Long ago announced to have online play included, questions about the details regarding Mario Kart for the Wii have been running rampant across the internets.

Nintendo, as usual, refuses to disclose any information in the form of anything remotely resembling answers. To me this usually means to expect the worst. Especially coming from Nintendo, since historically they tend to do the bare minimum. Well we finally get an answer.  Still vague but at least it gives us a clearer picture and sets our expectations appropriately low.  So when the great big “N” decides to add just a little more the general media will be singing its praises again.

What do we know now?  Mario Kart Wii will feature online play.  Mario Kart Wii will allow for Mii integration.  Mario Kart Wii will have motorcycles.  Mario Kart Wii will allow for communication between the players, extremely limited communication.

Just like the graphics, the details regarding in-game communication are not very nice.  No communication will be allowed during a game.  It will be limited to a lobby and limited to text.  That’s right, no voice chat.  Sure it comes under the guise of “protecting the children” but really, if you like I have played any online games, it is the rest of us that need protection FROM the children.

The little badmouthed and frequently racist brats hiding behind their anonymity on XBox Live know exactly what I am talking about.

Nintendo has also recently announced a Pay and Play “innovation."  What does this mean?  Who knows really but whatever it is, it sounds bad.  More money.  Are they going to charge for the features we truly want?  Will they charge for the stuff XBox Live Silver lets you have for free?

Only time will tell.  Mario Kart was one of the major reasons I purchased a Wii in the first place.  The hope that it will allow for online play was a MAJOR reason why I also purchased more Wii’s.  One for each of my two Godsons.  Exchanging friend codes was hard enough.  Getting to play a game online with them will be even harder if Nintendo continues down this anti-consumerist business plan.

I’m just concerned for the future of this generation of my Mario Player.

 

Sure!

What the hell!

Here is the list of movies.  Select one from each category.

You need the original UPC and a copy of the register receipt purchased between 10-1-07 and 2-28-08!  So get it now if you’re going to get it at all.

Update: I bought it.  I picked it up for $49.99 at Best Buy and it came with King Kong on HD-DVD and the 360 Universal Remote below.  It came in great packaging and a power brick which I had not seen in the first pictures released of the drive.  It adds one additional USB port not including the extension for the Wireless NIC bringing the total to 4 USB Ports on the 360.  The remote costs $20, the movie is $20 add the other 5 movies and the device just pays for itself.

 

Occasionally I find great prices on cool things on the internets.  Sure you can go and find them on your own if you search but why?  I figured I will post them here for you when I find the good ones so you don’t have to filter through the filth.

Want a cheap 1,000 gamerscore points?  Get ShadowRun for the PC from GoGamer.com for $5!  It is the controversial FPS/RPG that singlehandedly tore down the house that Crimson Skies built before the title was even released.  More importantly, you can get double the points if you also have the 360 version!

They also have Unreal Tournament III for $30 and Quake Wars: Enemy Territory for $20.

Activision has released information regarding the next Guitar Hero game.  I use the term game lightly because I honestly feel this would make for better downloadable content than it would an entire stand-alone game.  It will no doubtedly come packed with another guitar or perhaps an actual bass.

Like many of you, I already have Guitar Hero II, III and even Rock Band.  I think I’m passing on this one.  I like "Dream On" alright but I wouldn’t pay $20 for a greatest hits collection let alone $60 for a regular old track list.  Some of you already know it isn’t always the best music that makes it through to these games.

Speaking of "Dream On."  As promotion for this game, or to survey public interest, that song will be available for download THIS weekend ONLY!  So don’t miss it.  I have missed most of the temporarily free XBox Live downloads because I have either been too busy to spend my time crawling the boards or just couldn’t find the Official announcements buried in the mass gumbo of Microsoft advertisements on the for-charge online gaming service.

But I’ll save that rant for another day.

Best Buy is holding tournaments starting tomorrow!

Feb. 16 3 p.m. Orpheum Theater 842 S. Broadway Los Angeles, CA 90014	March 1 3 p.m. Worcester Polytechnic Institute (Olden Hall ) 100 Institute Road Worcester, MA 01609
Feb. 23 2 p.m. Ten15 Folsom 1015 Folsom St. San Francisco, CA 94103	March 8 5 p.m. Best Buy (NOHO) 622 Broadway New York, NY 10012

The grand prize is "a crystal-coated Wii with a design from Super Smash Bros. Brawl, a home theater system from Best Buy, and a copy of the game." Second, third, and fourth place finishers will win a Wii with an extra remote and a copy of the game as well as a $1,000, $500, and $250 Best Buy card, respectively. According to arstechnica, everyone who participates in the tournament will receive a $10 Best Buy gift card.