Coffee Beans
What do tennis greats Pete Sampras and Andre Agassi have in common with Mario? Well, they all have at least one tennis video game with their name in the title. Mario Tennis was originally released for the Nintendo 64 on August 28, 2000 in the U.S. The game was developed by Camelot and published by Nintendo, and received an ESRB rating of "Everyone" with no content listed for gamers and parents to be aware of.
The game was re-released on the Virtual Console in the U.S. on June 28, 2010 and cost 1,000 Nintendo Points, or $10, to download. The game features 16 different Nintendo characters, and marked the first Nintendo game that Waluigi appeared in.
How many hours have U.S. Wii owners spent serving up aces in Mario Tennis on the Virtual Console? Let's take a look!
Coffee Beans Red Steel 2 has been out on the Wii for more than 2 years now. It was developed by Ubisoft's Paris studio, and published by Ubisoft. The game did have at least one U.S. commercial for advertising (I think maybe even two), and the game released with two versions being available for purchase.
One was the software only version for $49.99, and the second version was $59.99 and included a Wii MotionPlus unit which is required to play the game. Both versions have seen big price drops since they released, like most games do. The software only version can now be found for under $20 where available, and the Wii MotionPlus bundled version, while harder to find directly from retailers, can be found for around $30.
Did Wii owners enjoy Red Steel 2? What do the reported game-play hours for the game show, and can we draw any conclusions? Let's take a look!
Coffee Beans WWE '12 released on November 22, 2011 for the Wii with a MSRP of $49.99. The game was developed Yuke's Future Media Creators, and published by THQ.
It received an ESRB rating of "Teen" with "Blood, Language, Mild Suggestive Themes, Violence" listed as content for gamers and parents to be aware of.
How many hours have Wii owners reported wrestling in the digital rings of WWE '12, with 181 days of game-play reported? Let's take a look!
Notice the Wi-Fi Logo. Official box art, or fake box art? Maybe officially fake?
Coffee Beans
"Would a 3DS redesigned with two circle pads make you more likely to purchase the system...or perhaps trade your current 3DS system in for an 'upgrade'?", was a question I asked last year in my April Fools post.
In the last few weeks there have been a few events with Nintendo's handheld lineup, and a current situation with the Nintendo 3DS at one major retailer, that leads me to believe Nintendo will be revealing a new 3DS system at/before E3 this year. Is the evidence clearly pointing to a new Nintendo 3DS design soon to be unveiled? Or, is it too much analyzing and perhaps not enough coffee on my part? Let's take a look!
Coffee Beans
Today, May 25, 2012 marks 35 years since the original Star Wars movie was released, which is now officially titled Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope. I have stated in the past that I'm a pretty big Star Wars fan, and Mrs. Coffee enjoys the movies and SW universe as well. She puts up with all the Star Wars adventures around the house, even if I sometimes think I hear the words "There is no escape!" muttered from her mouth!
Earlier this month, on May the 4th, I went with our sons in the backyard to play, only that day we were equipped with some Star Wars gear. I just happened to have a camera (or two) nearby, and captured some of the adventures, and then had some fun with the footage. Here is my first non-official official Star Wars fan movie:
So, since today marks 35 years since the original Star Wars movie was released, I also thought it would be a great day to look at some Star Wars video game data, and the chosen game is LEGO Star Wars: The Complete Saga. How many hours have U.S. Wii owners spent in the digital galaxy far, far away since it was released a few years ago? Let's take a look!
Coffee Beans
When did Monster Hunter Tri (MHT) release? Well, if you travel back in time to the near distant past and land on April 20, 2010 in the U.S., you could find yourself in a retail store picking up a brand new copy of Monster Hunter Tri that very day (or, waiting for it to arrive by mail like I was). If you don't know/remember, MHT released with two versions. The "Standard" version was just the game for $49.99, but there was also a Classic Controller Pro bundle, game and controller, with a MSRP of just $59.99.
The game received an ESRB rating of "Teen" with "Blood, Use of Alcohol, Violence" listed as content for gamers and parents to be aware of, and was developed and published by Capcom.
When I was writing 2011's "A Year's Worth of Data" report, the game had already seen several price drops and could be found for under $30 for the software only version. Fast forward to 2012 now, and MHTcan be found for under $20 on Amazon.com and retailers like GameStop.
How many hours over the last 2 years have U.S. residents reported hunting monsters? Let's take a look!
Upon searching for video game deals I stumbled upon a title that read, "At Least 50% Off PlayStation 3 Games and Gear". Now, like many of you perhaps, my first thought was, "I wonder what garbage games and gear they are trying to get rid of?" So, out of curiosity I clicked the link, and found over 90 PlayStation 3 games and accessories listed, and many of the games were released within the last year. Also, many of the games on sale were well received by "professional" reviewers, and by gamers.
So, if you're hunting for some bargain prices on newer PS3 games, you might want to start here, 50% Off PS3 Deals.
Without even clicking the link above, you can see four of the games being offered for at least 50% off right now below:
Coffee Beans
So, a little bird just dropped off some more video game deals being offered up by GameStop in my email. The title of the email? "Best Coupon of the Year - Buy 2 Games Save $25". Is it really the "best coupon" of the year? I don't know, but it's definitely not a bad deal if you're in the market for two new games.
That's right, the deal is "Buy two in-stock games priced $59.99 or more and save $25 off your total.", so that's basically a 10% 20% savings.
So, if any of you saw my post from earlier today about Dragon's Dogma and Ghost Recon: Future Soldier releasing today, and you plan on picking up both games new, make sure to save yourself some money if possible. The link above is just one way.
Coffee Beans
Today, gamers in the U.S. see two big game releases, those being Dragon's Dogma and Ghost Recon: Future Soldier. Dragon's Dogma was released on the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 today, with a MSRP of $59.99. It was developed and published by Capcom, and received an ESRB rating of "Mature" with "Blood and Gore, Partial Nudity, Suggestive Themes, Violence" listed as content for gamers and parents to be aware of. You can read its full ESRB rating description HERE. Ghost Recon: Future Soldier's development was led by Ubisoft Paris, with that studio focusing on the game's solo and co-operative campaigns. Ubisoft Red Storm focused on the game's adversarial multiplayer mode, while Ubisoft Romania provided a lot of development support throughout the development time. The game was of course published by Ubisoft, and received an ESRB rating of "Mature" with "Blood, Intense Violence, Strong Language" listed as content for gamers and parents to be aware of. You can read its full ESRB rating description HERE.
If you are perhaps thinking, "Coffee, I'm not sure which one of these games would interest me.", well I have provided trailers for both games below the break. Take a look!
Coffee Beans Rayman Origins released on November 15, 2011 in the U.S. on the Wii with a MSRP of $49.99. The game was a multi-console release, also releasing on the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 the same day; then on February 15th this year the game released on the PlayStation Vita. The game has also released on the PC in March, and next month on June 5th it will be releasing on the Nintendo 3DS.
The game was developed by Ubisoft's Montpellier studio, and it received an ESRB rating of "Everyone 10+" with "Comic Mischief, Mild Cartoon Violence, Suggestive Themes" listed as content for gamers and parents to be aware of.
Just how many hours have Wii owners spent in the Glade of Dreams with Rayman and friends (and fiends) since November? Let's take a look!
Coffee Beans
So, a little bird just dropped off some deals that video game retailer GameStop is offering up. Does GameStop really love you? Well, that's up for debate, but there's no debating they love your money, and want more of it. Check out the latest deals GameStop is offering up below, and let us know if you think any are worth grabbing!
Coffee Beans The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Swordwas released on November 20, 2011 with a few versions of the game being available for purchase. The standard version had/has a MSRP of $49.99, while the special/limited edition Gold Wii Remote Plus bundle had a MSRP of $69.99.
The game was developed by Nintendo's EAD studio, and it received an ESRB rating of "Everyone 10+" with "Animated Blood, Comic Mischief, Fantasy Violence" listed as content for gamers and parent to be aware of.
We first looked at Skyward Sword's reported game-play hours when they debuted back on November 28, 2011. Just how many hours have U.S. Wii owners reported playing Skyward Sword since it released, and the last report? Let's take a look!
Coffee Beans Jett Rocket was released through Nintendo's WiiWare service on June 28, 2010 at a $10 price point. The game was developed and published by Shin' en Multimedia and is classified as a "3D Action Adventure" for 1 player.
The game received an ESRB rating of "Everyone" with "Mild Cartoon Violence" listed as the only content for gamers and parents to be aware of.
How many hours have U.S. Wii owners reported playing Jett Rocket with 686 days of game-play reported, and what is the first hilarious (to me anyway) search result when searching "Jett Rocket" on a famous online retailer? Let's take a look!
Coffee Beans LEGO Harry Potter: Years 5-7 was released in the U.S. on November 11, 2011 with a MSRP of $49.99. The game was a multi-console release, finding its way on the other home consoles as well as portable systems. It was developed by Travellers Tales, and published by Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment.
The game received an ESRB rating of "Everyone 10+" with "Cartoon Violence, Comic Mischief" listed as content for parents and gamers to be aware of.
Just how many hours have Wii owners reported flying around Hogwarts in the last 6 months since the game released? Let's take a look!
Coffee Beans
What's terrific about Tuesday? Well, it's time to list some games that are on sale, and cover new games that are releasing this week!
Today, gamers in the U.S. see two big releases, those being Max Payne 3 and Diablo III. Max Payne 3 was released on the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, and PC with a MSRP of $59.99. It was developed mainly by Rockstar's Vancouver studio, and published directly by Rockstar Games. Max Payne 3 is classified as a "third-person shooter", and the game received an ESRB rating of "Mature". The "M" rating, as listed by the ESRB, is for "Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Partial Nudity, Strong Language, Strong Sexual Content, Use of Drugs and Alcohol", so lots of content for parents and gamers to be aware of. Diablo III was released today for the PC and Mac platforms with a MSRP of $59.99 as well. The game was developed and published by Blizzard Entertainment, which is a subsidiary of Activision. It is classified as an "Action role-playing, hack and slash, dungeon crawl", and Diablo III received an ESRB rating of "Mature" with "Blood and Gore, Violence" listed as content for gamers and parents to be aware of.
Are there any video game deals worth looking at today? I have a few after the jump:
Coffee Beans Fortune Street was released in the U.S. on December 5, 2011 with a MSRP of $49.99. The game was developed by Square Enix, and published in the U.S. by Nintendo. Fortune Street has a local multiplayer option for 1-4 players, as well as online multiplayer, and it is classified as a "Board Game" by Nintendo. The game received an ESRB rating of "Everyone" with "Comic Mischief" listed as the only content for parents and gamers to be aware of.
How many hours have Wii owners reported playing Fortune Street in the last several months, and does it appear to be fortunate for Nintendo? Let's take a look!
During the last several months while I was editing videos together, Mrs. Coffee took up a new hobby by accident. How do you take up a new hobby by accident? Well, Mrs. Coffee was talking with our neighbor, and thought our neighbor said she had learned how to knit on YouTube. So, my wife came home and was curious about it, and looked up how to knit on YouTube. She started by knitting an octopus, and then she knitted me something, keeping it a surprise until it was finished.
Coffee Beans Xenoblade Chronicles was finally released in the United States on April 6, 2012 with a retail price of $49.99. The game was developed by Monolith Soft, and published by Nintendo. Xenoblade Chronicles received an ESRB rating of "Teen" with "Blood, Mild Language, Partial Nudity, Use of Alcohol and Tobacco, Violence" listed as content for parents to be aware of.
How many hours did Wii owners report playing Xenoblade Chronicles in the first 3 weeks after its release? Let's take a look!
Coffee Beans
It has been 3 full months since a post here on CoffeeWithGames, and basically 5 full months since I was posting on a regular basis. What's been happening?
Well, in January I installed a new graphics card and power supply in my computer, after I received Star Wars: The Old Republic as a gift. The installation of the graphics card and power supply went smoothly, and they are still in my PC (though the GPU almost sounds like my PS3 sometimes...LOUD).
After I installed the new GPU and PSU, I started playing Star Wars: The Old Republic, and for about the first 2 weeks everything was going well, though I was noticing something odd with my PC. Hard-drive space was randomly vanishing. My HDD went from I think 50+ GB, to zero, in the 2 weeks I was playing The Old Republic. I was getting pop-up warning messages about my HDD space being at zero, and my PC's performance would slow way down.
I uninstalled Star Wars: The Old Republic, and when I restarted my PC, magically the 50+ GB of data reappeared instantly along with the game's required HDD space. After searching the game's forums and doing internet searches for the issue, there was only one post I found that another player was having the same issue, and that player was in Europe. Since then though, I have seen a few more HDD posts pop-up on different forums, though nobody seems to really know why the game is causing HDD issues.
What does that have to do with posting on CoffeeWithGames? Well, as many of you know, I did lots of data posts by watching games on the Wii's Nintendo Channel. I would record data each week by video capture, and those recordings were usually 1-2GBs in size, and that wasn't counting any trailer clips I would try to find and/or game-play footage I would randomly record. Trying to resolve The Old Republic issues in January and no HDD space, meant no data posting.
Then February rolled around and I had gotten busy with some business connections, doing lots of video editing, so after I had resolved the HDD space, I was then using it for capturing/editing new videos and sending them out (non-game related). February's only post was on my 2011 Video Games Resolution, and then NOTHING...until now.
What exactly will the future of CoffeeWithGames be? Well, there will be some data posts, as there have been a few games to debut in the last several months that I was watching, and there may be a new video feature...but that remains to be seen. So, CoffeeWithGames has been slow roasting for the last several months, but I do plan on getting it back up and going, though maybe not quite as often as it was before with as many posts.
If you're wondering, "Well, Coffee have you been playing any games?" The answer is pretty simple, not really. It's been basically only Star Wars: The Old Republic back in January, and then I played Rayman Origins for about 30 minutes at the end of February, when we were actually on a family vacation. I still have two games I received as Christmas gifts that haven't even been opened!
Anyway, CWG isn't going away, but it's in a weird transition right now until I can figure out the best way to do things with the data posts, and perhaps adding new features on a more regular basis.
As for now, I'll leave you with one video I edited together back in January, having some fun with our oldest son. WARNING: Turn your volume down before pressing play! (I failed to adjust the audio in the editing program correctly!)
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