No one would have thought that a boy who nearly didn’t graduate school would grow up to be the man who created a game series as involved as Pokemon. As a young boy, Satoshi Tajiri was obsessed with insect collecting to the point that other children called him “Dr. Bug.” He wanted to go on to become an entomologist. However, as Japan was increasingly becoming urbanized, he felt that others would never have the opportunity to chase bugs as he did. The character of Ash Ketchum is based on Tajiri’s childhood; in fact, he is called Satoshi in Japan.

Having become obsessed with video games, his parents actually believed he was a delinquent. Tajiri eventually disassembled his Famicom to see how it worked. The Famicom is known in the west as the NES. He also won a contest sponsored by Sega for video game ideas.

Through all of this, he nearly didn’t graduate after cutting classes. Though his father wanted him to work at the Tokyo Electric Power Company, Tajiri ended up studying electronics at the Tokyo National College of Technology. When he was still a teenager, he had been writing a fanzine called Game Freak. Ken Sugimori, who fans might know as the gentleman who drew the original 151 Pokemon, found it in a doujinshi shop. Game Freak, in association with Nintendo, would later be the name for the game studio that produced the Pokemon video games.

By 1990, Tajiri had thought up the first Pokemon game concepts. After seeing the Game Boy link cable, he figured that one could do much more with it than simply play a game against a friend. Pokemon Red and Green, which would eventually be called Red and Blue in the west, took six years to develop. They nearly drove Game Freak into bankruptcy.

It got so bad that it was actually difficult for Game Freak to pay their employees at the time. Creatures Inc., a subsidiary of Nintendo, provided the funding to finish the games. Though some believed that the Game Boy platform was dieing, the stories of the shady Pokemon Mew were more than enough to provide publicity for the game. In fact, Nintendo wasn’t even aware of Mew’s existence at first.

Of course, the original games also became quite famous for a few glitches. Perhaps foremost among these was MissingNo., which had the famous ability to duplicate the sixth item in one’s inventory. While Nintendo technically encouraged people not to search it out, it was this sort of thing that has helped Pokemon to maintain it’s legendary status.

The latest instalment of the Pokemon series – Pokemon Black and White is out in March 2011.

About the Author

John writes articles about video games and gaming. Buy the new Pokemon Black and White game of find out more about the history of Pokemon.

Arcades have been a mainstay in children’s lives since the beginning of the 1980′s. From gorillas with barrels to futuristic computer programs riding lighted cycles, young adults have dreamt of travelling to these lands and being a part of all the action just by the smashing of some buttons and the movements of joysticks. Below is a just a sample of some of the greatest arcade games to have ever existed. 

Donkey Kong

The main concept or idea of an Italian plumber scaling a construction site to rescue a damsel in distress from the grip of a monster gorilla is completely absurd. The actions required to rescue this woman, however, have tantalized the world for over three decades and have cost youngsters and adults millions of dollars in quarters. This game also contributed to the introduction of Mario to the world. This plumber revolutionized home video games, spawned a vast array of video games and merchandise and destroyed good grades across the world because of countless hours of game play.

Pac Man

A pizza shaped icon with a slice missing being chased by ghosts while trying to eat up all of the pellets in a maze. The first sentence explains everything in describing the greatest arcade game in the history of the world and the most iconic character the video game industry has ever seen. Merchandise, spin off games and countless renditions have stapled this as the cornerstone of how to build and market a game to the public.

Robotron 2084 

The controls of the hero within this game were the biggest innovation to video games at the time of its release. There was no buttons and only two joysticks to work with. One joystick walked you around the entire platform while the other joystick fired your weapon at robots out to kill you. The whole time during this massive catastrophe off killing every robot imaginable, you had to rescue hostages from early demise. This game was incredibly hard and found that you would be more excited about surviving a level rather than passing it.

Space Invaders

Aliens attacking Earth. The only hope is a single ship with a single gun to destroy the enemy and restore peace to this planet. Simple premises are nice in video games and this was the cream of the crop. This game alone spawned the “shoot-em up” genre and set the bar high in doing it as well.

About the Author

Paul Gallen writes guides on gadgets, gaming and electronics. If there’s one thing Paul knows it’s gaming, so whether you want to know all about ps3 accessories and psp accessories or gaming on a nintendo ds or nintendo wii, Paul’s the man.

“How to get a free Xbox?” This is probably one of the most common questions you’ll hear from you guy friend the next time you talk about gaming consoles. Who wouldn’t want to have that high-end gaming console with no cost at all? Surely, even if you ask your mother if she wants a free gaming console, she’d surely say yes. And it goes on to everybody who knows what this baby from Microsoft can offer and can give right in the comforts of your home.

With provisions to hook it up to high-definition LCD TVs and a built-in hard drive, it really does sound good. But how to get a free Xbox? Here are some places you need to check to increase your chances of getting your own Xbox without spending.

1. Online Techie Contests – these are usually found in game sites, technology review sites and forums. Enter yourself and do their requirements! Ask your friends to vote for you (if applicable) and kiss your way to win that new HD gaming rig.

2. Through Referrals – OK, so you didn’t win. But don’t be frustrated – try hooking up to a new social networking site which offers points systems. Either they give out rewards or they give out cash. You just need to invite your friends to join you, put you as the referrer, and you get the payout. Choose your reward or choose cash. Then use that cash to buy your Xbox. No biggie.

3. Blog & Review – So it seems that your friends don’t want to join you. That’s OK. You can try applying as a game tester if you really want to play all day. They might even loan you a unit for you to bring home.

You see, ‘how to get a free Xbox’ doesn’t exactly mean ‘winning an Xbox’. You can also work for it and earn it with your own strategy. It might be tedious, but hey, you get to play your favorite Xbox games at home. And the best part is that you didn’t really pay for it.

For more information go to http://howtogetgamesfree.com

About the Author

Passion for video games. providing tips, tricks, and advice on how to get games free. pc games, video games, all about how to get games free

The holidays are here and that means that nation’s busiest shopping season is upon us once again. People want to know what’s hot, what will be at the top of kid’s wish lists and where to get them at. Video games and video game systems are always a big draw and the first on the list for any technologically savvy kid. This year there are a few video game systems that have gotten a lot of oohs and ahhs with gaming enthusiasts. These gaming consoles have added motion detection technology to their gaming system to enhance their video game playing experience. This season’s heavy hitters are Microsoft’s Xbox 360 Kinect, and the PlayStation 3 Move. Essentially following and expanding the footsteps of the Nintendo Wii, both video games have taken their own turn in the motion playing arena. The Xbox Kinect utilizes a camera and a microphone to detect voice commands and body movements to play games and controlling Xbox Live (Facebook, Netflix, Twitter, Zune, ESPN, etc…), basically making you the controller. While the PlayStation 3 Move has a hand controller similar to the Wii called a wand, which gives you a full range of motion to control how you play the game. Microsoft’s Xbox Kinect with Kinect Sports retails for $149.99, Walmart, GameStop and Amazon are offering console bundles (with a Xbox 360 Console, Kinect and bundled games) starting at $375.00. The Playstation 3 Move starts at $100 at most stores which include a wand, a camera and the Sports Champions game. Similarly priced bundles are also available at your local Target and Best Buy stores.

If your kids aren’t into the video game craze and may be a little younger, the Zhu-Zhu pet hamsters are back! These popular furry hamsters are back and they now have a line of hamsters to targeting boys. These new hamsters have names such as ‘Stonewall’ and ‘Duke’. Starting at about $10, these are more reasonably priced toys, and are also very popular and may be hard to find. They are available at Toys R ‘Us and other large department stores.

Happy Shopping!

About the Author

Best Buy, Espn, Facebook, Gamestop, kinect, microsoft, Move, Netflix, Nintendo Wii, playstation 3, playstation move, Target, Toys R ‘Us, Twitter, Walmart, xbox 360, xbox kinect, Zhu-zhu pet, Zune

This particular error is one of the most occurring problems on the Xbox 360 gaming console. You could just want to turn it on and find the error in bold white on your screen. This problem can really get you mad and not very happy until you troubleshoot it. And in this article I would show you how to do that easily.

The cause of the problem is actually overheating in the console. When your console begins to overheat it is prone to have this error. So in order not to let it develop you must keep your device from overheating.
The overheating problem can be as a result of poor ventilation in the place where the device is kept, excess heat within its console, over playing of the console and then the ineffectiveness of the heat sink and fans within the console to contend with the heat generated.

To take care of the overheating problem, this is what you should do; place the system in a place with proper ventilation to allow sufficient air enter into the console, dust the console daily to stop it from blocking the vents, reduce the number of playing hours and also get a fan fixed to the back of the console to blow air into the console to keep it cool by assisting the internal cooling system.

If that does not work then, you would have to send it over to Microsoft to fix the trouble which they would do for free if your warranty coverage is still available but if it is expired it will be repaired but for a sum that you would need to pay and you would have to wait for a period of about six weeks before you can get your console back.
Or simply get the Xbox 360 repair guide and do the fix yourself in less than an hour. It is easy and very accessible. All you need to do is to follow the step by step information provided within the guide.

About the Author

Is your xbox 360 having error? No big deal. You can discover the same strategies i used to fix my xbox 360 errors by clicking here: http://www.repairyourxbox360.com/

[Part of the Summer of Retro challenge of foray into the top titles on the Nintendo Game boy Advance. Check the Summer of Retro manifesto at the Handheld Gaming Age blog Summer of Retro is on]

What better way to kick off Summer Of Retro with my first dose of 2D Metroid? That’s right, I’ve only ever played Metroid in 3D as part of the Prime-series, which was published on Gamecube and later on the Wii.

Being the titular forth entry into the series, Metroid Fusion hit the Gameboy Advance back in 2002, and was met with high praise from both reviewers and fans. Let’s take a closer look and discover, if main character Samus Aran and her action adventure antics has held up against the test of time?

It has! The gameplay revolving around platforming, exploration and shooting hasn’t aged a day. Metroid Fusion might be categorized as an action adventure – but action is the main focus.
You’ll spend most of your time traversing the besieged Biologic Space Laboratories space station, negotiating adverse environments, fighting huge amounts of critters and looking for upgrades to Samus’ power suit, which increases both her armoury and opens up new areas of the space station.

Controls are tight and responsive; every death of our poor heroine is solely down to the player’s lack of ability. That said – Metroid fans back in the day found Fusion a bit on the easy side, compared to games in this day and age Fusion is definitely hardcore and will demand your attention.

The GBA is put to good use with a nice variety of sci-fi themed areas and special effects. Music and sound effects hit the mark for a GBA-title.

Samus’ fourth adventure is a good lengthy one; a first play through will net you around 10-12 hours entertainment. Five different endings beg for seconds, and the moody sci-fi story and setting does also ask to be visited more that just once.

Metroid Fusion is a perfect example of why the GBA still belongs in every handheld gamer’s collection – deftly designed gameplay and fantastic looks never loses its ability to entertain.

Verdict: Get it!

————

Verdict guide:

Get it – Ebay, Amazon or bargain bin – just find it! This game belongs in your collection.

Borrow – Not worth paying premium dollar for, but worth your time.

Never mind – Might’ve been great in its day, but now…. forget it.

Article originally appeared on the Handheld Gaming Age blog Summer Of Retro Entry #1 – Metroid Fusion

About the Author

Professional gamesjourno for several years. Loves everything in the handheld gaming scene. Follow my blogging on Handheld Gaming Age.

Everyone knows that the guns are a part of the ammunition in wars and fighting. Police, army, and other licensed combats utilize the guns and the shots fired are almost lethal. The popularity of the guns, but is quite high. Though these kinds of guns which are popular do not work with live bullets, they resemble the original versions to a very large extent.

The resemblance doesn’t end here. These bb guns are made in such a manner that they can also fire, but these bullets are steel or iron balls. In fact, the name of the bb guns came from the ball bearing term. These pellet firing guns are still used in various forms in many ways.

Initially, these bb guns were used to fire small sized pellets like the 4.5 mm ball bearings made of iron or steel. Later mass production of the steel balls was done when the sports started using the airsoft guns. Some companies took advantage of the popularity of these kinds of firing guns and started production of the pellets made of crushed steel. The range of the shots was also increased.

Initially on the discovery of the bb guns, the target practise in fairs and firing at balloons from close range was done in rifles. Even firing at birds in agricultural communities or other small wild animals was done with the airsoft guns which had principles of using the air to fire. Later on these guns were improvised to be used in various games whose firing range was increased.

Target practise in different army recruits and firing trainings were done by using these bb guns. Gradually, the mechanism of the gun was improved to make semi automatic and completely automatic weapons, greatly resembling the origins guns used in warfare. These were very easily famous as people had a fancy for the weapons. They started using batteries and electrical circuits to power the firings of the iron or steel bullets. Punch guns and water guns were also based on the principles of the bb guns.

Many sporting events which involve shootings are currently using the modern equipments based on the principles of these early guns. Mostly belonging to the category of airsoft which fires single bullets, these are quite popular. It is therefore clear that the guns are not only meant for fighting but can also be used for sporting activities. These are quite interesting and good until the firing is not meant to disrupt the skin or hurt anyone.

About the Author

The author of this article has been playing with BB guns for long and written various articles on the same. If you want to check out the latest BB gun, the best decision would be to visit http://bbgunsuk.co.uk.

If you are looking for a great way to make the money you spend on video games worthwhile, back up Xbox 360 games, or any game system games. Creating a back up of your games, videos and CDs can protect your investment and ensure years of use. True gamers spend a ton of money on video games every year, so creating backup copies can help make that investment go a long way. In the earlier days of game consoles the manufacturers would make you send out for a new game when yours became too damaged to play. Now we have ways around that to keep your games lasting a lifetime.
If you want to back up Xbox 360 games you will need a few things before getting started. A game copying software, like Game Copy Wizard or Game Copy Pro, are great affordable pieces of software to help you copy your games, CDs, and videos. You will also need a DVD burner and DVD burning software. Once your game copying software has been installed you can insert your 360 game, and run it with the software. The game copier then creates an ISO file of your game and saves it to your PC. Once that is completed all you have to do is burn that ISO file to a DVD, and you have your new copied game.
Always make sure the copying software you are using or purchasing is compatible with your gaming disc. Taking the risk without knowing for sure could damage your original disc and make it unplayable and not able to be copied.
AUTHOR BIO:

Author is a writer who specializes in SEO techniques and electronics. Want to learn how to back up Xbox 360 games? Check out this site for your guide on how to back up Xbox 360 games and all other games.

About the Author

Author is a writer who specializes in SEO techniques and electronics.

The unbelievably huge problem of failing XBOX 360 consoles has a lot of gamers looking for a good Red Ring of Death guide to provide them reliable way to fix their failed console on their own. The exorbitant cost of having your console repaired by Microsoft has reached a ridiculous $200 plus shipping, leaving many gamers with no other option but to fix the problem personally.

A major roadblock to success is that the vast majority of free information available online is quite unreliable, and can even permanently damage your XBOX 360. Are you willing to risk ruining your console by wrapping it in a towel and putting it into an oven? I didn’t think so.

This Red Ring of Death guide is meant to show you the 7 basic steps for permanently fixing your RRoD problems. Here they are:

• 1) Remove screws and open console housing
• 2) Carefully remove case fan shroud, then remove the fan itself
• 3) Disconnect and remove DVD transport
• 4) Disconnect and remove motherboard and power switch unit
• 5) Remove old GPU X-clamp and heat sinks (optional: wipe away old thermal paste and apply fresh thermal paste)
• 6) Install new GPU X-clamp
• 7) Reinstall components in reverse order removed

While these 7 basic steps are the core to fix your XBOX 360 permanently, it’s really best to grab an inexpensive Red Ring of Death guide prepared by electronics industry professionals to take you through all the details.

Using the above steps, I was able to fix my XBOX 360 RRoD problem in under an hour. The Red Ring of Death guide I bought was under $30, came with a color PDF, HD videos, an online members area, and even a 60-day money-back guarantee.

If the above info was helpful to you, you need to hurry over to my Red Ring of Death Guide page. That’s where I reveal the exact repair guide I used to get my XBOX 360 working in under an hour, plus I give you all the details and info you need to do the exact same thing! Good luck!

About the Author

Derek is an Internet Technologies Specialist and avid video gamer. He doesn’t recommend using a hammer to “fix” your XBOX 360, but suggests you first check out his Red Ring of Death Guide page.

Hello,

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Thanks chris

About the Author

james