Is there room for the iPad?

By Ben Salter

Apple has finally announced one of the worst kept secrets in the industry, the iPad. For all the specs and promotional information check out their website. I'll start with a question: Anyone else not happy with that name? Apple are normally pretty good at this stuff, and "i" is a fashion statement in contemporary society, but it sounds like a technological breakthrough in womens' hygiene, rather than a portable media device. It's also too close to iPod in my opinion.

We’ve been waiting for Apple to announce a tablet Mac for months, but instead they’ve come up with the iPad; it's not really a Mac version of the tablet PC at all. Steve Jobs says it’s for the market that wants something between the Macbook and the iPhone. But does this audience really exist? First impressions suggest that the iPad is nothing more than an oversized iPod Touch. We can listen to music, watch videos, use the internet and check our email. All of these are features on the iTouch and iPhone. iBooks makes a little more sense, as the screen is actually big enough to realistically read an entire book. I like getting all of my news, and reading magazine-type articles on the Internet. I’m part of the so called digital revolution and the reason magazines and newspaper are beginning to struggle and slowly fade away. However, e-books have never interested me in the slightest. There’s something about a physical novel, the feel of the pages and the smell of a fresh book, that makes reading a quality story meaningful. It’s more exciting to read an actual book and you feel you’ve accomplished something when you’re finished. That feeling isn’t there on the completion of an e-book. Furthermore, is the iPad really going to save print publications? Tech-savvy consumers have forgone magazines in favour of the faster, cheaper, internet. Gaming publications have been hit the hardest, and I don't see gamers all of a sudden paying to read magazines on their iPad when they can get all of that information for free online.

This brings me to my biggest problem with the iPad. Why won’t it let us multitask? Rumour has it a future operating system will include support to use multiple apps at once, like iTunes while browsing the web, but why isn’t it included from the onset?

There’s also no camera, perhaps it’s a little too big for that so I’m willing to let it slide, but with the popularity of the iPhone as a camera for everyday use, it seems a little odd to leave it out. But where is flash?! It's hardly a modern media device if it doesn't support flash.

What about gaming? No doubt that’s what most of you here actually care about. It’s no secret that Apple has been lagging behind Microsoft for, well forever, in the games department on their Mac line-up. It’s steadily improving, but it’s never going to rival Windows as a gaming platform, at least, not in this decade. So, being the geniuses that they are, Apple decided to focus on the iPod Touch (and iPhone) of late in an attempt to rival the Nintendo DS as the king of the handheld realm. The fact of the matter is they’re never going to beat Nintendo at their own game. Nintendo has been in control of the handheld arena for many years now, and I doubt that’ll change any time soon. Taking that into consideration, the iPad seems destined to fail as a possible gaming device. Before the announcement we heard a lot more about the possibility of games than the device itself, but today we haven’t heard all the much in terms of new content. It appears to be an oversized iPod Touch with no genuine additional control methods and, besides the bigger screen, it doesn’t seem to be better suited to gaming.

Sure, it’ll be more powerful than the Nintendo DS or PSP, but is it really a portable system? It seems too big for that and yet too weak to compete against PCs, so maybe Apple truly has created something in the middle; something that does not yet have a rival. The thing is, do I really want one of these if I already have a computer (or console) and an iPod? Not really. It’s great that it’ll play iPod Touch games, but they were designed for a smaller screen. It’s not until iPad specific games are made that we’ll truly see its potential as a gaming platform. The touch and tilt controls certainly haven’t sold me yet. The DS is doing just fine, but it also has face buttons, and touch screen controls seem better suited to a smaller surface.

I can buy a Wii, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, iPod Touch, iPhone, Nintendo DS, or a PSP cheaper than the iPad. That, at this stage, is the real killer from a gaming perspective. If the iPad was meant to inject Apple as a serious contender in the gaming industry, it is along way from doing so.

Now’s probably a good time to tell you that I actually quite like Apple. But with my MacBook, iPod, phone and gaming consoles, I just don’t see the point in the iPad at this point in time. I’m going to hold off 6 months, when they come out and inevitably announce the cheaper, smaller, iPad Nano.

Heller's Den Vol #2

It's been a rather slow week in the gaming world, giving you all a chance to catch up on those games you haven't finished before the end of year season is upon us.

Many of you have already finished this title, but Batman: Arkham Asylum has kept me rather busy the past week. I've really enjoyed my time on Arkham, and this is a surprise hit title for me! Still sitting on the fence after playing the demo? Why not read our feature review? Batman: Arkham Asylum.

I was one of the many lucky folks who snagged a Uncharted 2 beta code last week from EB Games Twitter give-away so I'll be waiting to get into that this Tuesday! Those who pre-order the game from EB also get access to the beta so if you can't wait to get online with this game, head down to your local EB today.

This weekend I got the chance to go through the paces of the DLC pack for F.E.A.R 2: Project Origin. Reborn runs a story parallel to that of the main game, and while it doesn't do anything to expand the story or the universe, it's a decent addition to the already great game. If you already own F.E.A.R 2 and want to extend it another 2-4 hours, then check out our review here.

So now I'm just counting down the days till Scribblenauts, Uncharted 2 and Modern Warfare 2!

What are you guys and girls looking forward to playing?

Heller's Den Vol #1

So I've decided to retire the Heller's Desk segment, mainly due to the fact I was getting hard pressed to find good desk pics! So welcome to Heller's Den, a chance for me to throw out what I've been researching, playing and looking forward to.

As many of you will know, Batman Arkham Asylum is the hot topic right now, and rightly so! It's a fantastic game and I'm only a few hours into it!. Tano is busy working on the featured review, but until then, why not check out Batman's Greatest Gaming Moments.

While I wait patiently for Uncharted 2 to be released for the PS3 I've started to play Killzone 2 online quite a bit recently. It's a little harder than your average shooter, but it is so in-depth and is a great change of pace!

On the Wii front I've been getting into a lot of Wii Sports Resort, The Conduit, Punch Out!! and I've been getting back into some Grand Slam Tennis which is great fun for local multiplayer!

So we have a huge few months coming up, with such games as Modern Warfare 2, Scribblenaughts, Guitar Hero 5, Rock Band Beatles the list is growing every day!

What are you guys and girls looking forward to playing?

iPhone Stepping Up As A Major Handheld

Written By Stephen Heller

While the Nintendo DS and the Sony PSP have been enjoying their supremacy in the handheld market this generation, Apple’s iPhone is really stepping it up. With graphics that are better than the Nintendo DS, and an easy to access App Store, one has to wonder what is next for the multi function device.

The recently released Secret of Monkey Island Special Edition from Lucasarts has found it’s way onto the App Store, and with all the features intact from it’s Xbox 360 and PC counterparts. Weighing in at a mere 350mb and a measly $9.99 you can purchase a fully fledged game that will last 5-10 hours, for less than a quarter of the price of a new release Nintendo DS game.

Other developers are really backing the platform, EA releasing hand held versions of The Sims 3 and Spore, classic games such as Uno and new unique titles such as the ever popular Tap Tap Revenge. Even classics such as Wolfenstein 3D are making an appearance on the app store.

Will the iPhone replace the Nintendo DS or the Sony PSP? While the iPhone does rival such devices, it doesn’t make a sale purely as a gaming device. The fact that Nintendo and Sony tailor their experience purely as a gaming device will suit games better. What the iPhone does manage to do is open up the door to quality games for casual gamers.

What are your thoughts on the iPhone becoming a formidable force in the world of handheld gaming?

Nintendo at E3 Predictions

Nintendo was disappointing at E3 last year to say the least. However, a year later Nintendo has promised bigger and better things at the number one gaming conference on the calendar. After ‘downsizing’ in the past two years, the real E3 is back this year. Back to being the specular event it should be, and more importantly what we all want it to be. But will it deliver on the announcement front?

Over the course of the week we’ll be looking at what Nintendo, Sony and Microsoft have in store for us this year. What we expect to see, what has been teased, predicted and what we’d like to see surprise us this year.

Pokémon a Recipe for Success

By 90's Pokémon Master Ben Salter

The Pokémon videogame series first launched on the GameBoy back in 1996. 13 years later it has become one of the best selling games of all time, and one of Nintendo’s most famous handheld series. Nintendo stated that the Pokémon franchise had sold over 175 million copies as of April last year, and these figured have definitely improved since then.

I began playing Pokémon Platinum in preparation for the review a few days ago. After growing up with the originals on the Game Boy Pocket (or even original Game Boy if you wanted to be old school) I noticed a striking similarity between the two. 10 years on and the games have hardly changed. Pokémon Diamond & Pearl are essentially exactly the same in terms of single player gameplay as Pokémon Red & Blue. Sure there are some small gameplay enhancements, but surely Pokémon heads the list of ‘most games released with so little changes’. Each generation two flavours of the same game are released and then, around two years later, a remake of that game is made to complete the trio for the generation. We essentially have the same game released three times on one platform and yet it sells like hotcakes.

That’s just taking into account what I would consider to be the ‘main series’. Beyond that we have the Mystery Dungeon & Pokémon Ranger spin-offs along with popular console games such as Pokémon Stadium and its sequels, Pokémon Snap and the Pokémon Box/Ranger games. Remakes of Pokémon Gold & Silver were recently announced for the DS and already have fans going crazy. A 10-year-old game being remade is not uncommon, but technically it has already been remade, or was at least enhanced, with Pokémon Crystal which completed the trilogy on the GameBoy Color.

What is it with Pokémon that makes gamers go crazy, despite the fact they are either playing a remake (or enhanced remake) or a sequel that is so similar to its predecessor that it may as well be considered a remake? The TV series played a role in kicking off the craze. Back in the late 90’s when the original games were released kids were going Pokécrazy with the show, videogames and trading card game. I remember school lunch time trading Pokémon cards on a daily basis or playing Pokémon Red if you dared to pull out the gameboy at recess and risk its confiscation. It’s fair to say the show is nowhere near as influential now (not to mention terrible without the original Pokemon or characters) nevertheless the series is as popular as ever with Platinum hitting the 1 million sales mark within 2 days of release in Japan.

Maybe Nintendo has perfected the formula; if it ain’t broke don’t fix it. I admit while visually I’m not impressed with Pokémon Platinum I’m enjoying the gameplay even though I spent 40 odd hours playing Pokémon Diamond two years ago. And I am not alone, while I find it hard to straight out recommend it to the owners of Diamond/Pearl I expect many of them to buy it. It won’t just be kids either; while it certainly appears to be a ‘kiddie game’ it’s one that gamers of all ages can appreciate. While I doubt many of you older gamers would admit it, if you have a DS you’d be a fool not to look into the Pokémon games. I’m certainly not the biggest fan of the role playing genre; however, I’m willing to spend countless hours on the Pokémon games. Raising the creatures into a fighting machine is rewarding and still fun even if you’ve done it many times before. Because the gameplay is so good you’re almost happy that it’s repetitive, you find yourself wanting to do it all again. I don’t understand why people bother importing their already trained Pokémon from past games, or use cheats that make them unbeatable. Choosing 6 new Pokemon and training them until the final gym battle is a rewarding experience. I understand that trading from Diamond & Pearl is one of the key features but to an extent I believe this is where the repetitive gameplay may come unstuck. Where’s the fun in starting a game that’s based on developing something when you begin with the finished product?

Another view could suggest that Nintendo don’t really care. They realise that anything with ‘Pokémon’ in the title will sell. I believe this is the case with games such as the rushed Pokémon Dash and some of recent Mystery Dungeon spin-offs. With so many ‘enhanced remakes’ and actual remakes, which began with the original two being reborn on the GBA as Pokémon Fire Red & Leaf Green, the same could be said for the RPG series. But with such great gameplay 13 years on I’m willing to give Nintendo the benefit of the doubt with their main Pokémon series and say it hasn’t been changed simply because it doesn’t need to be.

What are your memories of the Pokémon games? Even if you haven’t played one recently chances are you did back in the Game Boy or Nintendo 64 days. Why do you think they are still so successful? Leave your thoughts, maybe even dare to admit that you still enjoy the Pokémon games despite being in your late teens or adulthood.

Pokémon Platinum will be released in Australia this Thursday, May 14. Our featured review will be up on MyDS later this week.

Nintendo DSi - What you need to know

On April 2nd, 2009, Australia will see the release of the third iteration of Nintendo's popular handheld gaming device, the DS. Named the "DSi", the system was first announced at the Nintendo Press Conference on October 2, 2008 in Tokyo, Japan. The "i" in the name is meant to symbolize the two cameras that are built into the handheld, looking like a pair of eyes.

So what exactly is the DSi and what makes it differ from previous iterations of the handheld?

Click HERE to find out everything you need to know about the Nintendo DSi before it's launched here on April 2nd!!

Heller's Desk Vol #12

That's right sports fans, Heller is back again with yet another rant filled posting of Heller's Desk

Finally I have dusted off my Nintendo DS for what I truly believe is one of the most IMPORTANT handheld titles we are likely to see for a long time, Rockstar's Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars. It is a deep and engrossing title, which truly captures the spirit of the GTA series on a bite sized cartridge. Just because the DS lacks the storage or size when compared to say a PS3 or Xbox 360 doesn't mean this game is lacking in any way. Offering a comprehensive experience with more relevant mini games than you can throw a Molotov at, a decent story, and tight and intuitive controls, this is the must have title for the Nintendo DS. Hell I'd go as far as to say it's worth purchasing a DS just for this title! Check out our featured review over here

Sega are sure pulling me into the Nintendo Wii, first with the amazing House Of The Dead: Overkill. It is a fantastic, hilarious, and more importantly, mature game that offers something unique to the console. I had the pleasure of getting some time with the limited Bang Bang Box, unboxing article can be found over here.

Sega have followed it up with their totally OFF THE HOOK title MadWorld which releases nation wide today! Offering a totally unique visual style that is very "Sin City" with some of the strangest and brutal gameplay, this game sure isn't one for the weak hearted. Make sure you check this out if you have a Wii. We are currently offering a SICK prize pack, so make sure you get those entries in over here

So what have you guys been playing lately? What game has come along that unexpectedly blew you away? What game were you super excited about and it did nothing but let you down? Send in the scoop so I can check it out for myself :)

GTA - A franchise evolving?

It didn't take long from the time Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars was announced to when it was actually released. In fact, it was right around 9 months, which is a pretty short time for any GTA game from when it's officially announced. When Nintendo revealed it during their E3 2008 Press Conference last year, it was met with both hype and raised eyebrows - how would Rockstar bring the franchise to the DS, a limited piece of gaming hardware, when it's already evolved so dramatically over the past decade?

Now that it's been released, that question has been answered. GTA: Chinatown Wars is a spectacular game. It's a title that propels the DS to "must own" territory (if it wasn't already there). In our review we gave it a 9.7/10, claiming that it may very well be the handhelds first system-seller.

Since we've played the game for an extended period of time, we thought it was a good idea to highlight how we think this game evolves the franchise. With every new addition to the GTA series, we've seen some sort of evolving, be it through the basic gameplay or visuals. It'd be easy to automatically dismiss Chinatown Wars considering it's played from a top-down perspective, a style that is (seemingly) dated and has never really been used in a mainstream title since GTA 2. So now the question to ask is: What has Chinatown Wars done for the franchise?

Read the full article at MyDS.com.au

Heller's Desk Vol #9

Sorry for the lack of a blog last week fight fans but I was pretty flat out working on the exciting new MyFrag website! That's right it's live and it totally kicks ass! Check it out for all your PC/Mac/Linux/Gaming needs, with lots of cool features on the way. Right now I'm working on updating the downloads section of the site, with links to the latest patches for your favourite games!

Skate 2 is still running through my Xbox 360 right now, it's such an organic and living breathing game, it is still blowing my mind. If you haven't made the kickflip of faith yet, check out our full reveiewover here

Burnout Paradise drops into sixth gear this week as we see the launch of The Ultimate Box for the PS3 and Xbox 360 and PC! The Ultimate Box includes the Cagney and Bikes updates that have already been released for free to console goers, and also includes the new Party Pack. Fear not those of you who already have the game, the party pack will be available as DLC from your respective online service, but you will have to pay this time!

My Nintendo DS is getting a work out as I pick up an older game, Yoshi's Island DS. Fantastic little game, don't let the cutesy artwork fool you, it's a deep platformer and is a lot of fun!

Killzone 2 is just around the corner, and the hype is building beyond anything I could possibly imagine. Who is excited for this? Tell me what's been going on for you!