VIDEO GAMES: Great success!

It pleases me greatly when an indie game gets the recognition and, more importantly, the money it deserves. There is no better example of this kind of achievement than Minecraft. The lego-style, open world game that lets you basically build whatever you can imagine. Markus Peterson, the game's creator who goes by the name "Notch" has recently stepped down from overseeing Minecraft in order to work on future projects but the Minecraft game continues to soar. With imminent release on consoles and continuous additions to the already expansive world, Minecraft continues to be an immense success. Revenues since the game's official release have topped $80 million as more than 5 million people have purchased the game. There will be at least one more purchase on May 9th as I can't wait to play the game on my Xbox 360! Have you entered the world of Minecraft? If so, what's your greatest construction?

 

VIDEO GAMES: Minecraft on XBLA might be worth your time

Now I say that it might be worth your time IN ADDITION to playing Minecraft on PC where it originated. If you haven't played it yet, I highly recommend giving Minecraft a try. It brings those infinite possibilities that Legos have presented us with and puts them on a even larger scale. Currently Minecraft is in development for XBLA and it sounds like they're making some additions to improve upon an already extremely solid formula. IGN has reported that not only will they be adding a in-game crafting system and guide which will make it infinitely easier to learn how to build things in the game, but there will be up to 8 players allowed to play in any given world. What does this mean? Well first off you can play up to 4 player split screen on one console so you can work together with your friends to build whatever you can imagine. But you can also connect via Xbox Live with your friends so you can build your world together. Up to 4 Live accounts can be in a world, so playing 2 player split screen on 4 separate consoles is the max you can fit into an environment. I can't tell you how much more fun this will make a game that is already incredibly addicting. The game is set to hit the XBLA store in Spring of this year!

Head over to IGN for the full article HERE!

VIDEO GAMES: This is insane.

I'm sure by now most of you have heard of Minecraft. It's the game where you break down blocks of material in order to craft and build other materials. It spawns you in a completely randomized world and you begin to build whatever your heart desires. There has already been a plethora of Youtube videos showing absolutely insane creations people have designed in the game and there is already a convention completely dedicated to the game on its way. Oh and the other thing...the game has not even officially been released yet! Yes, all this time the game has been in beta meaning that it is still being tested. Even more impressive? The game HAS ALREADY SOLD OVER 4 MILLION COPIES! Are you kidding me? Before it has even come out over 4 million people have paid to play the game while it is still being tested. This is absolutely mind blowing to me. I am one of the 4 million and I can tell you the game truly is remarkable. It's a simple premise played out to perfection. The game's creator, Notch is one of the most low key and awesome people in the gaming industry right now and I hope he's proud of what he's already created. Anyways, the game actually releases on November 18 and apparently it will come to Xbox 360 sometime in the near future.

VIDEO GAMES: Ready your wallets and clear your schedule!

Well Battlefield 3 has hit stores nationwide and for the most part it's blowing peoples' minds. Although there has been some server problems and minor glitches with the game (this is why you don't rush release dates) the feedback from those who have been playing BF3 has been nothing but positive. So there you have it! There's nothing else to look forward to this year...oh wait. Actually there's so much to look forward to before this year finishes that it literally keeps me up at night. Like seriously, there are so many games coming out within the next couple months that are going to be incredible.

Here's my list of what I think are the most notable games hitting shelves before the end of 2011!

November 1st:
Title: Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception
Platform: PS3
For any of you PS3 owners out there this is going to be an absolute must buy. The Uncharted series has been what I believe to be the posterboy series for PS3 exclusives and I'd be lying if I said I was never close to running to Gamestop to buy a PS3 almost only to play Uncharted. The absolutely rave reviews for all three games have always intrigued me and it seems that almost everyone who has played the games is in love with Nathan Drake. This one is less than a week away so get ready PS3 owners!



November 1st:
Title: Sonic Generations
Platforms: 360, PS3, 3DS (December 8)
Remember when Sonic was an awesome game? Well I barely do because I was like 6 years old when I played it on the Sega Genesis. Apparently Sonic Generations brings the beloved hedgehog back to his glory days with an impeccable combination of side scrolling and 3D gameplay. I personally can't wait to play Generations on my 3DS but I'm not sure if I'll be purchasing it as soon as it hits shelves; this may be a Christmas title for me.



November 8th:
Title: Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3
Platforms: 360, PS3, PC, Wii
Do I really need to say anything? I'll see all you guys at Gamestop on the 8th!



November 11th:
Title: The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
Platforms: 360, PS3, PC
I am about 99% positive that this will be my game of the year. With the promise for breathtaking landscapes, and a completely immersive world I literally cannot wait for Skyrim to come out. I have spent recent nights struggling to fall asleep as I battle with myself over what kind of character I will play in Skyrim. Will I be a lightning chucking mage, a warrior with proficiencies (not sure if that's a word) in sword and shield or two handed weapons or something else entirely? Once Skyrim hits shelves it is likely that I won't play anything else for quite a long time.



November 13th:
Title: Super Mario 3D Land
Platforms: Nintendo 3DS
The Nintendo 3DS is finally starting to heat up. With Sonic Generations and Super Mario 3D Land both hitting within the next couple weeks and Mario Kart 7 just around the corner I am finally getting excited to play the thing consistently. Mario 3D Land promises to be a gorgeous Mario game that combines everything we love about past Mario games into one awesome experience. I mean come on, you get to use the Tanooki suit while experiencing game play like Mario Galaxy! I for one am pumped!



November 15th:
Title: Assassins Creed: Revelations
Platforms: 360, PS3, PC (on 12/29)
Now I've never gotten into the AC games so I'm not even sure which game in the series this is but I know a ton of people are excited for it. Unfortunately that's about all the information I know. So yea, if you're into being a hooded badass who roams the streets killing bad people in awesome ways then you might want to check this one out!



November 15th:
Title: Halo Combat Evolved: Anniversary
Platforms: 360
It was a decade ago when the first Halo graced Xbox systems everywhere and introduced us to what is no doubt the most popular and successful Xbox exclusive title out there. It started a series that has produced almost no weak games and has consumed hours upon hours of our lives experiencing awesome multiplayer. This anniversary edition brings back everything we loved about the first game but brings the graphics up to date offering an experience much like the one the developers imagined but couldn't give us with their current technology. I'm expecting this game to sell very well.



November 18th:
Title: Minecraft
Platforms: PC (for now)
What?? I thought Minecraft was already out? Haven't people been playing it addictively for months creating incredible worlds and such? Well yes, but believe it or not Minecraft is still in beta! Personally I have put quite a few hours into my little world and I'm excited for the game to finally actually be released in all its glory so hopefully more people can experience its awesomeness.



December 4th:
Title: Mario Kart 7
Platforms: Nintendo 3DS
How could you not love Mario Kart? I mean honestly every Mario Kart game in the series has been completely awesome. Whether or not they tread new ground is irrelevant to me since the game is always so damn fun anyways. But it does look like 7 does tread some new ground with underwater portions of tracks as well as extremely customizable karts! This is one I'll definitely be getting on release date as I'm sure it's going to be completely absorbing on the 3DS!



December 20th:
Title: Star Wars: The Old Republic
Platforms: PC
Could this mark the end of World of Warcraft? A Massively Multiplayer Online experience set in the world of Star Wars? Where you can be a Sith, Jedi, bounty hunter, pilot, etc. and follow your own unique story line in a galaxy far, far away! This is perhaps the most highly anticipated game of the year and to be honest I think the expectations are getting a little high. The concept of the game is brilliant and intriguing but I can't help but feel that EA may be rushing its release like they just did with BF3 which translates into a lot of problems in the first month which is when most people will decide whether or not they'll play the game. I'll be checking it out for sure but I'm not sure where I'll end up with ToR.

VIDEO GAMES: The Minecraft guys are awesome.

Why? Because they make big announcements about their stuff in passing on their Twitter accounts. Earlier today, Daniel Kaplan, one of the guys behind Minecraft tweeted that they are developing a mobile version of Minecraft which will hit Android devices this Thursday! Not a lot of notice but he also put up a video that shows how the touch controls will work for the thing. I've personally had a lot of fun with Minecraft and I like the idea of being able to play it on my phone. Although no release date for an iOS version was confirmed, he did say that it is "on the way" and I assume it won't be far behind.

VIDEO GAMES: Minecraft patch 1.8 is live!

Yup, new enemies called Endermen and random NPC villages will now appear in your Minecraft worlds. If you haven't played the game yet or heard much about it I recommend checking it out. It may not be for everyone but it is strangely addicting once your mind grasps the idea that the world you are in is endless. I've personally not logged too much time into mine but I have made some pretty sweet forts and dug pretty deep underground to find some rare materials. The game is truly unique though and I think whenever it finally releases as a full fledged title it will be widely accepted. Anyways, the Minecraft Adventure Update (Beta 1.8) is live now so boot up your Minecraft, download the update and go build something sweet!