [$9.99] you get 28 separate missions but each of those missions can be played on three different degrees of difficulty – Easy, Normal and Hard. Normally I don’t bother playing all three on most games but this game is different and that’s how I’ve managed to spend so much time on the demo. Skirmish mode is also available with the complete download which includes Conquest, Domination and King of the Hill modes.

After you complete a mission, whatever level you beat the mission on is shown by your mushroom dude holding the respective brain bashing club. Easy resembles a crutch [heh] while Hard is represented by a spiked mace. Easy isn’t super easy but you do get the advantage of little bubbles above your enemy’s huts telling you how many mushrooms are camped in the huts. Very helpful when you’re trying to decide if you have enough mushrooms to overtake an enemy hut.

The computer will keep you on your toes with pretty smart computer play – you send out your mushroom guys after a hut and the computer dodges the fake left to take an underdefended hut of yours.

With cash being tight around these here parts, $9.99 is a slightly less bitter pill to swallow than $60 for a disc based game.

Image/Creat Studios

Post from: EveryJoe

Mushroom Wars for PSN

this article about how Mass Effect 2 players will have to change discs at some point in the gameplay

Sucks for those guys.

Then again, since Mass Effect 2 isn’t even coming to the PS3 [despite earlier rumors] I guess it actually sucks for PS3 players.

But will I still laugh at the disc change?

You betcha.

Since I’m all about time wasting on the internet, I figured I might as well look around and see if any other games are going to require the dreaded disc change like Mass Effect 2.

Guess what I found?

Final Fantasy XIII on THREE discs if you buy the game for Xbox 360.

I don’t remember the last time I played a game that required multiple discs but I’m pretty certain it was a PS2 game.

So I can’t help but wonder, if you have both systems, will you be buying Final Fantasy XIII for PS3 to get out of the dreaded disc switch or do you not care and for you future Mass Effect 2 owners out there, do you think the disc switch is going to annoy you?

Image|Bioware

Post from: EveryJoe

Mass Effect 2 Includes Dreaded Disc Change

You could always play it for a while and then wrap it back up to put under the tree. Not that I would ever do that…

Toys “R” Us is running a promotion right now where if you buy an 80 or 160 GB PS3 in one of their brick-and-mortar stores [no on-line purchases] then you get a free PS3 dual shock wireless controller. A controller that Toys “R” Us is listing at $54.99.

Granted, you can get the controller for a bit less if you search around the internet, but, and I know this from experience, it’s MUCH nicer to be able to start up your PS3 with TWO controllers from the get-go.

And, if you’re going to get a PS3 anyway, you might as well get a cool bonus along with it.

The offer ends on Oct 31st so get to buying!

Post from: EveryJoe

Free Controller with Toys”R”Us PS3 Purchase

I know. I know! It’s been out for a while now and heck, it’s even been re-released in a Game of the Year Edition.

Talk about being way over fashionably late to the party.

But you know, I’ve been in such a gaming funk here recently that nothing has interested me much. Well, not until today.

I downloaded the demo because I was procrastinating and I didn’t want to play anything that would tax me too much in the brain department.

After what seemed like fifty years [because I had to install 3 freakin' updates to my PS3], I was finally able to load the demo and it rocked.

First off, this was one of the longest demos that I’ve played in a while. I was able to play three different levels and a cool fan created level and I was able to go back and re-play the levels to try and get 100% on everything.

Even though the concept of the game is simple [it's a puzzle game with cute characters], I wasn’t bored. In fact, I was bummed when the demo ended and now I’m sitting here writing this and thinking about playing the demo again…at least until I can get my butt to the store and buy the Game of the Year Edition.

Image|Ign

Post from: EveryJoe

Little Big Planet: Big Time Suck

Okami was one of my favorite PS2 games and I almost teared up when I traded it in for another game. No. Really. I almost cried.

The game was absolutely stunning. The storyline was good and there was actually some replay value to it.

Ever since I bought my PS3, I’ve held out hope that the next Okami would be for the PS3.

Sadly, that doesn’t seem to be the case.

Destructoid is reporting that the next Okami game – Okamiden: Chiisaki Taiyo – will be coming to the Nintendo DS and since I don’t own a DS, I suppose that I will just have to drool over gameplay footage and screenshots.

I have to agree with Hamza CTZ Aziz that the DS is the perfect platform for the gameplay of Okami and like him, I’m impressed with the screenshot since it looks like the rendering is pretty solid.

Maybe I’ll ask for a DS for Christmas.

Image|True-Gaming

Post from: EveryJoe

Okamiden New Okami Game for DS

Also announced today was an immediate price drop for the original PS3 to just $299 — yep, the same price as the PS3 Slim. The 80GB PS3 is now $299, while the 160GB version is dropping to $399.

Image: Sony.

Post from: EveryJoe

Sony announces PS3 Slim

But, with the announcement of the addition of Johnny Cash and Ring of Fire to Guitar Hero 5, I just might consider grabbing up a guitar and giving the game another go.

New to the game is the Electric Honky Tonk Bar venue which gives you the chance to use any instrument controller to rock out to Ring of Fire and if you’re good enough, you can unlock the ability to sing as Johnny Cash himself.

The game will hit store shelves in September on the PS3, Wii, PS2 and Xbox 360 with plenty of time to get the game, play it yourself and then wrap it up and put it under the Christmas tree.

Not that I condone that kind of thing…

Image|Activision

Post from: EveryJoe

Johnny Cash Comes to Guitar Hero 5

One company called TrickleStar is aware of this saving or standby power issue to come up with the TV TrickleSaver which is to stop the flow of standby power when electrical appliances such as TV and your gaming console are in ’standby’ mode.

PS3 is the primary target for such usage while Microsoft Xbox 360 comes in as a close second. Device @ $34.95.

Image: TrickleStar
Via: Slipperybrick

Post from: EveryJoe

TV TrickleSaver To Save Gaming Power & $

July, folks.

While I have strong love feelings for my PS3, Darwin is a bit of a brick and while I don’t see myself tossing him [or selling him] anytime soon, a slimmer version would be a nice thing to dream [and lust] about.

Here’s the original PS3 Slim link-have fun with the Google translation. It’s an interesting [and by that I mean confusing] read.

Image|UDN.com

Post from: EveryJoe

PS3 Slim for July?

Yes. Yes, he will.

This game looks downright sick.

The basic premise is that you play “War”, one of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. The world came to an end too soon [oops] and now you have to find out who’s behind it.

Darksiders: Wrath of War is set for an early 2010 release and will be available for PS3 and 360.

Post from: EveryJoe

Darksiders:Wrath of War Trailer