PCA - National Coffee Day! Get free coffee.

Coffee Beans
This is a public coffee announcement. Saturday, September 29th, is National Coffee Day! Yes, that is correct, National Coffee Day is tomorrow!

McDonald's has been helping celebrate all week by giving away free small cups of coffee, and that will continue today and tomorrow for National Coffee Day.

I took advantage of a free coffee from McDonald's today, and enjoyed it earlier this afternoon (technically yesterday I guess, but I'm still awake *today*). So, if you don't work the weekends, but pass by a McDonald's and are feeling the need for a coffee boost, stop on by and they'll give you a coffee for no charge. It could be the morning cup to boost you through the day, or the afternoon cup of coffee to help you make it through the night!

I may be making another pass by a McDonald's on Saturday for National Coffee Day, and it may help me burn late into the night when I'm attempting to play a game, or two, from my Steam account.

Questions
Do any of you know other restaurants, coffee shops, gas stations, etc., giving away free cups of coffee tomorrow, and perhaps even today, like McDonald's is doing (and has done all week)?

Have you taken advantage of any free coffee offers this week, or are you planning to do so on National Coffee Day? Any plans this weekend for some video game playing that a few cups of coffee might help you make it through?

LEGO City: Undercover to feature multiplayer? Nintendo says no, then yes?

Coffee Beans
Other than the "Grounds for Celebration! Award - LEGO City: Undercover" post, I haven't seen this really talked or written about anywhere else, and I did "google" for it.

Apparently, LEGO City: Undercover is going to have a 2 player mutliplayer feature of some sort, though there was some confusion whether it did or didn't, apparently. Nintendo has not specified if the 2 player feature will be a local multiplayer mode, an online multiplayer mode, and/or perhaps even some multiplayer function with the 3DS system.

How did Nintendo representatives respond when asked if LEGO City: Undercover had any form of multiplayer, local or online? What was the reason for confusion on whether the game has multiplayer? Brew yourself some coffee, and let's take a look!

Grounds for Celebration! Award - LEGO City: Undercover

Coffee Beans
Did you see Nintendo of America's Wii U preview event? If not, you can watch the full conference as it happened, HERE. During the press event a few Wii U games had live gameplay demos (Nintendo Land and Call of Duty: Black Ops II), while many more were shown via trailers.

If you missed the, "New Feature - Grounds for Celebration! Award", post last week, in it I described this new feature briefly and said, "If I'm playing a game and I notice a coffee reference, or if perhaps I see a game with a coffee reference that I haven't even played or isn't even out yet, I'll try and give the game some attention with a 'Grounds for Celebration! Award'".

Well, it's time for the first Grounds for Celebration! Award, and if you missed the coffee reference during Nintendo's Wii U preview event, you can see it in the video below...in a slightly updated form:

LEGO City: Undercover was the only game during the conference that I can remember having a coffee reference. While the full trailer as seen in the video above was not shown during the conference, the coffee scene was. What was my reaction when the coffee reference was mentioned during the conference? "COFFEES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! GAME OF THE YEAR!!!!!"

Other than the trailer and screenshots in the video above, what else do we know about the game? What is one feature for the game that I don't think Nintendo has talked about yet? Brew yourself some coffee, and let's take a look!

Critics vs. Customers! Madden NFL 13 - PS3 & Xbox 360 Reviews Averages

Review score averages shown were captured around 5:00PM EST, on 9-24-12.

Coffee Beans
Did you know the Madden NFL video game series has been around for almost 25 years now, with a "new" Madden game being released basically every year since the series started?

Madden NFL 13 was released almost one month ago now, on August 28, 2012 for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. It released with a MSRP of $59.99 and received an ESRB rating of "Everyone" with no content listed for gamers or parents to be aware of. The game was developed by EA Tiburon, and published under Electronic Arts' EA Sports label.

One big new feature in Madden NFL 13 is the new physics engine in the game, the Infinity Engine, which is designed to make tackles and hits more authentic, and it tries to make sure "no two plays ever look or feel the same" in the game.

We are now 3 weeks into the the official NFL season, and we have almost a full month of "professional" critic reviews and customer reviews for Madden NFL 13 to look at. Have PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 players of Madden NFL 13 agreed with critics on the game? Brew yourself some coffee, and let's take a look!

Coffee Bean Counting: Are you planning to buy a Wii U day one?

Coffee Beans
The latest Coffee Bean Counting Poll closed Thursday, one week after the Nintendo Wii U preview events around the world. I tried to keep the question and answers pretty simple, but I was curious how the poll would end up since I get traffic here from a variety of sources, and I haven't done polls very often on the site.

If you have read some of the comments here or on other sites since the Wii U preview event last week, you may know that I have pre-ordered (reserved) a Wii U console, but I haven't clarified which one I went with yet. Did I choose to go with the Wii U Basic Set, or the Wii U Deluxe Set? Also, what were the poll results? Brew yourself some coffee, and let's take a look at the poll results!

Time for Wave Race Wii U? Time for Wave Race 64 - Data Report

Coffee Beans
What happens if you don't drink enough coffee? You may write a post with a "semi-caffeinated prediction" that ends up not being fulfilled. Or, you may miss links for your chance at a FREE PlayStation 3 game, Double Dragon: Neon, HERE, or even a FREE Wii U system HERE.

Wave Race 64 released on November 5, 1996 for the Nintendo 64 in North America. The game, like F-Zero X, was developed by Nintendo's EAD studio and published by Nintendo worldwide. Wave Race 64 was released again, digitally in North America, for the Wii's Virtual Console on August 6, 2007 at a price point of 1,000 Wii Points. The Virtual Console release received the updated ESRB rating of "Everyone" with no content listed for gamers or parents to be aware of.

Did you skip out on Wave Race 64, but have been interested in it? How many hours can you expect from Wave Race 64, at least according to the Nintendo Channel data? Brew yourself some coffee, and let's take a look!

Talk Like a Pirate? Play Like a Pirate! Sid Meier's Pirates! Data Report

Some of the finest buccaneers around!

Coffee Beans
Ahoy, me hearties! Sid Meier's Pirates! released for the Nintendo Wii on September 28, 2010 with a MSRP of $39.99. The game was developed by 2K China, Firaxis Games, and Virtuous and published by 2K Games. It received an ESRB rating of "Everyone 10+" with "Alcohol Reference, Mild Language, Mild Violence, Suggestive Themes" listed as content for gamers and parents to be aware of.

***Avast ye! Are ye looking for details on the Wii U and PS3 booty giveaway? Aye? Check me "Caffeinated Thoughts" section below! Savvy?***

A description for the game reads, "Overflowing with intense pirate action, Sid Meier's Pirates! features a treasure chest of gameplay riches, including the traditional mini games from the classic original such as Sword Fighting, Ship Combat and Dancing, as well as two brand new Wii exclusive mini games Bombardment and Lock Picking. In addition, the Wii version offers exclusive character and ship customization options."

How many hours have U.S. Wii pirates reported pillaging the seas in Sid Meier's Pirates! since the game released almost 2 years ago? Batten down the hatches, brew yourself some coffee, and let's take a look!

New Feature - Grounds for Celebration! Award

Coffee Beans
How many video games have coffee references in them? I don't know the exact number, but I have played a few over the last several years with some coffee references in them, even writing about and making a video for a Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 coffee item.  What is a "Grounds for Celebration! Award"?

The video above is a brief introduction of what will be a feature on Coffee with Games from time to time. If I'm playing a game and I notice a coffee reference, or if perhaps I see a game with a coffee reference that I haven't even played or isn't even out yet, I'll try and give the game some attention with a "Grounds for Celebration! Award".

Is Kirby's Dream Collection worth $40? What do Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards' hours suggest?

Coffee Beans
Is Kirby's Dream Collection: Special Edition worth its asking price of $39.99? Kirby's Dream Collection: Special Edition released just yesterday for the Wii and includes 6 classic Kirby games, challenge stages from the Wii title Kirby's Return to Dream Land (released just last year), a Kirby soundtrack CD, and a few other Kirby related items. The collection has a MSRP of $39.99, and received an ESRB rating of "Everyone 10+" with "Animated Blood, Cartoon Violence" listed as content for gamers and parents to be aware of.

Random Beans - If you own a PS3 and want the chance to win Double Dragon: Neon click HERE, if you are here for the Wii U system giveaway details, keep reading and you will find the details link in the "Caffeinated Thoughts" section below!

Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards is one of the 6 classic Kirby games in the Special Edition, and was originally released for the Nintendo 64 on June 26, 2000. The game was released again through the Wii's Virtual Console service on February 25, 2008 and is available to download for 1,000 Wii Points, which is $10. The Crystal Shards received an "Everyone" rating from the ESRB and has no content listed for parents and gamers to be aware of.

Have you purchased Kirby's Dream Collection and wondering how many hours to expect from it? Maybe you haven't bought Kirby's Dream Collection: Special Edition yet, but are curious as to how many hours you can expect from the Kirby games in it? Brew yourself some coffee, and let's take a look at how many hours you can probably expect to get out of one Kirby game included in it, Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards!

Wii U's Release Date, Price, Games, & Features - Caffeinated Thoughts

Coffee Beans
Nintendo's Wii U press conferences have come and gone like Bowser and the Princess at the beginning of a Mario game. Nintendo had press events in Japan, North America, and Europe on Thursday to detail the Wii U's release dates, prices, and games for those regions.

I like to let at least 24 hours pass after events before writing out my "final" thoughts on them, and with this I have allowed more than 72 hours for more details to surface. Being that I grind and brew my coffee in the U.S., this post will mainly be about the U.S. Wii U details.

What does a coffee addict think of Nintendo's Wii U system details revealed on Thursday (and since)? Brew yourself a few cups of coffee, take a look at the system details, and then some caffeinated thoughts!

The Brew
Nintendo announced the Wii U will release on November 18, 2012 with two console configurations to choose from. The White Wii U Basic Set with a MSRP of $299.99, and the Black Wii U Deluxe Set with a MSRP of $349.99.

A picture says a thousands words I've heard, so below are two images from the Wii U Facebook I put together for a side-by-side shot., which will show you the Wii U Basic Set and Wii U Deluxe Set launch bundles. Price, release date, and accessories included with each are shown. Take a look:

Click image to enlarge.

If you want the fully roasted text version of the images, here's what I have...

First up, the Wii U Basic Set consists of:

• A White Wii U console.
• A White Wii U GamePad.
• 8GB of internal storage memory.
• An AC adapter for the Wii U and GamePad.
• A high speed HDMI cable.
• A Wii U sensor bar.

Again, the White Wii U Basic Set has a MSRP of $299.99, and it should be clearly noted to all Wii U buyers, the Wii U Basic Set does not have a copy of Nintendo Land included.

Second, the Wii U Deluxe Set contains:

• A Black Wii U console.
• A Black Wii U GamePad.
• 32GB of internal storage memory.
• An AC adapter for the Wii U and GamePad.
• A high speed HDMI cable.
• A Wii U sensor bar.
• A GamePad Charging Cradle.
• A GamePad stand.
• A Wii U console stand.
• A physical copy of Nintendo Land.
• Deluxe Digital Promotion (only with the Deluxe Set).

As mentioned above, the Black Wii U Deluxe Set has a MSRP of $349.99. If it's not clear from the image and text (drink some coffee first), the extra $50 will get you a physical copy of Nintendo Land, 24GB of extra internal storage, the GamePad Charging Cradle and GamePad Stand, a Wii U console stand, and the Deluxe Digital Promotion which is a rewards type program for Wii U owners that might be purchasing digital content/games on the Wii U's eShop.

Caffeinated Thoughts
As the Nintendo event started up Thursday morning, my coffee was just starting to brew. When Reggie said, "Wii U arrives in U.S. stores in another 66 days.", I did the math super quick and knew November 18th before he even said it. My first thought was something like, "Call me Pachter! My prediction was wrong!"

While I originally thought releasing the Wii U on November 18th would be late and miss one key game launch this holiday season, I don't see it as a horrible. Why? Well, there was a report of production issues with the Wii U console (GamePad related) that makes me think Nintendo isn't worried about getting the Wii U out sooner, because more than likely the supply is going to very limited and will probably remain sold out during the holidays.

As for the prices of both Wii U bundles, I think they are $50 too much if they remain at those prices very long. I agree with Michael Pachter though, that Nintendo shouldn't have a problem at these prices during the holiday season, and it allows them to have some price drop room if they need it. That being said though, if you are planning on buying a Wii U during the launch this year I think the Black Wii U Deluxe Set is the best value, because of what is included with it.

On the games, I thought the demo of Metroid Blast from Nintendo Land was great, and showed good use of the Wii U GamePad's asymmetric gameplay capabilities. New Super Mario Bros. U, as of now, is already a purchase for me, so it didn't really matter what they showed.

LEGO City: Undercover was my BEST. OF. SHOW. (More on that later. Deserves its own post.)

Seeing Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 officially announced for the Wii U was great. I thought its use of the GamePad for a "splitscreen" multiplayer option was brilliant, and I'm very glad to see Treyarch trying new things with it. Also, I'm glad to know that Michael Pachter was wrong in his statement on Activision demanding the Pro Controller or no Wii U Call of Duty, and I'm glad that Treyarch took the stage and used the GamePad and didn't simply guitar smash it to the ground, then stand on top of it with the Pro Controller smiling.

The Wonderful 101 looks really interesting to me, and I like how bright and crisp the visuals appear to be. I think the graphical style will remain fresh for years to come, as it appears to have a stylized "cartoon" look to me.

When Bayonetta 2 was announced as a Wii U "exclusive" published by Nintendo, it didn't really excite me because I didn't play the first game; but it did give me some hope that Nintendo is willing to work/pay third party developers for exclusive Wii U games, and hopefully content.

The one "new" feature Nintendo talked about that I thought was interesting and certainly bold, but not worth the amount of time dedicated to it, was Nintendo TVii. I would rather there have been a Nintendo Direct conference in October explaining Nintendo TVii in fuller detail, than them spending nearly 20 minutes of the Wii U press conference on it. Especially considering things they didn't address, that I feel are more important about knowing and seeing how Nintendo has, or hasn't, improved in certain areas.

Let me get my bitter thoughts out of the way now. Perhaps using bullet points will be the best way to do this, so I don't go into a 500 page blog post.

So, what things didn't I like about Nintendo's Wii U press conference overall? The lack of information about the Wii U console features:

• The words, "There will be no friend codes on the Wii U" were not spoken.
• No demonstration of the GamePad's NFC being used in Wii U launch games (or at all).
• No mention of online play for Nintendo Land. (No Metroid Blast online mode? Really Nintendo?)
• No real mention of online multiplayer gaming at all.
• No mention of Nintendo "Accomplishments" being standard.
• No details on the Wii U's use of the "Nintendo Network".
• No demonstration of the eShop and interface.
• No live demonstration of the video chat, or voice chat, Wii U feature.
• No details/announcements of Virtual Console/WiiWare game transfers during the conference.
• Nearly 20 minutes on Nintendo TVii.

As for online play in Nintendo Land, I honestly don't see why that is not in the game, or maybe it is and Nintendo will reveal it in a Nintendo Direct video in October? Call me a skeptic though, because Nintendo has a pretty terrible history of not having online play in their Wii mini-game collections (Wii Sports, Wii Sports Resort, Wii Play). I would love to be proven wrong though.

What I don't want to see...

So, did the Wii U conference convince me to buy the Wii U on November 18th when it releases? No. But, it did show me Nintendo has taken at least one small step in the right direction in working with third parties to get exclusives (Bayonetta 2), and seeing Black Ops 2 confirmed for the system was great as well.

While I'm not 100% settled on buying a Wii U day one, I was the first customer at my GameStop to reserve the Wii U system, and I chose to reserve the Black Wii U Deluxe Set. What's that mean? Well, I have 2 months to figure out if I will keep my reservation on the system, or cancel it. I'm really hoping Nintendo addresses the online aspects and Nintendo Network features of the Wii U, and I really hope to hear the words "There are no friend codes on the Wii U system", before it releases in November.

Questions
Are there any of my "Caffeinated Thoughts" you agree with, or disagree with? Do you agree that Nintendo Land should have some form of online functionality?

Was there one Wii U game that stood out to you above the others, for any reason, like LEGO City: Undercover did to me, and that you would give a "Best of Show" award?

Time for F-Zero U? How many hours have U.S. Wii owners reported playing F-Zero X? Data Report

Coffee Beans
First, if you're looking for details on how to possibly win a Wii U console, keep reading through the "Caffeinated Thoughts" section below.

F-Zero X was originally released for the Nintendo 64 on October 26, 1998. The game was developed by Nintendo's EAD studio and published by Nintendo worldwide. F-Zero X was re-released for the Wii's Virtual Console on June 25, 2007 at a price point of 1,000 Wii Points, which is $10. The Virtual Console release maintained its original ESRB rating of "E" with no content listed for gamers or parents to be aware of.

If you have never played the F-Zero series, but perhaps are interested in the series, how many hours can you expect from F-Zero X for only $10? Brew yourself some coffee, and let's take a look!

GameStop.com "Sold Out" of Wii U Deluxe Set Bundles in less than 48 hours.

Coffee Beans

GameStop.com is now officially sold out of the Black Wii U Deluxe Set bundle, which has a MSRP of $349.99. The site is still taking pre-orders on the White Wii U Basic Set though, which has a MSRP of $299.99.

It took GameStop.com less than 48 hours to reach their limit of Wii U Deluxe Sets available for pre-order. If you have not pre-ordered a Wii U at your local GameStop store and plan on doing so this weekend, you should probably call the store before heading out if that is the only reason you are going.

If you are looking to pre-order/reserve the Black Wii U Deluxe Set online, you might want to check sites like BestBuy.com and ToysRUs.com.

GameStop Wii U Pre-order Reservations Now Open!

Coffee Beans
Do you want to skip the lines and not have to hunt for the Wii U when it releases on November 18th? Well, GameStop is now taking reservations for the Wii U system, both the $299.99 and $349.99 Wii U systems.

If you are a PowerUp Rewards member you can reserve a Wii U system for just $25, and if you're not a GameStop PowerUp Rewards member you can reserve a Wii U system for $50.

You don't even have to visit a GameStop store to reserve, or pre-order, the new Wii U console, as GameStop.com just opened up their Wii U page and are taking reservations for it directly online.

You can reserve the Wii U system and games from GameStop.com, HERE.

Amazon & Target leak Wii U games release dates? Wii U to release same day in US & UK?

Coffee Beans
In just under 12 hours now, Nintendo of America will be holding their Wii U press conference and all speculation as to the system's release date, price, and launch games should be put to rest. Yesterday, as I was writing my, "Wii U - Caffeinated Predictions, Thoughts, & Wishes" post, I was doing research and checking a few sites to see if any had changed release dates early, and I was checking for any Black Ops II information that might have been leaked early.

I predicted in my post that went up this morning a Wii U release date of October 28, 2012. I mentioned in the post and prediction I had done some "investigative work" that helped me reach that conclusion, and when I was researching yesterday I spotted the same release date, for three separate Wii U games, on two different retail sites.

What Wii U games have been listed with new release dates that aren't apparently just place-holder release dates, perhaps giving us a clue to when the console will release in the US and the UK? Brew yourself some coffee, and let's take a look!

Wii U - Caffeinated Predictions, Thoughts, & Wishes

Coffee Beans
Nintendo of America will be holding its Wii U press conference tomorrow, September 13th. Nintendo is set to detail the Wii U's release date, price, services for it, and probably even more Wii U launch games that haven't been offiically announced yet.

What are some of my predictions, thoughts, and wishes for what we will see tomorrow from the Wii U conference? Start brewing yourself a pot of coffee (you may need a second pot by the time you finish), and let's take a look!

Caffeinated Predictions, Thoughts, & Wishes
I believe the Wii U will release before November 13th. Why November 13th? It has all to do with what will probably be the biggest video game of the 2012 holiday season: Call of Duty: Black Ops II.

Official looking?

While Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 has not been officially confirmed for the Wii U (not even sure about the Wii), I personally believe Nintendo has worked with Activision and Treyarch, "keeping the lid" on the game's announcement until the Wii U's press conference on Thursday. With all the advertising Nintendo should be doing for the Wii U this the holiday season, and with all the advertising Activision will be doing for Black Ops 2, I think having the biggest video game of the 2012 holiday season available for the Wii U day one, can only see as a positive for the system.

I don't think Nintendo would want Black Ops 2 out before the Wii U console is available, especially considering Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 will most likely will be the biggest game of 2012 (in terms of early release sales numbers and units sold over the holidays). Also, getting the Wii U out before Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 would probably allow Nintendo to have its online service tested pretty well (load testing anybody?), because the game is geared toward online multiplayer.

Sniping on the GamePad in multiplayer? Probably in the single-player campaign.

Black Ops 2 will be releasing on November 13th, which is a Tuesday, for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. Nintendo has a history in North America of releasing consoles on Sundays, and I believe November 11th is the latest date that the Wii U console will release.

Going out on a limb here from some "investigative work" tonight, I'm going to predict Nintendo will release the Wii U on October 28, 2012 in North America. Also, this allows them to release it before the presidential election in the U.S., which could affect some of their potential buyers' decisions going into the holiday season.

Now that I have my Wii U console release date prediction out, here is a list of some of my wishes for the Wii U console that I hope Nintendo addresses/confirms at the conference tomorrow:

• A Wii U console price of $249.99, with the GamePad included. No game necessary.
• Confirm 100% all Wii Virtual Console and WiiWare purchases will transfer (or not) to the Wii U console.
• Address the Wii U GamePad's streaming capabilities. Name which Wii U launch games will be able to use the Wii U GamePad for campaigns, and not just multiplayer features and minigames. Having Virtual Console, WiiWare, or at the very least all new eShop Wii U games being able to be streamed to the GamePad for play would be awesome, and a very big selling point for me.
• Release more specific information about the Wii U GamePad, such as how far it will properly function away from the system, how long will a full battery charge last with the screen being used, can it be used for in-game voice chat (assuming yes, but never know)? Also, how much will an extra Wii U GamePad cost?
• Address the unfriendly "friend code" system. Will the Wii U console be a continuation of the 3DS, where it is one "friend code" per system? Or, will it be an account based type system tied to perhaps your Club Nintendo account, with possibly even more than one gamer account per Wii U console?
• Confirm the Wii U will maintain the Nintendo Channel functionality of the Wii, with it displaying the hours Wii U owners spend playing their games.
• I do wish that they will confirm New Super Mario Bros. Wii U has online functionality of some sort, either cooperative multiplayer through the campaign which could be incredible, or even some smaller online mode outside of the main campaign (not holding my breath on this one).
• Address things like whether Wii U games will have the "accomplishments" that some 3DS games have.

One last semi-caffeinated prediction, and going out on a limb here again, I'm predicting that Wave Race Wii U will be announced as a launch title for the system. Why? Nintendo released Wave Race for the Nintendo 64, helping display the systems graphical capabilities, and they did the same for the GameCube. Being that the Wii U is the first HD console for Nintendo, I'm just guessing they will really want to "Wow!" the gamers that love HD graphics, and I think water effects in HD are probably a great way to do it. Wave Race Wii U will have online multiplayer and leaderboards, much like the Mario Kart Wii and 3DS games.

Questions

Do any of you agree, or perhaps disagree, with my predictions and points above? Do you think my October 28th Wii U release date prediction is too early? What about Wave Race Wii U?

Is there anything that you must hear, or see, from Nintendo's Wii U conference on Thursday before you commit to buying one? Is there a price that would put the Wii U console out of your range, assuming $350 is the highest they will go?

Underrated? Overrated? Must Play? Muramasa: The Demon Blade U.S. Data Report

Coffee Beans
Muramasa: The Demon Blade was released on September 8, 2009 with a MSRP of $49.99. The game was developed by Vanillaware, and published by Ignition Entertainment for its North American release. It received an ESRB rating of "Teen" with "Alcohol Refernce, Fantasy Violence, Suggestive Themes" listed as content for gamers and parents to be aware of.

A portion of the description on Amazon.com says, "The creators of the acclaimed PlayStation 2 hit, Odin Sphere, return with the single player, action RPG, Muramasa: The Demon Blade. Steeped in the ancient mythology of Japan, Muramasa: The Demon Blade tells a tale of possessed souls, forgotten pasts and unimaginable destinies. A Wii exclusive, filled with expertly hand animate graphics and gameplay that transitions seamlessly between player-controlled elements and story sequences it is an adventure only to be experienced on the Wii."

How many hours have U.S. Wii owners reported playing Muramasa: The Demon Blade since it released just over 3 years ago? Brew yourself some coffee, and let's take a look!

PlayStation Plus' new "free" game download killed PS3 Slim? "Came home to find it dead."

Coffee Beans
A friend called me Friday afternoon and said he was having PS3 issues. His system would cut on, but the television was not displaying any video footage from the system. I asked him a series of questions (did he do a hard-reset, did he check/unplug the cables, did he unplug the television, etc.), seeing what all he had tried. After realizing he had done pretty much everything suggested on the PlayStation 3 forums, he mentioned he had even already taken it to Game Stop, where they tested it and told him they thought it was fried and/or a chip in it had stopped working.

I replied something like, "But your television still works right? And no other electronics are messed up?", trying to make sure it wasn't a lightning strike that hadn't been mentioned yet. I asked if he had the box still, and he said he was actually looking for the PS3 box as we were talking. I told him I would check back with him later that night, to see if he had made any progress.

After I sent a general text of, "Did you fix it?", later that night, he replied with two text messages that shed a little more light on the situation. How did he go about "fixing" his PlayStation 3, and what was the last thing he was doing before his PlayStation 3 stopped working? Brew yourself some coffee, and read the rest below!

How many hours has Super Smash Bros. been played? U.S. Super Smash Bros. Data Report

Coffee Beans
Super Smash Bros. was originally released for the Nintendo 64 in 1999. The game was developed by HAL Labortory and published by Nintendo. It was re-released for the Wii's Virtual Console in North America on December 21, 2009 at a price point of 1,000 Wii Points, which is $10. Super Smash Bros. on the Virtual Console maintained its original "Everyone" rating from the ESRB, with "Cartoon Violence" listed as content for gamers and parents to be aware of.

Club Nintendo members can currently get Super Smash Bros. through a Club Nintendo offer for just 200 coins through September 16th. If you have never played a Super Smash Bros. game, you might be wondering, "Is Super Smash Bros. worth 200 of my hard-earned Club Nintendo coins?"

How many hours can you expect to get from the Super Smash Bros. game that started it all? How many hours have U.S. Wii owners reported playing the original Super Smash Bros. since the game released on the Wii's Virtual Console? Brew yourself some coffee, and let's take a look!

Caffeinated Thoughts on Mutant Mudds!

Coffee Beans
Mutant Mudds was released last week on August 30th, for PCs everywhere. A portion of the game's description reads, "Love pixels? Fond of platformers? Is there a special place in your heart for the 8-bit and 16-bit era? Want to have fun? Yes!? Well, you've come to the right place, my friend. Mutant Mudds is a '12-bit' action platformer full of pixels and platforming fun!"

Being that I have a fondness for platformers, I took advantage of an early sale price and downloaded Mutant Mudds for my PC 2 nights ago, and I have already played through several of the levels. How far have I made it battling the filthy Mutant Mudds, and what do I think of the game so far? Brew yourself some coffee and take a look!

Panem et Circenses! Football is back, pass the chips! Madden NFL 12 Data Report

Coffee Beans
Madden NFL 12 was released on August 30, 2011 for the Wii at a MSRP of $49.99. The game was developed by HB Studios and published by the EA Sports division of Electronic Arts. The game received an ESRB rating of "Everyone" with no content descriptors listed for gamers and parents to be aware of.

With the college football season having started last weekend, and now the NFL season officially starting up tonight, I figured now would be a good time to look at how many hours U.S. Wii owners have reported playing Madden NFL 12 since it released last year. So, brew yourself some coffee, and let's take a look!

WiiWare Wednesday! A cut above the rest? Bonsai Barber Data Report

Coffee Beans
Bonsai Barber was released for the Wii's WiiWare service on March 30, 2009 in North America, at a price point of 1,000 Wii Points, which is $10. The game was developed by Zoonami and published by Nintendo, and received and ESRB rating of "Everyone" with "Comic Mischief" listed as content for gamers and parents to be aware of.

Do the reported hours for the game show it to be "a cut above the rest" of other WiiWare games? How many hours can you expect to get from Bonsai Barber if you have never played it? Brew yourself a fresh pot of coffee, and let's take a look!

How many hours can you expect from Metroid: Other M? Data Report

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Metroid: Other M was released on August 31, 2010 with a MSRP of $49.99. The game was developed by Team Ninja with CG portions made by D-Rockets, and it was published by Nintendo. Metroid: Other M received an ESRB rating of "Teen" with "Animated Blood, Violence" listed as content for gamers and parents to be aware of.

How many hours have U.S. Wii owners spent playing Metroid: Other M since the game released just over 2 years ago now? Brew yourself some coffee, and let's take a look!

3DS owners, Kid Icarus: Uprising major sale!

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I don't own a 3DS, but I know a decent deal when I spot one. Kid Icarus: Uprising is on sale for about the next 12 hours at BestBuy.com. How good is the sale? Best Buy has the game listed at 63% off its MSRP of $39.99, including free shipping with the sale price. This means for the next 12 hours, you can get a new copy of Kid Icarus: Uprising for your Nintendo 3DS for just $14.99; that's right $14.99 with free shipping!

You can grab the deal HERE.

Question
Do any of you already own a copy of Kid Icarus: Uprising, and if so, would you recommend the game to other Nintendo 3DS owners that have been interested in the game, but just haven't purchased it yet?

August Brewed - Coffees Consumed, Games Played!

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September 2012 is already upon us, and August has vanished like the Statue of Liberty when David Copperfield is around. If you just visited the site occasionally when you saw CoffeeWithGames posts pop up on other sites, here are a few posts you might have missed in August:

• Critics vs. Customers! New Review Feature
• Played more than Mario? Skylanders Spyro's Adventure Hours Report
• Critics vs. Customers! Best & Worst 3DS Launch Titles
• President Obama, Space Camp, & Six Flags Fun Park? How they are oddly connected.
• Did You Board the Nintendo 3DS XL Hype Train?
• Free Games Giveaway! Connect With Coffee
• CoffeeWithGames Turns 3!

September has just started brewing, but what coffees did I consume and games did I play in August? Brew yourself a fresh pot of coffee, and let's take a look!

Coffees Consumed

The three Green Mountain coffee blends I had listed for August, were from our trip when we visited family and we were using my mom's Keurig coffee machine. The Green Mountain Coffee Gingerbread, Green Mountain Coffee Golden French Toast, and Green Mountain Coffee Spicy Eggnog were all brewed and consumed in early August, before we made our trip back home.

The Maxwell House Dark Roast coffee blend was waiting for us when we arrived home from our trip, sitting on the shelf right where I had left it, imagine that! It lasted us a few more days, and when it ran out Mrs. Coffee purchased us the Maxwell House Gourmet Roast. The Gourmet Roast blend lasted us almost until the end of August, and then Mrs. Coffee purchase us the Maxwell House House Blend coffee. We still have right around half the container of it as September has started up, so it should last us a little while longer.

Maxwell House is our "go to" coffee blend now, for two reasons really. It has a good price and decent variety of coffee roasts available. We usually buy the "240 6 FL OZ CUPS" ground coffee containers, and enjoy them while they lasts.

Games Played

What's the "Instant Coffee" list of games I played in August? They are: Super Mario Bros. 3, New Super Mario Bros. DS, Super Mario World, Super Mario 64, PAYDAY: The Heist, Blacklight: Retribution, Rage of the Gladiator, Madden NFL 13 Demo, Punch-Out!!, Batman: Arkham Asylum, Little Big Planet, and GoldenEye 007 for the Nintendo 64.

Super Mario Bros. 3 - We have made it I think to World 6 now, maybe World 7. It has been about a week since we last played it, but we are making slow progress in it. Bean 1 has greatly improved though, and can now beat multiple levels in the game just by going through them with normal items found in the levels.

New Super Mario Bros. DS - Bean 1 was really enjoying this one, until the DS he was using stopped functioning properly. He still runs around the game, but for some reason the DS' touch screen does not register touches, so changing World maps and using stored items in the game can't be done anymore. The bottom screen displays everything properly as it should, but for some reason the touch function just doesn't work, even after trying to calibrate it again. We had completed the game, and were working on all the secret exits before the touch screen stopped functioning.

Super Mario World - Bean 1 and I have beaten this one a few times, using the "Star Road" shortcuts. Bean 1 often calls the game "Mario Super World", but like Super Mario Bros. 3 he has made some great progress in improving his game-play, and can complete entire levels on his own now.

Super Mario Bros. - Playing through and beating the original is still challenging, and if you haven't played it, I highly suggest going into the final level with a fire flower at the least.

Super Mario 64 - Bean 1 has "finished" one mission in a level all on his own. He is able to run around most of the levels pretty well now, knows how to use the cannons, and enjoys climbing trees in the game. The first Star he found on his own was in "Course 1 BOB-OMB BATTLEFIELD".

PAYDAY: The Heist - I played another level on my Steam version in August, and it reminded me quickly of how touch the A.I. can be in the levels! It's definitely a challenging game and there are a lot of police officers, SWAT team members, etc., thrown your way as you try to complete your mission objectives.

Blacklight: Retribution - A free FPS game? Good. A free FPS game on Steam? Awesome! I have enjoyed my brief time with Blacklight: Retribution, though I haven't yet purchased any of the in-game items. I should probably start a video game "schedule" and post it up, where it will have certain times and games I will be playing and maybe some of you could join in. Otherwise, my schedule right now is pretty spastic.

Rage of the Gladiator - I played and completed a few matches in the game, and will probably be playing a few more this month as well.

Madden NFL 13 Demo - I gave the demo a try for the PlayStation 3. I won a few games, and lost a few games. The demo didn't sell me though, because of small things in it that I don't think the Madden series should have considering how long they have been making them. Players running through apparent hologram people on the sidelines, cars that look like they're made from cardboard boxes, no replay function, terrible camera shots of recently completed plays. Perhaps the retail version fixed some of the issues before it shipped, but the demo didn't sell me on the game.

Punch-Out!! - I'm still slowly making my way through Title Defense mode, I completed on more match in Title Defense mode in August, but didn't play it but one night.

Batman: Arkham Asylum - I think I have made decent progress in the game, and I have been enjoying my time with it. I did get "lost" or confused on how to make progress at one point, but that was resolved after taking a break and picking it up again. I'm not sure how many hours of game-play I can expect from it, but I have probably played it around 10 hours so far.

Little Big Planet - I started this up for Bean 1 randomly one night in August and he is making a little progress with the game-play, but having to hold the R1 button to grab onto objects is a little challenging for him still. I had never really played it before, and I am finding it interesting as I play through some of the levels with him watching. I might need to start a new file though, and start from the beginning to understand the storyline and more of the game-play elements in it, but so far the game-play seems pretty solid and I like the graphical style in the game.

GoldenEye 007 - Which one? GoldenEye 007 for the Nintendo 64. The game turned 15 years old on August 25th, and I put many hours into back when it originally released. I have been playing through some of the single player missions, and enjoying the game. If I can ever "pull the trigger", I will have two posts up on GoldenEye 007 sometime this week (said that last week also!).

Thoughts/Questions

I enjoyed all of the games I played in August, even my brief games with the Madden demo, though it failed to sell me on the game. If you are looking for a great way to play the old NES and SNES Mario games, I think buying a cheap Wii console and purchasing the Mario games off the Virtual Console is a great way to go about it.

If you have a Steam account and like FPS games, I do recommend giving Blacklight: Retribution a try, especially considering its free. If any of you have PAYDAY: The Heist on Steam or for the PlayStation 3, and want to try some cooperative matches in the game, leave a comment below or feel free to email me at Scott(@)CoffeeWithGames.com to let me know when you play the most.

What video games did you play in August, and did you have a drink of choice while gaming? Are there any games you played in August that you would recommend others to check out? Also, if any of you are Nintendo DS owners, have you ever had an issue where the touch screen stopped registering any "touch" on it? If so, were you able to fix the problem?

The "Free Games Giveaway" winner is...

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Last Saturday, I posted up the "Free Games Giveaway! Connect With Coffee" post. It contained details of how to enter a contest/giveaway for the PC games BIT.TRIP BEAT, Fieldrunners, SpaceChem, and Uplink. The contest/giveaway ended Thursday, and the picture above shows that I did the drawing for the winner as I have done in past contests. Empty coffee container, drop the names in it, shake it up, pull one out. The coffee container used for the drawing was a 33 oz. Maxwell House Gourmet Roast container that "MAKES UP TO 270 6 FL OZ CUPS" of coffee.

Who was the winner of the games? Jump past the break below to find out!