Having trouble slicing those kumquats, tangerines and cherries in your standard edition of Fruit Ninja? Then you'll be pleased to know that Halfbrick is preparing an enhanced version for iPad called Fruitninja HD. But improved graphics aren't the only addition to the game, as the iPad installment will also boast input for up to eight fingers and head-to-head multiplayer battles through Classic Attack and Zen Duel modes. Look for Fruit Ninja HD in the App Store on July 14 for $4.99.

We know what you're thinking: how can any ninja, let alone one skilled in the ways of battling fruit -- an enemy with barely any defensive skills whatsoever -- wield up to eight swords at once? Frankly, we just don't know. The ways of the ninja have long been shrouded in mystery and pulp, but we have managed to secure a brief piece of communication from the ninja clans, which you can watch right after the break.

Continue reading Fruit Ninja HD slices up the iPad later this week

Fruit Ninja HD slices up the iPad later this week originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 12 Jul 2010 22:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

The Bearded Ladies' debut PS3 game, Landit Bandit, makes its way to the North American PSN tomorrow for $9.99. While the game looks interesting - taking inspirations from titles like Crazy Taxi and Moonlander - the real story seems to be the development team itself. The team of five is comprised of "two programmers from the auto industry, a janitor, a liquor store salesman, [and] an expedition leader from Nepal" -- with no ladies or bearded people to be found.

Continue reading Landit Bandit lands on PSN tomorrow for $9.99

Landit Bandit lands on PSN tomorrow for $9.99 originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 12 Jul 2010 22:21:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Star Trek Online's new executive producer Daniel Stahl recently stated that he "could easily see" a hybrid free-to-play model working for Cryptic's MMO. Stahl specifically mentions (recent Warner Bros. acquisition) Turbine's Lord of the Rings Online and Dungeons & Dragons Online as "interesting plans" worth taking note of. DDO went freemium last year to create a dungeon full of gold for the developer; LotRO will roll the die for the same fate this autumn.

Stahl expressed that Turbine's model creates a "robust way to demo the game" and allows those wanting more to pay for a subscription or purchase items á la carte. With Cryptic's parent-company Atari operating at a loss, ways to beam up revenue would appear logical. It's unclear if it's a sign of the future, but Cryptic did conduct a free-to-play away mission back in May.

Star Trek Online producer 'could easily see' the game using Turbine freemium model originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 12 Jul 2010 21:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Wanna beef up your virtual wardrobe? Xbox Live now has new goods from The Forgotten Sands, Monkey Island 2: Special Edition and Deadliest Warrior. Or, come July 15 for 320 MS Points ($4), you can play virtual dress-up as one of the Super Street Fighter IV fighters above. Virtual cosplay is still cosplay, right?

Continue reading Xbox Live Avatars update: PoP, Deadliest Warrior, Monkey Island 2, Super Street Fighter IV

Xbox Live Avatars update: PoP, Deadliest Warrior, Monkey Island 2, Super Street Fighter IV originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 12 Jul 2010 21:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Expect a lot more things to explode and/or fly directly into you in Killzone 3. Guerrilla is hyping up "cinematic deaths" as a new feature of its upcoming sequel, and it looks exactly as it sounds. According to a blog post on Killzone.com, "Killzone 3 is strongly influenced by Hollywood realism ... Cinematic deaths are the logical progression of this design philosophy, adding a variety of spectacular (and sometimes explosive) new ways for Helghast enemies to perish."

Valve's "cinematic physics" (utilized in Half-Life 2: Episide Two) favored drama over realism, and it appears Guerrilla is following suit; however, we'll have to agree with some of the fans' criticisms. "I don't understand how when you shoot that ship with missiles, it loses control and comes right at you," one commenter questioned. Another added that the new cinematic death animations "look really weird and fake." Would you agree?

Continue reading Killzone 3 adds 'cinematic deaths,' influenced by 'Hollywood realism'

Killzone 3 adds 'cinematic deaths,' influenced by 'Hollywood realism' originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 12 Jul 2010 20:51:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Saying that Dragon Age 2 has better graphics than its predecessor isn't much of a compliment. Though Dragon Age: Origins remains one of our favorite games from 2009 (as a matter of fact, it was our #4 pick!), on consoles, it looked like the game's entire texture library was secretly replaced with macro photographs of roadkill.

The game's announcement promised "updated graphics" and a "new visual style," and the first two screenshots - part of Game Informer's month-long look at the title - are certainly updated, but we're not quite ready to call them "visually super hot" and we're not seeing the "new visual style." The image above shows a highly detailed Hawke (remember, s/he's the new Commander Shepard-esque lead) but look at that ground texture! The image after the break shows a new Ogre, some awkward Hurlocks, and Hawke's not insignificant ups.

Be sure to peep the full-res images at Game Informer, then come back and tell us what you think. We're going with: unconvinced but optimistic.

Continue reading First Dragon Age 2 screenshots sport better graphics, familiar imagery

First Dragon Age 2 screenshots sport better graphics, familiar imagery originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 12 Jul 2010 20:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

We've got more talk about Read Dead Redemption this week, along with some discussion about Crackdown 2. We also take some time to discuss whether or not you can play Kinect sitting down, and then we put the whole rumor to bed. Or should that be on the couch?

[iTunes] Subscribe to the Podcast directly in iTunes (MP3).
[Zune] Subscribe to the Podcast directly in Zune Marketplace (MP3).
[RSS MP3] Add the Xbox 360 Fanboy Podcast feed (in MP3) to your RSS aggregator and have the show delivered automatically.
[MP3] Download the MP3 directly.

Hosts: Alexander Sliwinski (Sli Xander, @xandersliwinski) and Dave Hinkle (KnifefightYaDad, @davehinkle)

Music: Intro/Outro: "Electromooq" by Uma Floresta. Break: "Black River Killer" by Bitzen Trapper.

For fans: Xbox 360 Fancast Facebook group

Continue reading Xbox 360 Fancast 172 -- Beating a Red Dead Horse

Xbox 360 Fancast 172 -- Beating a Red Dead Horse originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 12 Jul 2010 19:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Del Rey Books announced today it will publish Deus Ex: The Icarus Effect, a novel set in the universe of the upcoming video game Deus Ex: Human Revolution. The Icarus Effect currently has a launch date of "2011" for North America and Europe, which is roughly the same window the video game is launching under.

The book will be written by James Swallow, who has penned several sci-fi books, including those set in the Warhammer 40K and Stargate 'verses. More information on the novel will be provided on the official Deus Ex: Human Revolution site as it self-upgrades to become an A.I. that'll kill us all ... but not before sharing details on the book first.

Continue reading Deus Ex: The Icarus Effect flies onto bookshelves in 2011

Deus Ex: The Icarus Effect flies onto bookshelves in 2011 originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 12 Jul 2010 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

You can expect another firmware update for your PS3 this September. No, it won't add PlayStation Move support to the system (you already have that, folks!). Instead, it will add support for 3D Blu-ray movies -- of which there's currently only one.

As with Blu-ray movies, Sony is using the PS3 as a Trojan horse for pushing new technology. 3D is a major focus for Sony, as is evidenced by plans to not only support 3D movies and games, but 3D photos as well, "later in the year." SCEE senior director Mick Hocking has also promised support for 3D broadcasts through the Europe-exclusive PlayTV service, as well. Additionally, "YouTube will be supporting 3D content over the next 12 months as well - and you'll be able to watch that on the PlayStation 3."

Hocking also believes that many of us will adopt 3D cameras of our own in the future. "And as you start taking 3D pictures of your family or 3D camcorder movies, you can play those back on PS3, too," Hocking explains. Hopefully, that means we'll be able to use our PS3s to share 3D photos taken by our Nintendo 3DSes.

3D Blu-ray PS3 update dated for September, YouTube 3D support planned originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 12 Jul 2010 18:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Finally, the first details on Sony's exclusive Mafia 2 content (announced at E3) have surfaced. An early look at the game's Trophy list reveals that the PS3 version will have free add-on DLC titled "Jimmy's Vendetta." From the Trophy descriptions, it appears the add-on includes several missions and an arcade-style points system, multiplier included. With one Trophy requiring 1,000 kills, it would appear that the add-on is lengthy (or repetitive!) enough to allow players to rack up such an impressive body count.

Continue reading Mafia 2 PS3 exclusive DLC revealed - 'Jimmy's Vendetta'

Mafia 2 PS3 exclusive DLC revealed - 'Jimmy's Vendetta' originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 12 Jul 2010 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments