Console fanboys...prepare for more arguments!

Sorry for the delay, just a bit of life to attend to, nothing special. Anyway, after trawling through the Internet I came across this piece of news...

PSN Premium Service Details Coming "Very Soon"

"I can assure you that the current PSN as you know it will remain a free service. It is something that our competitors don't offer and something that shows our loyalty to the PlayStation Community. However, Kaz Hirai stated a few months ago that we were looking at a premium service to sit alongside the current free service and that objective has not changed. You'll learn more about it very soon."

Well there you have it, everyone knew it was coming eventually and here's the first sign. Personally I like the PS3 although I don't own one, instead I chose an Xbox. And this is coming from a life-long Sony fan. The thing is however, I feel as though Sony are dropping behind in the console market (not as far as the Wii of course) because they just aren't trying hard enough. With the success of the PS2 all those years ago now, I think they're just sticking to what they know best. I'm not sure what happened with the PS3, whether it be the price or the lack of games that interested me...I just don't feel as though I'd like it.

Anyways, with this news will spark a whole new debates on YouTube comments concerning how the Xboxer's were right all along or some crap like that. Honestly, I only chose the Xbox because my friends had an Xbox, and I think the main way it works. With this premium service coming, the two consoles are only going to become more similar to each until finally the two sides have nothing to argue about.

Now wouldn't that be nice?

The Simpsons hit a new low...again...

I won't get into too much detail here but we all know that the Simpsons is not funny anymore. What should have ended 10 years ago keeps crawling onwards producing such lifeless, dull and unfunny episodes it's become everything the show detested back in the 1990's.

Along with this comes the sell-out merchandising, much akin to the Lady Krusty Mustache Remover and Krusty Geiger Meter. However, whilst this applies to actual products, it can also apply to events on the show. Take the opening couch gag of season 21's "To Surveil with Love", if you can really call it a couch gag. In part of 'Fox Rocks' week, a number of their shows got a musical number added to them, including the Simpsons. So, instead of the usual opening, we got Lisa and eventually the whole of Springfield miming, of all songs, Kesha's "Tik-Tok". It was a cringe-worthy, avoidable mess even with the out of place interesting animation. If you dare want to feast your eyes upon it, be my guest. (It's back to front but the best quality, so it can stain your eyes even better!)

I thought after that atrocity we might have a little break from the sell-out-ness but I was very wrong. With the 2010 World Cup comes a short film by Nike. Concerning most of the film, I think it's very good (never mind that I know nothing about football and don't follow it at all) but then this happened...



That's right, they just don't stop! Admittedly it's not as bad as the Tik Tok opening but it still adds to the depressing feeling that the writers just don't care what they do now, as long as it rakes in the cash. It's not funny and it's not well animated. The only good thing about it is that they managed to capture Ronaldo's (or should I say Ronal-d'oh's? No, no I shouldn't) smugness and irritating persona. So there we go, even more to add to the growing pile of desolate crap the Simpsons churn out.

Oh and click here if you want to see the whole film.

It's Pacman's 30th Anniversary!

Look at this little guy, he's reached the big 3-0 today (well actually tomorrow but meh) having been released on May 22nd 1980. Pacman is the signature figure of retro gaming, an icon of the 80's and overall one of the most recognisable video game characters ever created. Selling over 100,000 units in it's first year of production, Pacman was immensely popular and so he should have been. It's simply gameplay meant anyone could play and ever since it's spawned numerous sequels and remakes, one of the biggest being...

However, I'm sure you already knew all this because you've been on Google's home page, haven't you? Yes, to celebrate the anniversary in style Google have not only made their doodle Pacman themed, but actually made it a Pacman game! Wait on the page for about 5 seconds and the familiar noise starts up allowing to play in a Google shaped map just like you would normally. Or, if a friend's around, press the 'insert coin' button and go co-op with husband and wife! It's a real treat and not to be missed (if that's even possible). Not sure how to get to Google, don't worry for I have included a link!

http://www.google.co.uk/

Have fun!

Just a little update..

Ok, so I've been thinking of some things to do for Dropped Banana because at the moment all it's been is:

1. News
2. Games

But alas, I want it to be more than that, with a wider variety of posts and topics. Yes exams are coming up but we don't need to care about them just yet, or at least you don't. Therefore, I've come up with some possiblilites for the future that I hope you'll enjoy. They are as follows:

1. Rants - I enjoy a good 'ol rant from time to time about certain aspects of the media (or anything at all I should say) so be prepared for some moaning (to be specific I think the first one may be about the Simpsons).
2. Reviews - This can cover both films and games (and TV I guess to an extent). I must warn you, I don't really want to make them to long to read because I think short and sweet posts are the best. Ergo - you can't expect too much of these, as in full on analysis etc. They're just going to simple ones to have a quick skim through.
3. Top 20's, 10's or 5's of a particular subject...who knows what though.
4. Quotes of the Day/Week perhaps...hmmm, maybe some more thought into that one.

There'll be other things of course as I go along, but these are just a few examples of the things you should expect. That is all.

p.s. I can't promise these to be funny.

p.p.s. I'm sorry.

Red Dead Redemption Out Now!

This is another game to add to my 'games I want to buy as a reward after the exams' list, because who wouldn't love GTA mixed with the Wild West? With a huge setting, untold objectives and brilliant graphics, it looks as though Rockstar San Diego have got a winner on their hands.

When Gun came out in 2004 I snapped it up immediately - unfortunately I was disappointed. The thing is I'm not exactly sure why either, it just didn't deliver what I thought it would. Having been in development for over 5 years, this game looks to do what Gun didn't (and once again I'm not sure what this is). When I play it in the coming weeks, I'll be able to tell because whatever it is - this game has it!

And c'mon...look at this...

SMG2 - The Best Mario Game Ever!?

I swear this blog won't just be about Mario but yesterday and today a ton of reviews came pouring into the Internet that I though you might like to see...


Joystiq
"It's a near-perfect mix of superb controls, unequaled level design and pure creative genius. Simply, it'll never fail to put you in a good mood. You can't ask for more from a game than that."

IGN - 10/10
"Most of all, Super Mario Galaxy 2 perfectly captures that classic videogame charm, the reason why most of us got into gaming from the start."

GameTrailers - 9.7

1Up - A
"Nintendo shows that "more of the same" doesn't have to be a bad thing."

Wired - 9/10
"A new surprising gameplay twist every few minutes, great nostalgic moments, deep challenges if you want them."

Edge - 10/10
"We’ve come so far, from stepping on mushrooms to drop-kicking meteors into the heart of the sun; Galaxy 2 offers a new understanding of where we’ve been, a new sense of wonder at where we’ll go next."

Official Nintendo Magazine - 97%


So there we are, early reports are looking incredibly positive, with some even labelling it the best game on  the Wii or even the best Mario game yet. One things for sure though and that is I'll be getting the game when it comes out, so expect something soon on my thoughts.

Super Mario Galaxy 2 or Super Mario 64?

With the arrival of Super Mario Galaxy's sequel aptly named Super Mario Galaxy 2 coming soon to the US on May 23rd and Europe June 11th, more and more information has been released. We've got new power ups - Rock Mario, Cloud Mario and weird driller Mario as well as the inclusion of Yoshi to look forward to but as well as that we've got the new levels.

The other day I saw this video and started to gush like a little schoolgirl...

Yes that right, some kind of retro galaxy will be featured in the highly anticipated sequel including Thwomp's Fortress of Super Mario 64. I won't go into now (maybe for another post), but for me and many many other Mario fans Super Mario 64 was the best of the best. I mean it was one of the first truly 3D games, and revolutionised gaming back in 1997. The music, the levels, even the stupid sign that everyone thought mentioned Luigi...it was perfection. To see it come back in better graphics with an orchestrated soundtrack filled me giddy with joy.

And only now has this video been released by Nintendo...



Yup it's official, it's certainly going to be in there. And now we can truly say Luigi is in Super Mario 64! For a rough comparison...

Of course it's not going to have the same charm as the original and obviously it doesn't look exactly the same but it's nice to see that Nintendo are not forgetting their past and including a few little nods to keep the nostalgia filled nerds like us happy!

What is wrong with me!?

Look at this...

Starting from this very post you're reading now with your beautiful eyes, I shall start to post what I deem 'good.' I'm not sure how this will all go and whether or not it will be successful but hey, this is new and all. So, all that's left to do now is wonder the internet for all it's wonderful information it contains...

I said the word 'all' FOUR times in two sentences! What a freak I am!


Anyway, if you're arguing this is not what I should be posting then you are wrong because it's exactly things like this I'm going to blog. As well as, you know...interesting things...

...And here we GO!

Starting from this very post you're reading now with your beautiful eyes, I shall start to post what I deem 'good.' I'm not sure how this will all go and whether or not it will be successful but hey, this is new and all. So, all that's left to do now is wander the internet for all it's wonderful information it contains...

p.s. By that I did not mean porn.

p.p.s. The reason for that is because my computer is too slow anyway.

What? Why? When? Who the hell are me?

Here is a new post just for the sake of having a new post. I hope you enjoy this because it is for nothing and yet everything at the same time. I like to just write random things like this that have no meaning but at the same time I feel no one would like to read them so I think I'd better start doing some things that are interesting soon. I think I'll start with games and maybe even include a film review when I go to see a movie. Hmmmm...so many possibilities. Anyway, that'll do so all that is left to say now is...

Bye.

Holy moley! Yet more posts!

Here is another post - I promise I will start posting good things soon, I just need to find the right type of drug...

In the meantime, here is a highly amusing picture that unfortunately is not amusing...

Farewell.

More tests...

Video time...and to fit into the theme of the blog...

Fail.

It did not work.

So I've heard about these jump breaks...

Let's try one shall we. So I'll just type these words you are currently reading right now as I think of something to write. I am writing this nonsense to test this jump break feature and see if it really works. Now I am finding it difficult to think of things to write except I'm not because I just wrote that. Now I really am finding it hard because I finished talking about not having anything to write earlier on. I think this will never end and I'll be stuck in an infinite loop of writing something and then explaining that I just wrote it but actually I think that's enough now so toodle loo, tutty bye.

I forgot to write a title...so here is one.

Done.