The other day when I was at a local department store, I decided to take note of prices and what was in stock. Here is what I saw from each of the three main console companies:

First is Sony. There were plenty of slim PS2’s in stock for the price of around $130. The games had a price of about $20-$30 on average. The PSP’s price was around $180. The games were selling from $20-$40. Finally, the PS3. The store seemed to be overflowing with them, and it’s no wonder with the price of the console at $600 and games selling for upwards of $60.

Next is Nintendo. There was the DS that was selling for about $80 and the game for around $30. There wasn’t anything really special to comment on for the DS but I saw something that was pretty rare. There was a Wii in stock (Though it’s probably gone now) and it was selling for $250 with games selling for $40. And for the Gamecube, I happened to overhear an employee telling another customer that they were trying to get rid of all Gamecube games except for Zelda: Twilight Princess. The console was selling for its usual price of $100 and the games were selling for about $20-$30.

Last but certainly not least is Microsoft. Their XBox 360 appeared to be doing very as there were only a few in stock and I saw a couple people buy a 360. They had both varieties, the $400 and $300 and the games were selling for $50 mainly, though there were plenty of $40 games a few $30 and $60 games.

So in conclusion, PS3s weren’t moving but 360s and Wiis were going off of shelves with the PS2 still attracting a few buyers, and in the handheld side of things PSP and DS had been going at a fairly healthy rate.

Comments are encouraged.

-Unstable

NOTE: All prices are USD.

Nintendo has now picked the top 10 short films from their contest. On June 18 they’ll pick the top 3. You can also vote on what you think is the best film. Here’s the link http://www.nintendoshortcuts.com/launch/

The prequel to the N64 hit Perfect Dark takes place a few years prior, but you still do everything through the eyes of (a younger) Joanna Dark.

The weapons in this are nothing like they were in the original Perfect Dark, however they’re nothing to spit on. You still have a wide range of options ranging from pistols, like the Falcon and P9P to sniper rifles, like the Jackal. There are some new weapons like the P9P and some old ones make a return including the Falcon and CMP150.

The controls can be a bit much when reading them in the game’s manual but once you get going in the game they feel natural and easy.

This game has excellent graphics and audio. The character models look good and no detail was spared, be it just the shells sticking out of a shotgun or the way the hands move around when you’re running with a gun. The graphics also look pretty realistic with shadows and reflections. The audio also nails even the basic sound effects ranging from shattering glass and footsteps in the snow.

The multiplayer is even good with 6 maps that have several variations in size, so it’s like there are 3 maps for each one, and two main modes. The DeathMatch mode includes “KillCount” and “Team KillCount” which are standard death matches, ”Capture the Flag” which should be self-explanitory and “Territorial Gain” where you gain points by taking over and keeping territories. 

Finally, the other mode is “DarkOps” which is like the “fy_” maps in CounterStrike. The object is to kill all the people on the other team. 

Overall, this game is a must-have for any fan of the original Perfect Dark and people who play first person shooters. Here is how I break it down:

Controls: 8/10

Graphics: 9/10

Audio: 9/10

Multiplayer: 7/10

Overall: 8.25/10

Comments are encouraged.

-Unstable