Sports

If there's one kind of game motion control systems should get perfectly, it's sports simulations. The idea of Motion Sports (adding realistic visuals to a Kinect-powered sports game) is solid, but the execution leaves a lot to be desired.

According to our reviewer Jason D'Aprile,

"Even under ideal circumstance, the game’s responsiveness is a constant issue and at least partially broken. It’s possible that Ubisoft might figure out a way to patch these issues in the future, but even then you’d just be left with a second-string Wii (or Kinect) Sports knockoff.

Check out our Motion Sports Review.

According to video game industry analyst Doug Creutz, Tony Hawk: Shred sold only around 3,000 copies in the last week of October, a dismal performance for any game, but a particularly dismal performance for a game bearing the name of skater Tony Hawk.

According to Eric Hirshberg, CEO of Activision Publishing, there may be hope for the beleaguered Shred. He pointed out to Gamasutra that The Ellen DeGeneres Show has just named Shred as one of the top gifts for the holiday season,

“There’s hopefully a method to that madness,” he says. “For the first time we’re targeting that game to kids. It’s a gift-oriented game, but, that said, we need to build awareness for the game still. … I think you’ll hopefully see a bigger ramp-up as we get further into the gift giving season."

Hey, remember when Tony Hawk games were eagerly awaited and generally awesome titles? I do... I haven't played Shred yet, so perhaps it's a largely overlooked gem, but I wouldn't put any money on it...

Source: Gamasutra

In partnership with Sony, Gran Turismo developer Polyphony Digital will launch its popular GT Academy racing competition in the United States. Registration for the program, which will give Gran Turismo 5 players the chance to go from the virtual driver’s seat to the professional racing circuit, begins December 6, and the competition officially begins December 20.

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You might think you know everything there is to know about Jake "Sporto" Gaskill, but I bet you didn't know that he ran last year's New York Marathon in three hours and forty-three minutes. Jake is the obvious choice to give you tips, tutorials and an overview of Kinect Sports. Check it out in the video below:

It's no surprise that Electronic Arts puts Madden games out on every conceivable platform, but today, EA revealed the first details of Madden NFL Footbal for the 3DS. The 3D Madden game will be released in the first half of 2011. Although it was originally revealed at E3 2010, these are the first official, concrete details we've heard about the game.

Madden NFL Football for the 3D Nintendo will feature all 32 NFL teams, and game modes from your usual 11-on-11 gridiron action, to a more arcade-like 5-on-5 mode as well as season mode. 3DS-specific features promise action that will "jump off the screen with 3D graphics," such as “Spotlight Moments” and “Call Your Shots."  “Call Your Shots” allows users to draw their own plays, on-the-fly, directly on the screen.

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Today is day 16 of our 5-Star Game a day sweepstakes, where G4tv.com gives away only the greatest, most awesome, totally five-star video games to our readers. Today's game is NBA 2K11.

Our NBA 2K11 review is an unqualified love-letter to the basketball simulator:

“2K11 is not only the best basketball game I've ever played, it's one of the best sports games I've ever played, and a serious contender for Game of the Year.” 

In other words: Five Stars! We're giving away five copies, so enter the contest and cross your fingers.

It's amazingly easy to enter. Just visit our five-star game contest page, check out the rules, fill out the form, and hit "send." We'll take care of the rest

Today is day 15 of our 5-Star Game a day sweepstakes, where G4tv.com gives away only the greatest, most awesome, totally five-star video games to our readers. Today's game is FIFA Soccer 11!

Our FIFA Soccer 11 review sums up the joys of the epic sports simulator:

“FIFA Soccer 11 is the gold standard for the soccer experience in gaming. It's rare that you'll find a game that's this deep, this entertaining, this customizable, and just flat out fun, to boot.”

In other words: Five Stars! We're giving away five copies, so enter the contest and cross your fingers.

It's amazingly easy to enter. Just visit our five-star game contest page, check out the rules, fill out the form, and hit  "send." We'll take care of the rest

An argument over a game of Madden turned deadly in Kansas late last week. According to police, on Thursday night, four "friends" were chilling out and playing Madden on the PlayStation 3 when a fight broke out. When the dust settled, Luke German, 22, was dead on the front lawn, and his three friends were wanted by police. 

According to Lt. Ken Landwehr, head of the Wichita Police Department's homicide section, German died of "severe internal injuries" consistent with being kicked, punched and perhaps struck by a pipe. He was taken to a hospital, but died shortly thereafter.

As for the motive: "Somebody was accused of cheating," Landwehr said. Obviously, this is the worst reason to kill someone ever, except, maybe religion.

Two suspects were arrested immediately in the case, while a third, Benjamin Redgate, was just picked up this morning. That's Redgate in the photo to the right.

Source: 

Kansas.com

Today is day eleven of our 5-Star Game a day sweepstakes, where G4tv.com gives away only the greatest, most awesome, totally five-star video games to our readers. Today's game is: NHL 11!

Our NHL 11 review sums up the hockey simulator's awesomeness well:

“EA Canada has really amped up the fun quotient with NHL 11, focusing on getting the balance right between gameplay and presentation, between difficulty and simplicity. The result is the most satisfying hockey videogame experience to date."

In other words: Five Stars! We're giving away five copies, so enter the contest and cross your fingers.

It's amazingly easy to enter. Just visit our contest page, check out the rules, fill out the form, and hit  "send." We'll take care of the rest.

We wanted the real story on how the EA Sports MMA video game compares to actual mixed martial arts, so we caught up with some of the toughest hombres in the sports world -- King Mo, Randy Couture, and Fedor Emelianenko -- and chopped it up about how Electronic Arts' fighting title compares to really busting faces in the MMA ring.

Check it out in the video below:

Starting with Pong, evolving through Dr. J and Larry Bird Go One On One and Madden, and arriving at the wide array of choices available to today's gamer, sports games have been a significant and historic part of the industry. Without them, we wouldn't likely have seen the boom in overall gaming that we see today. However, even with that type of pedigree, sports games often get short shrift among hardcore gamers, though sales numbers show that Average Joe and his friends are playing them with more frequent fervor than ever before.

If that's the case, then where is the disconnect between the two? It's easy to say that people who play games aren't necessarily those who are inclined to like sports, but there's more of a crossover than you might think. There's also a stigma attached to sports games and sports gamers, coloring them as somehow casual or inept. All you need to do is get schooled by someone who really knows these very complicated games to know that they're anything but casual.

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Electronic Arts just announced that the PlayStation 3 and 360 version of cartoony, baskeball throwback game NBA Jam will be available in stores worldwide November 17. According to the company, the game will be in high definition and feature online play. Did you hear that? Online play. Like over your modem! (Okay, more like on the PlayStation Network and Xbox Live.)

At launch, gamers will be able to play Classic 2-on-2 online, and in December, the online features will expand through a free title update for connected gamers. In December, Jam fans will be able to team-up locally and online to compete in Remix Games, including classic arcade hoop games like Backboard Smash, Domination Free-for-All, Elimination, and 21.

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I don't really count myself among the many who find clowns to be terrifying. Even after seeing Killer Clowns From Outer Space as a kid, they never really freaked me out that much. However, if I ever have kids, I won't let them within 10 miles of Extremo the Clown & his Never Never Van, as he might be the creepiest clown around. Good news though, you can get to know him a little better from a safe distance on FilmDrunk's podcast.

• This week on the FilmDrunk podcast, meet Extremo the Clown, the man with the scariest van on the planet. [FilmDrunk]

• Get in some quality GTL on Jersey Shore, the RPG. [CollegeHumor]

• Here are 6 reasons Weird Al is still relevant. [UnrealityMag]

• 25 photos of celebrities in high school sports photos. [Manofest]

G4's resident sports-game nut Michael D'Alonzo has wrapped his controllers around the new version of NBA Jam for the Nintendo Wii in order to bring you a review. Let's have a taste of what Mike is cooking:

"NBA Jam is a lovely little throwback for those who were fans of the original game, and they will be the ones who will get the most out of this. That's not a bad thing, and you have to give EA props for adding depth to a game that was very one-note in its original iteration."

He's on fire! (Not literally.) Anyway, read the rest of our NBA Jam review.

In an interview with ESPN, NBA Jam creative director Trey Smith revealed which stunt/celebrity characters you can unlock in the lighthearted basketball game. Here are just some of the famous ballers you'll be able to play:

• The Beastie Boys.
• President Obama, Joe Biden, Bill and Hillary Clinton, and Al Gore, all playing for an unlockable Democratic party team.
• George W. Bush, Sarah Palin, John McCain, and Dick Cheney playing for the Republicans.

"Dick Cheney has the Darth Vader snarl. Obama makes some great faces, and the politician dunk faces are some of the best dunk faces in the entire game," Smith said. "Sarah Palin is hilarious in the game. She has a beehive haircut and a helicopter dunk that is just awesome. She also makes some pretty funny faces in the photos."

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