Made to take on Microsoft’s XBox 360 and Nintendo’s Wii, the Playstation 3 by Sony Computer Entertainment broke out into the game console world on November 17th, 2006 in North America with a previous debut in Japan six days before that.
The PlayStation 3 features a slot-loading 2x speed Blu-ray Disc drive for games, Blu-ray movies, DVDs, CDs and other optical media. The basic model came with a 20 GB hard disk drive and the premium model arrived with a 60 GB hard drive and several additional features. Many revisions have been made to the console, with the latest modification being the new slim model.
With every passing trailer Need For Speed releases for their new game, "The Run", we’re becoming more and more convinced that we need to get this game as an early Christmas present when it hits shelves this November.
In the latest installment of what now appears to be a trailer series, Jack finds himself in the snow-capped mountains of Colorado. Facing a choice at taking the long route through Independence Pass but losing valuable time in the process, the renegade hero decides to throw common sense out the window. He finds himself bracing the treacherous shortcut in his BMW M3 GTS as it maneuvers in and out of falling rocks that were caused by an avalanche.
Only the craziest of people racing for their lives will dare challenge Mother Nature and her wrath, and live to tell about it. But if you’re as desperate as our man Jack is, then nothing’s stopping you from getting to New York as fast as possible...inclement weather be damned.
We’ve seen a lot of racing simulators in our time, but we haven’t seen anything quite like what Sony and Audi have done. It’s a Playstation Racing Simulator that has been built in the style of a carbon-black Audi R8 LMS race car.
Granted, the simulator wasn’t based on an actual production model of the Audi racer, but the whole thing was custom-built by the people over at quattro GmbH. The set-up features a bucket seat for the driver, another seat for the passenger, and a roll-cage that’s really more about aesthetics than it is for actual use. Once the driver is comfortably seated inside, he uses a race steering wheel that comes equipped with paddle gear shifters, which together with the foot pedals, are all connected to a Playstation 3. For a more realistic time inside the car, the engineers also added pneumatic cylinders in place of the suspension to bring centrifugal force to the driver during high-speed acceleration, braking, and cornering, and a Dolby Surround system that makes for a realistic time around the track.
The whole set-up first made its debut in Cologne, Germany as part of Gamescom 2011 where European GT3 champion Christopher Mies was on-hand to present the machine to the awestruck audience.
There are plenty of simulators out there that we’d love to own, but there’s nothing quite like this. Imagine having an Audi R8 LMS sitting as the centerpiece of your game room.
How is it that a video game trailer can garner so much attention, even for those people who wouldn’t be able to tell the difference between an Xbox 360 and a microwave oven?
Well, if you’re a certifiable gearhead with no interest whatsoever in video games, the answer lies within the trailer itself. A few fleeting snapshots of what is arguably one of the most hotly-anticipated cars of the year: the 2012 Porsche 911 Carrera S.
For some, the trailer itself has taken a backseat to the shots of the still-to-be-revealed Porsche sports car, which pretty much tells you just how big of a deal this machine is. Heck, we ran a separate post about the trailer and we’re doing another one just because the 911 Carrera S is in it.
The game itself lends certain promise to some pretty action-packed game play, one that involves a cool storyline of racing for your life from San Francisco to New York. But the real prize of this 98-second video are the few times we see the next-generation 911 Carrera S. If you’re not too careful with your eyes, you might even miss it. But if you pay attention, you’ll notice a few elements of the Carrera S that are worth taking notes on, including shots of the 911’s new headlight set-up and what appears to be vents on the rear of the car. The rest of the sneak peaks involve the 911 Carrera S in racing action so that in itself is a monumental task even for the most eagle-eyed viewer.
The good thing about it is that we won’t have to wait too long to see the car in all its glory because it’s set to be revealed at the 2011 IAAs. But if you’re the type with limited amounts of patience, then we suggest you that you watch this video over and over again to get your 2012 911 Carrera S fix.
One thing to keep in mind is the fact that drinking and driving is highly illegal and dangerous. Drinking and driving in your home arcade, on the other hand, is a lot of fun. The Octane 120 Pro Beer Arcade brings together two exciting pieces of any home arcade; a driving simulator and built in kegerator. The all in one system can be fully customized to fulfill the customer’s wants and needs.
The main components include a fully adjustable steering wheel and seat, an in dash beer tap, full HD projector, and a variety of different gaming machines. The innovative platform allows for different PC gaming setups and Playstation systems to be used. Dream Arcades will also configure the system to run over 200 racing video games straight from the arcade. The simulation provided by this system may not be as advanced as other high end units on the market, but it does include a metal gas, clutch, and brake pedal setup with variable resistance. Furthermore, the steering wheel features dual motor force feedback for realistic driving conditions. After all this may be the only place where you can grip a full size leather wrapped steering wheel and pour yourself a beer at the same time.
Behind the racing bucket seat sits the heart of the party, a mini fridge with secondary tap on tap. The fridge can hold two 5-gallon or one half barrel keg to keep every thirsty driver hydrated. The Octane Pro can be built and delivered to your home in about four weeks. Current prices without shipping and handling will run about $6,000. Contact Dream Arcades at 916-761-6925 for more information.
As if all of its titles aren’t enough, the Need for Speed franchise is coming out with yet another video game for video game junkies to get their much-needed fix.
The latest title is called ’Need for Speed: The Run’, and is scheduled to hit shelves on November 15th of this year. While carrying the same NFS title as all other of its contemporaries, The Run will be different in such a way that you play the character of Jack, a man on the run - hence the title - that participates in a number of races from San Francisco to New York. The choices of exotics at Jack’s disposal will be based depending on what’s available at a given time, but the roster of supercars that are scheduled to be included in the game are the Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, the just-released Lamborghini Aventador, and even the still-to-be-unveiled 2012 Porsche 911 that’s been penciled in to debut in Frankfurt this coming September.
As a preview of what to expect when the game hits the shelves, Need for Speed has released a pretty spectacular trailer of their new game, one that should make fans of the franchise extremely anxious for the game to be released.
After releasing the official trailer of the "DiRT 3 - Racing never stops" game just last month, execs are already planning their next monetary attack by releasing a new package for the game. The new Monte Carlo pack is supposed to offer gamers another impressive racing experience, but will come with a $10 price tag.
The new Monte Carlo Track Pack features eight additional Rally stages featuring the dramatic climbs, descents, and hairpins of snowy mountain roads. Gamers will be able to race through the Alps and conquer the legendary Col de Turini pass in single player, split screen, and online multi player.
The new game is now available from Xbox Live Marketplace, Games For Windows Marketplace (800 MSP), and Playstation Network. Depending on the market, the new pack is priced at $9.99, £6.2, or €7.99.
NASCAR fans everywhere know the name Jimmie Johnson rather well, but for those that don’t, Johnson is an American NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race car driver. He currently drives for Hendrick Motorsports and is preparing his Panamera Hybrid for competition. And as if that wasn’t enough, the race car driver has also taken time to develop a new kart game: "Anything with an Engine."
This isn’t your usual NASCAR game, but the title is rather explicative of what the idea behind it is. The fun little kart game allows gamers to drive anything with an engine and provides an arsenal of weapons to help the racer get to the finish line. Boost, missiles, and land mines, among other things, are used to take out the other players in the best of three rounds and players can even get creative with a slew of characters and crazy colors to personalize their driving experience.
Jimmie Johnson’s "Anything with an Engine" is expected to be released later in the summer of 2011 for the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, and Nintendo Wii. We’ll pass along more details as soon as they become available.
The Nintendo 3DS is cool for a number of reasons. One, it’s hand-held, which means that you can play it anywhere and at anytime. Two, it’s the first hand-held video game unit that boasts of 3D technology, and those that have the 3DS have had nothing but praise for all the 3D awesomeness they enjoy.
And now, die-hard fans of Formula One will be happy to know that F1 2011, the sequel to the BAFTA award-winning F1 2010 game, is getting prepped to have versions for both the 3DS and the Sony’s successor to the PSP, the NGP. The 3DS and the NGP joins the Playstation 3, the Xbox 360, and PC as available consoles where F1 2011 can be played in. As it stands, the game is scheduled to drop in stores starting September 20, 2011.
While it should make for some pretty exciting racing with all these consoles, the 3DS version is what’s looking to be the most interesting of the lot. Watching a Formula One race in 3D is one thing, but actually playing a game that supports the same high-tech format is a completely different thing.
As part of the game, players will be tasked to compete in a wide rage of competitive and co-operative multiplayer components, including a career mode that puts you in the driver seat of one of the fastest machines on the planet going nose-to-nose with the official teams and race drivers of the 2011 FIA F1 World Championship.
Needless to say, the 3DS version of the 2011 F1 game is what’s getting us all geeked up about it. September can’t come soon enough, can it?
The new DiRT 3 game has officially been launched, and to mark this occasion, Codemasters has released a new trailer showcasing the breadth of content to feature in the new game. The ’World of Racing’ trailer features DiRT 3’s wide range of game modes, from traditional Rally to innovative freestyle Gymkhana events, plus Trailblazer, and multi-car Head 2 Head, Land Rush and Rallycross stages. DiRT 3 will boast more cars, more locations, more routes, and more events than any other game in the series.
Gamers will be able to experience rally stages in Europe, Africa, and the US. DiRT 3’s extensive online gameplay features for consoles are enabled with a VIP Pass, the access code for which is included in each retail box shipped.
The game can be played on lots of platforms, including Xbox 360, PLAYSTATION 3, and PC Games For Windows LIVE.
As avid video gamers that have a preference for whatever form of high-octane, four-wheeled racing action, we still have a soft spot for the down-and-smoky world of DiRT 3. The latest installment of the game isn’t scheduled to hit stores until May 24, 2011, but we’re already getting some good preview videos of what to expect when the time comes for us to part ways with our hard-earned money.
You certainly won’t confuse this game for the posh and shiny world of Gran Turismo 5, but what you do get is plenty of smoke, burning tires, and off-the-rails action. To give us an idea of what to expect in the game, resident drifters Ken Block and Tanner Foust - or at least their virtual likeness - slide their drift-ready Ford Fiestas through a make-shift course.
Interested in shredding your tires while performing burnouts for hours? DiRT 3 will give you all that and more when the game drops next week. For now, you can check out the video of Block and Foust doing what they do best.
