Sale of the century! Well... decade

ROCK memorabilia goes under the online hammer this week offering those with a few quid the chance to scoop a piece of history.
Coldplay - who hail partly from Exeter - are staging an auction on eBay from 5pm, Thursday (Dec 17th) to 5pm Thursday December 31 in aid of a charity called Kids Company.
The 'End of Decade Clearout Sale' will feature various instruments, clothing, equipment, posters and other bits and bobs - many of which will be signed by the band.
Those bits and bobs which aren't signed will come with a certificate of authenticity.
In a bid to raise awareness of the sale the band have released this humourous video on youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GrbkyASaKsg.
While the idea is a fab one and I completely appreciate the band's generosity, it leaves you wishing you had bucket loads of money to spare on buying a few bits of kit.
I mean, wouldn't it be fab to own Chris Martin's guitar signed by the band?! A definite party talking point methinks.
Anyone got a few grand going spare?
For more info on the sale visit Coldplay's official website.
So equally - if not more - exciting (and cheaper) is the news that those nice people at Lucas Arts and Activision are bringing out Star Wars: The Force Unleashed II next year.
The game promises to be a must for any fan of the films.
The first game rocked and gave gamers a true feel of actually being in one of the movies and unleashing hell using a light saber.
In the last couple of weeks I've also been mastering - and getting completed narked off at - Uncharted II.
Great game, but once again the online multiplayer feature appears to be flawed.
I simply can't tell you how annoying it is to be 'fined' $160,000 for 'leaving' an online death match game without the deathmatch finishing first.
While I can understand that it is annoying for other gamers, surely the fine should only be in place IF you actually leave on purpose.
I've had to reboot my entire system four times because it keeps glitching out and crashing. Grr.
What's more annoying is that I've actually gone to email Naughty Dog (the game's developers) direct, and I've had a message back saying that they're "unable to receieve your comment at this time".
So what's the use of having a customer feedback form?!
Yours frustratingly

Tristan.

Here's some reviews of the latest games:

Title: Tony Hawk Ride (with skateboard controller)
Platform: Xbox 360
Genre: Skateboarding
Price: £99.99
Hit count: 4/5

In the past 12 months or so we’ve had balance boards, drum kits and even DJ turntables, and just when you thought the console peripheral world couldn’t get any more densely populated – along comes a skateboard for you to ride in your living room.
Tackling Tony Hawk’s latest title is not as daunting as you might think. Running your foot past a side-sensor on the board will have you pushing off on-screen, while tipping the back end up will perform an olly.
More complex tricks can be completed with a combination of different balancing positions and by using your hands to activate the other board sensors, as you navigate the virtual skate world to carry out a dazzling array of skate challenges.
There’s no doubt this controller will be used further in years to come, but its first outing doesn’t come without a glitch or two. However, as an innovative concept to drive the skateboarding genre forward into 2010, this is an outstanding achievement.


Title: Avatar
Platform: PS3
Genre: Action/Adventure
Price: £49.99
Hit count: 4/5

Avatar the film has understandably generated a whole heap of hype, with director James Cameron at the helm and a blockbusting budget to showcase the latest CGI effects technology.
Box-office success is a given.
This kind of success on the big screen so rarely translates to the console world, but in this case, your trip deep into the heart of Pandora, an alien planet that is beyond imagination, actually translates into an entertaining third-person shooter outing.
You find yourself thrust into a fight for the heart of a planet and the fate of a civilisation.
The mix of native Na’vi weapons and a hardcore human arsenal makes for interesting combat elements, and the graphics provide a strong recreation of this virtual world.
Sadly, some serious camera flaws and wooden voice-acting stop this from being a real standout movie tie-in, but there’s more than enough here to warrant fans of the film picking this up for the Christmas period.


Title: Wheelspin
Platform: Wii
Genre: Racing
Price: £29.99
Hit count: 3/5

If raw speed sets your racing heart pumping, Archer Maclean’s Wheelspin is likely to float your boat.
Offering eight-player, split-screen capability, it’s the perfect way to gather your crew around a telly and battle it out for futuristic four-wheeled supremacy – particularly in the battle mode, where you can blow your opponents to smithereens in a ring-fenced environment.
It doesn’t offer the overall polish of the likes of Mario Kart, and the option to control your vehicle with the D-pad or the nunchuk would have been much appreciated as frustration levels can rise as you shoot off the track into oblivion for the 10th time.
But that’s the challenge, and it makes success all the sweeter as you finally manage hum around the various tracks to claim first prize.
The racing world could do with a couple more party-style multiplayer titles and, while Wheelspin doesn’t hit the mark across the board, there’s enough to suggest that a sequel could be worth earmarking for the future.


Title: Medieval Games.
Platform: Wii
Price: £19.99
Hit count: 4/5

Just when I thought the Wii controller couldn't be used for anything else along comes Medieval Games.
I mean, sword fighting and jousting?! Awesome.
Saying that Medieval Games doesn't really reinvent the wheel but it is admittedly a lot of fun.
It has a budget-friendly price and it's graphics are cute and cartoon-like. It's the sort of game which would sit perfectly in a younger sister's stocking this Christmas.
The story mode looks good with a pop-up-book style and the mini games are fun.
Okay it won't win game of the year by any stretch of the imagination, but it will keep the kids quiet for a few days this Christmas.


Title: Yoga
Platform: Wii
Genre: Fitness
Price: £29.99
Hit count: 3/5

Focusing on the balance board, one of the core successes of the Wii Fit series, Yoga sets about slowing your day down, allowing your body to relax and teaching you the finer points of this philosophical fitness activity.
Model Anja Rubik and a 3D-animated Yoga guru guide you through the most important parts of the game and offer helpful information on individual exercises, as well as encouraging you to take steps to improve your own state of wellbeing.
While you’re unlikely to let a Wii game act as a life coach, it’s delivered in a minimally patronising way and successfully complements the range of exercises and customised workout plans.
Feedback on your progress through the balance-board sensors works well, and overall this is an enjoyable exploration into the yoga world for those who would rather focus on this element alone, rather than using it either side of hula-hooping and squat thrusts.


GAMES CHART: ALL FORMATS FULL PRICE

1. Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare 2
2. FIFA 10
3. Assassin’s Creed 2
4. New Super Mario Bros Wii
5. Wii Sports Resort
6. Wii Fit Plus
7. Mario & Sonic At The Olympic Winter Games
8. LEGO Indiana Jones 2: The Adventure Continues
9. Forza Motorsport 3
10. Mario Kart Wii

Leisure software charts compiled by Chart Track, (c) ELSPA (UK) Ltd

Christmas gift tips for the e-saver

Doesn't time fly - especially when you're playing the likes of Unchartered 2 and Call of Duty?

Before you know it, it's Christmas. And the countdown officially begins tomorrow.

Credit crunch or not if you're in the know, there are ways around spending a fortune on pressies.
And the home of bargains is the internet.

While I do my best to shop locally and support local businesses, there comes a time when my budget outweighs my conscience.

I've been buying odd bits and pieces online for a number of years now and I have to say, I've never been let down.

Like anything you hear horror stories about some woman who ordered a tin of dog food and it ended up being sent to China giftwrapped, but I have to say I've been pretty lucky.

Nothing has ever gone missing, and the items have been as they were described.
So my main ports of call are:
For CDs, DVDs, Blu Ray, and Games: www.play.com or www.cdwow.com.

Both sites offer free delivery and most items are up to half price compared to high street stores.

They also have a wide variety of stock and usually despatch items within a couple of days.
Amazon's website (www.amazon.co.uk) has a huge array of, well... everything it seems. From hair driers to books, headphones to wireless headsets, it has it all. Postage and packaging can mount up but it wins hand down on pricing.

If you're looking for a specfic item it's also worth visiting www.kelkoo.co.uk which, in essence, is a price comparison site.

You type in the exact title of the item and it searches automatically for the cheapest. Once it's found the cheapest of gives you the option of visiting the store direct to buy it.

You can use the website for most things.

Ebay is also a valuable tool when it comes to Christmas shopping. One man's junk... another man's treasure. You can pick up some real deals for pennies. Just remember to look at their rating first for peace of mind.

If the thought of spending money on someone else is too much right now, at the very least visit the websites to firm up your Christmas wishlist.
Here's a few ideas:

Title: New Super Mario Bros Wii
Platform: Wii
Genre: Platform
Price: £39.99
Hit count: 5/5

Just when you think that Nintendo can’t come up with anything to trump the Mario achievements of recent times, another classic console gaming experience is thrown into the mix.

Seriously, you could own only Mario titles for Wii and still be completely satisfied with your console purchase.

Here we hark back to the good old days of side-scrolling platforming – the world that 3D forgot. But what a world this is.

Transformed technologically from the amazing 2D Mario adventures of 20 years ago, NSMB Wii is everything you could ever wish for in a title from the franchise: personality, innovation, excitement – and an inimitable feeling of pure love that’s been poured into the production of this game from start to finish.

The co-operative experience is up there on a par with any other co-op title in any genre, and it’s just not worth picking at faults when a game is this good.

Nostalgia realised in glorious 21st-century technology, NSMB Wii is a title that gamers of every age and experience level must add to their collection.


Title: NBA 2K10
Platform: PSP
Genre: Basketball
Price: £19.99
Hit count: 5/5

The NBA 2K series has been an enduring one, and this year’s releases on the big consoles certainly slam-dunked the competition and re-established its reputation as king of the ballers.

The translation to PSP doesn’t always run so smoothly, however, and this port of an earlier PS2 version onto the small screen results in mixed success.

Graphically, the players animate extremely well, but the overall feeling is that an extra bit of polish could have been applied before release to bring it bang up to date with what this handheld system can offer nowadays.

What plays like a dream on PS3 actually turns into something of an average arcade outing on PSP, as the turbo feature allows you to speed up and down the court for the whole game without tiring any of your players out, negating the majority of tactical elements to the game.

Overall, it’s a fair first outing for the series on PSP, but gamers will rightly expect much more from the franchise when NBA 2K11 comes around.


Title: The Sims 3: World Adventures
Platform: PC/Mac
Genre: People simulation
Price: £29.99
Hit count: 4/5

Who wouldn’t get bored without the opportunity to explore far-flung countries, being stuck in a suburban environment for all their days?

Take that a stage further for your virtual population, and the tedium must surely be setting in for players and characters alike. But not anymore! Now you can take your Sims on exciting journeys to famous real-world inspired destinations all around the globe.

Checking out the landmarks is fun, but it’s the additional skills you can develop that really add another dimension to the whole Sims experience here, from mastering martial arts in Shang Simla, China, to exploring the depths of ancient tombs in Al Simhara, Egypt.

Exploring the three core new cities is a real treat, with countless challenges, rewards and relics to amuse you, and bringing some of these items back to your original Sims 3 home is a really nice touch – proper souvenirs!

All in all, this is a real breath of fresh air for the series, and certainly the way forward for extending the franchise’s life in years to come. Just don’t forget your passport!


Title: Assassin’s Creed 2
Platform: PS3
Genre: Action Adventure
Price: £49.99
Hit count: 5/5

Altair’s amazing adventure in the first Assassin’s Creed gave gamers a rare journey where they were completely sucked in for a rollercoaster ride combining history, brutality, high-technology and a sprinkling of supernatural activity.

A fine recipe for a game, and one that has been tinkered with to great effect in the sequel. As new hero Ezio, you’re invited to explore a vast open-world environment on a quest for vengeance against the rival ruling families of Italy.

The sheer class and style of the original oozes from every pore second time around, while the character development, greater variety of missions and weaponry ensure that fans of the first game will see a real progression.

With graphics as jaw-dropping as ever and the kind of twisting tale more akin to the movie screen, Assassin’s Creed 2 is a sure-fire winner.


Title: LEGO Indiana Jones 2: The Adventure Continues
Platform: Xbox 360
Genre: Action/Adventure
Price: £39.99
Hit count: 3/5

When you pick up a LEGO title, you know what you’re going to get. And in this case, that’s a good thing.

The blocky characters have managed to carve themselves a tidy little niche, nestling somewhere between platforming adventures, movie tie-ins and kids titles, yet still delivering a unique brand of tongue-in-cheek humour that ensures the appeal isn’t strictly limited to the youngsters. And Indy’s second LEGO-inspired adventure is no different.

As a standalone single-player game, it’s got the same thrills, spills and puzzle solving you’d expect. But the addition of a level creation mode, where you can build your own environments brick by brick, really adds another dimension to the experience.

Of course, turning the movie turkey that was the Kingdom Of The Crystal Skull into something worthwhile is a challenge in itself, but here the LEGO franchise has belatedly saved Indy’s bacon.


GAMES CHART ALL FORMATS FULL PRICE

1. Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare 2
2. Assassin’s Creed 2
3. New Super Mario Bros Wii
4. Wii Sports Resort
5. Wii Fit Plus
6. FIFA 10
7. Left 4 Dead 2
8. Mario & Sonic At The Olympic Winter Games
9. Forza Motorsport 3
10. LEGO Batman: The Videogame

Leisure software charts compiled by Chart Track, (c) ELSPA (UK) Ltd.

Call of controversy

As the dust settles after one of the biggest storms of recent times, it’s time to reflect.
Now I’m not talking about last weekend’s horrendous weather.I
’m talking about the social, moral and political storm that was created by the year’s – sorry, no the era’s – most anticipated game, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2.
It seems nowadays that the perfect way to promote a game is to cause some degree of controversy.
I mean, what’s so wrong with including a scene where Russian hitmen walk through a busy airport killing women and children alike without a care in the world?
Everything it seems.
The impact of that particular level sent shockwaves across the world – and boosted sales to unprecedented levels.
I heard some gossip the other day that the first-person shooter game has grossed more in two weeks than several of the biggest film releases of the year.
To exemplify things I have to admit that even I was shocked at the particular scene. And that’s the first time that has ever happened.
When I started playing it (having never played any game in the series before), I thought it was pretty good, good graphics, pretty good gameplay and really not quite worth the hype surrounding it.
But then that airport level came along and I began to understand why the game had generated so much publicity.
I found myself sitting there, unable to operate the controller because I found it, well... a tad wrong.
Games like Grand Theft Auto are violent as hell and deserve their 18 certificate and warnings.
But the difference is that the GTA series is very obviously a cartoon land. Okay the design and realism is great, but it’s clearly not real.
The problem with Call of Duty is that it is created to be as real as possible.
Having been to Afghanistan twice in my other roles on The Herald I was shocked to see the realism of an Afghan-style level.
The look of the place and even the sounds were near-on perfect and threw me back into those days I experienced last year.
So Call of Duty’s designers are trying to make it as real as possible. And you can’t blame them for doing that.
It’s just that... well, there is a certain point when it could be classed as going ‘too far’.
Usually my thoughts are quite liberal on matters like this. But I have to say I think they have over-stepped the mark in a bid to gain some headlines.
I mean does playing it make me want to go find a gun and shoot someone? No, it doesn’t.Would it have that affect on a child or an easily influenced person?I don’t think it would.
But there has got to be a certain level of correctness, and when you’re creating something which is supposed to be as ‘real’ as possible, there has to be line in the sand.
From the developers point of view they will agree that controversy is worthy of risk.
And ultimately when that risk makes $310million in just 24 hours through sales in the UK and the US making it the biggest launch in history across all forms of entertainment, it pays off.
Whatever happened to the carefree games like Dizzy on the Spectrum?!
Here's the Call of Duty review and a few others, judge for yourselves!


Title: Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare 2
Platform: PS3
Genre: Shooter
Price: £54.99
Hit count: 5/5

Busting through the £50 price tag in recessionary times is a bold move, and one that has been greeted with a few rumbles of discontent.
But for any gamer with half a brain and a love for first-person shooters, you’ll find out pretty quickly that Modern Warfare 2 more than justifies its payment.
Who wouldn’t part with that amount of cash for the privilege of being thrust into the most visceral, jaw-dropping single-player experience you’ve ever been involved in?
And the multiplayer mode will have gamers coming back for more, years after the launch hype has died down.
Polished to perfection in nearly every respect, it’s a gripping, living, breathing work of video-game art.
And £55 for a masterpiece ain’t that bad.


Title: Ghostbusters
Platform: Xbox 360
Genre: Action
Price: £44.99
Hit count: 4/5
Yet another movie to morph onto console systems, Ghostbusters: The Video Game presents an all-new storyline for gamers to get their teeth into, once again putting you in charge of that motley crew of paranormal pest controllers.
Not only does this title deliver in terms of humour, and superb voice-acting from almost all of the original stars, it also has the kind of gameplay mechanics that you’d wish for when faced with the prospect of grappling with a ghost above a trap and lowering it down to complete the capture.
It’s pretty much everything fans could have hoped for in terms of an authentic recreation of a much-loved film, and it’s a great example of how movie tie-in titles don’t always have to be tosh.


Title: Singstar: Take That
Platform: PS3
Genre: Music
Price: £19.99
Hit count: 4/5

While it’s all very well trawling pretty swiftly through the back-catalogues of 1980s artists who found their way onto Singstar, the real pleasure is to be had in bellowing at the tracks that you really know and love.
Everyone, whether they admit it or not, has a favourite Take That track or two.
And this disc is a cracking compilation of tunes from the fab five (who then became four), from Babe and Back For Good, through to Could It Be Magic and the more recent hits since reforming, such as Patience, Rule The World and Greatest Day.
A whopping 25 tunes for under £20 is a superb deal, and fans of the band should add this to their karaoke collection now!


Title: Women’s Murder Club: Games Of Passion
Platform: Nintendo DS
Genre: Adventure
Price: £29.99
Hit count: 2/5

Stepping into the investigative shoes of Women’s Murder Club members Lindsay, Claire and Cindy, you’re asked to investigate a string of seemingly unrelated murders as they unfold.
Beautiful women go missing and turn up dead around every corner, and the clues point to the least likely of suspects.
All this plays out through a mixture of object finding in different environments, interspersed with some pretty basic mini-games, such as sliding puzzles or memory games.
While the prospect of a new story from James Patterson may tempt fans of the books to try out this digital experience, it’s not really worth it.
Far too easy and rarely engaging, your time would be better spent reading your favourite paperback once again.


Title: Cooking Mama 3: Shop And Chop
Platform: Nintendo DS
Genre: Cookery
Price: £29.99
Hit count: 3/5

Mama’s back, having traded in the trowel for the truffle in Cooking Mama 3: Shop & Chop!
The stylus becomes the ultimate cooking utensil as players chop, grate, slice, stir, spread, sprinkle, roll and more through 200-plus mini-games.
But perhaps the main addition this time around is the shopping mini-games, which take you out of the kitchen to buy the ingredients before you get home and start showing off your stylus skills.
As with the previous two games, Shop And Chop looks as cute as ever, plays just as well and, while not really moving the series on as much as it could, the extra features keep things fresh and new for hardcore fans of virtual vegetable chopping.
So sharpen up your stylus and get your shopping bag ready, you’ve got cooking to do!

GAMES CHART ALL FORMATS FULL PRICE

1. Wii Fit Plus
2. FIFA 10
3. Wii Sports Resort
4. Football Manager 2010
5. Dragon Age: Origins
6. Forza Motorsport 3
7. Mario & Sonic At The Olympic Winter Games
8. Grand Theft Auto Episodes – Liberty City
9. Pro Evolution Soccer 2010
10. Tekken 6

Leisure software charts compiled by Chart Track, (c) ELSPA (UK) Ltd

Dispelling the winter blues

I don't know about anyone else but I've been feeling thoroughly depressed of late.
The clocks changing and the dark days, the horrible blustery rain-in-your-ear weather, the countdown to Christmas, ya dee ya, it's all a bit pants isn't it?
The only winter warmers have been the release of Unchartered 2 and PES 2010 which have gone down a storm with gamers across the country.
So in a bid to kick start my mood I've been looking into holidays - and big fat ones at that.
Shopping for a holiday is not like it used to be.
While some people might still prefer to pop into a local branch of Thomas Cook, I believe the best deals can be found by shopping online.
While I do try to shop in city and town centres as much as possible to support local business, there comes a time (in economic meltdown) when needs must. And if I can find something say, 30 per cent cheaper, it's got to be a winner.
There are plenty of websites which deal with flights alone (such as airline websites), while there are countless others which deal with package holidays (including flights, hotels, hire cars, tours etc.)
Like anything it is best to get in there early to get the best deal but, nine times out of ten, web prices are cheaper than those on the high street.
A good starting point is expedia's website which offers cheap city breaks, beach breaks, ski holidays, budget deals and even Christmas deals.
I've used the site quite a few times to book flights, and flights and hotels and it's been fairly reliable.
One aspect which is particularly good is that the website allows customers to rate their hotel stay so you can form a good picture of what is to come.
You can even use your Nectar points to get money off.
Most people will have now heard of the budget airlines easyJet and Ryanair, both of which offer seriously good deals on flights throughout the year.
If you're quick enough it is possible to bag a return flight for a few pence to many of Europe's top destinations. It's well worth checking out their websites every few weeks for the best deals.
Another useful website is lastminute.com which does exactly what it says on the tin.
One of my favourite travel websites for gaining inspiration has got to be Lonely Planet's.
It offers features on spectacular places which you normally wouldn't consider and information and advice on getting there and having the best time.
It also has a handy trip planner feature which guides you through your itinerary.
While I admit I have never used it, I'm reliably told that Teletext offers as good - if not better - deals online.
If none of the above help, why not simply tap 'cheap' or 'budget holiday' and 'deals' into Google's search engine and see what comes up. There's sure to be enough inspiration in there somewhere to help shed some light on the looming winter blues.
If that's not enough, for now why not check out the latest games releases?

Title: Band Hero Bundle
Platform: PS3
Genre: Music
Price: £149.99
Hit count: 5/5

If you’re struggling to think of a fun, interactive present for all the family to enjoy this festive season, relax – you’ve found it.
Gone are the days when a 48-hour Monopoly marathon was considered the best way to spend Christmas and Boxing Day.
Now, for a pretty tidy £150 you get a band in a box, quite literally. Packed with guitar, drum kit, microphone and a bursting list of 60-plus tracks, it’s another brilliant addition to the Hero series. You use familiar controls and interfaces to allow gamers to jump straight in, while the presentation has been polished in almost every area.
Whether you’re a Lily Allen fan, a David Bowie groupie or you swoon at the sight of Taylor Swift, there’s something for everyone. And gaming together as a group in the living room feels as fun as it would up on-stage.
Roll over board games, the real festive fun has arrived.


Title: Wii Fit Plus
Platform: Wii
Genre: Fitness
Price: £19.99
Hit count: 4/5

Pre-empting the millions of people who’ll be huffing and puffing in January after a week of ludicrous excess over Christmas, Nintendo has already come up with the remedy for those podgy guts and chubby cheeks – the next instalment in the Wii Fit series.
Picking up where the introduction of the balance board left off, Wii Fit Plus succeeds in moving the series on because it offers a much more tailored experience, allowing you to build your own routine.
The main new addition, however, is the bundle of 15 or so mini-games, and these really bring you a hi-energy workout with some serious fun.
From skateboarding to snowball fighting, many of them make brilliant use of the peripherals at your disposal, although there are a few duffers in there too.
All in all, an excellent, good-value upgrade to the series, and one well worth considering.


Title: Borderlands
Platform: Xbox 360
Genre: Shooter/RPG
Price: £44.99
Hit count: 4/5

Tossed into a strange world with quests to complete and a crazy array of enemies to encounter, you could be forgiven for thinking that Borderlands is just like any other action/adventure title.
But, as you’ll soon discover within a couple of hours, behind the trigger-happy first-person-based action lies a deeply statistical and customisable engine, which may prove to be a bit of a ’marmite moment’ for many gamers.
While the bloodthirsty, brutal action itself and stylised cel-shaded graphics really make the game stand out in its genre, the need for careful attention when levelling up and upgrading your arsenal may prove to be something of a turn-off for the more casual gamer.
But sticking with this will reward you with a really engrossing experience, combining challenging enemies, brilliant weapons and a wicked sense of humour to great effect.


Title: Shaun The Sheep: Off His Head
Platform: Nintendo DS
Genre: Action/Adventure
Price: £24.99
Hit count: 3/5

Is it too early to be talking about stocking-fillers? Not if you look at the mince pies and mulled wine on supermarket shelves right now.
So, for all Aardman fans, it’s an exciting prospect to dive into episodes of Shaun The Sheep and recreate the fun and unique silent-movie humour – this could be nice little extra to wrap up on Christmas Eve. With the Farmer all set for a big date, his toupee has gone missing.
It’s up to you to explore the areas based on the series - the field, the barn, the Farmer’s house and the circus tent – calling on Bitzer The Dog to help you out when the Naughty Pigs are up to their dirty tricks.
Offering three modes including regular story, mini-game and colouring book options, this is a decent little action/adventure package for the kids that should keep them entertained for a few hours – and hopefully give parents a lie-in on Christmas morning.


Title: Marvel Super Hero Squad
Platform: Wii
Genre: Action
Price: £24.99
Hit count: 2/5

After the success of the Marvel: Ultimate Alliance sequel, it’s perhaps surprising to see another game in the comic-based franchise come out so soon on Wii.
Perhaps it’s the desire to strip the series back to basics to appeal to the youngest audience possible.
With slightly more cutesy characters and more simplified controls, Super Hero Squad certainly does that, but to the detriment of the game overall.
This becomes little more than an exercise in button mashing through your mission against Dr Doom’s Lethal Legion of villains.
While you can mix and match up most of your favourite characters, this is really only a cosmetic sprinkling of enjoyment, as the gameplay itself is so repetitive that you’re more likely to find yourself counting how many times you bash the A button than actually caring what you’re doing on-screen and what’s coming next.
A real shame for such an otherwise credible franchise.


GAMES CHART: ALL FORMATS FULL PRICE

1. Football Manager 2010
2. Wii Fit Plus
3. FIFA 10
4. Forza Motorsport 3
5. Pro Evolution Soccer 2010
6. Grand Theft Auto Episodes: Liberty City
7. Mario & Sonic At The Olympic Winter Games
8. Tekken 6
9. Borderlands
10. Wii Sports Resort
Leisure software charts compiled by Chart Track, (c) ELSPA (UK) Ltd

Embracing the web

With each passing day it seems that more and more people are embracing the web in ever increasing ways.
About two weeks ago an internet website bought the rights to show one of the last England World Cup qualifying games (after Setanta went bust).
This meant that instead of people flocking around a TV for the big match, they instead flocked around a lap top or monitor.
That was a first. And it was weird.
Everyone knows the best phone deals are found online and, mostly, products and goods are cheaper with free delivery.
You can buy gadgets now where you can download books to avoid carrying around novels.Sky is launching a bid to conquer the growing online music market.
And more and more musical acts are deciding to launch digital albums instead of actual CD albums or singles.
They say they are “embracing the new age” but one might question how much money they are saving on not packaging their goods.
This week Irish rockers U2 are to make internet history by broadcasting an entire gig on the web live from the Pasadena Rose Bowl in California.
The show will go out on video- sharing site youtube.com to millions of fans for free this Sunday (October 25).
In an interview U2’s manager, Paul McGuinness, said: “The band has wanted to do something like this for a long time.
“As we’re filming the Los Angeles show, it’s the perfect opportunity to extend the party beyond the stadium.
“Fans often travel long distances to come to see U2 – this time U2 can go to them, globally.”
The gig will begin at 3.30am GMT, 8.30pm LA time and 12.30pm in Tokyo and is the first time a show of this size will be streamed live.
YouTube is confident the site can handle the millions of fans expected to log on, while those who miss it can watch two replays of the full concert immediately afterwards.Fans will also have access to instant messaging network Twitter while watching the show.
Personally I don’t know if I like all the focus on the web.Everything is becoming interactive to the point of oblivion.
A CD or a DVD is not just that anymore.
They are portals to new digital worlds. Yes, we inevitably get more for our money but when will it end? I doubt it will.

Here’s the best games of the last fortnight:


Title: Uncharted 2: Among Thieves
Platform: PS3
Genre: Action/Adventure
Price: £49.99
Hit count: 5/5

Uncharted’s first Indiana Jones-style arcade adventure was something of a surprise hit on PS3, coming out of nowhere as an all-new franchise to wow gamers with incredible visuals, all-action storytelling and expertly-executed enemy combat and AI.
To top that would be some feat, but those developers at Naughty Dog have only gone and done it, fine-tuning the single-player experience to a point where this is now one of the top action titles on the system, with a truly incredible multiplayer mode that would be worth the price of the game on its own.
Everything you’d expect is there in abundance – an engaging story, jaw-dropping graphics, refined combat – while co-operative and competitive modes each play just as well as the main single-player story.
If you haven’t played the first game, buy it and then buy this. For all other existing Uncharted fans, breathe easy, it looks like the series is in very safe hands.


Title: Fallout 3: Game Of The Year Edition
Platform: Xbox 360
Genre: RPG
Price: £39.99
Hit count: 5/5

Fallout 3 can only be described as a video-game epic that’s going to engross and astound PS3 gamers all over again this winter.
Post-apocalyptic Washington DC is the setting for the main, huge, incredible RPG experience, where every minute is a fight for survival as you encounter Super Mutants, Ghouls, Raiders and the many other dangers of the Wasteland.
Liam Neeson acts as the lead character’s father and brings a superb dramatic tone to proceedings, but one glance at the sheer size, visual splendour and audio quality of Fallout 3 will have you scrabbling around for superlatives of your own.
The Game Of The Year Edition essentially adds all of the expansion packs onto one disc, so there’s another five ways to extend your playing time, through the storylines of Operation: Anchorage, The Pitt, Broken Steel, Point Lookout and Mothership Zeta.
These add-ons vary in quality, but for an all-encompassing RPG heavyweight on one disc, for under £40, you’re on a winner whichever way you look at it.


Title: Up
Platform: PS3
Genre: Action/Adventure
Price: £39.99
Hit count: 3/5

Up has been trumpeted as the biggest and best Disney/Pixar movie release since Toy Story.
High praise indeed for the high-flying adventures of Carl Fredricksen and his young sidekick, Wilderness Explorer Russell, but can the video game meet similarly high expectations?
In a word, no, but fans of the film will find more than enough to keep them entertained for a little longer.
Here you take charge of the four main characters from the movie – Carl, Russell, Dug the lovable dog or Kevin the prehistoric bird – while also enjoying the choice of playing as a single player or with a friend co-operatively throughout the entire game.
It’s predominantly a fun 3D platformer with a few puzzles and beasties to get the better of along the way, and special items such as Carl’s hearing aid and Russell’s trumpet have their own fun uses, too.
While there’s nothing new about what’s been done here, the kids will still love it – and perhaps that statement stands true for the film, too.


Title: Motorstorm: Arctic Edge
Platform: PSP
Genre: RacingPrice: £24.99
Hit count: 4/5

The first of two very different racing games battling for your PSP’s attention this week, Motorstorm: Arctic Edge picks up where the PS3 versions left off, with an off-road racing rampage – this time in Alaska’s Arctic Circle, where sub-zero hazards, unpredictable terrain and reckless rivals ensure no two laps are ever the same.
Twelve reversible, multi-route tracks will test even the most skilful of Motorstorm fans, who will also be dying to get their hands on the two new Snowmachine and Snowcat vehicles – perfect for cutting through the tricky terrain.
As a single-player game and with wireless multiplayer, Arctic Edge does an incredible job of recreating a fab franchise on the smaller, less powerful PSP, and should be considered one of the best games of its kind on this system.
It’s insane off-road racing at its best, and a great racer for gamers on the go.


Title: Gran Turismo
Platform: PSP
Genre: Racing
Price: £24.99
Hit count: 4/5

Can you believe it’s a staggering 11 years since the very first Gran Turismo wowed first-generation Playstation owners?
A decade on, and the power of the PSP now means that an unbelievable 800 vehicles and 35 tracks (all playable backwards) have now been crammed on to one tiny UMD, giving portable gamers the widest choice possible when it comes to virtual racing.
But choice is one thing - and gameplay quality is another entirely.
Would we have sacrificed some of these cars and tracks for a cracking career mode, which is very conspicuous by its absence? Absolutely.
Graphically, this is a stunning achievement and you really won’t believe your eyes when you first start playing. But behind the endless garage and jaw-dropping environments, GT aficionados will still have a little empty feeling – one that Gran Turismo 5 will hopefully more than satisfy next year.


Title: NHL 10
Platform: PS3
Genre: Ice Hockey
Price: £49.99
Hit count: 5/5

With a staggering 19 sports game of the year awards over the past two years, the NHL franchise boasts some serious credentials.
Anyone who played its predecessor will have already sampled the bone-crunchingly realistic recreation of hockey on the ice and in the arena.
Of course, the challenge from 09 is to refine and tweak to a degree that loyal fans can’t live without the latest version, and newcomers are instantly converted into hardcore fans.
Well, more than 200 gameplay enhancements, including a new first-person fighting engine that enables you to trade punches with an NHL tough guy, all move the experience on a notch. The core gameplay mechanics are just as fresh and responsive as they ever were.
If you’re an 09 owner, it’s got just enough new content to justify a full-blown purchase, and all other gamers should buy this immediately.


Title: Star Wars: The Clone Wars – Republic Heroes
Platform: Xbox 360
Genre: Action/Adventure
Price: £49.99
Hit count: 4/5

It seems people will never tire of the vast Star Wars world, with new adventures springing up all the time to satisfy the appetite for Jedi action.
nd here, the animated Clone Wars style is admirably recreated on Xbox 360, offering a family-friendly action experience for everyone to enjoy.
With the choice of Jedi or clone class for your character, it’s a toss up between lightsabre and more traditional firepower.
As you might imagine, your hunt for the mysterious techno adversary is action-packed with wave after wave of droids to dispatch, and with a neat upgrade system working in the background the later powers you acquire can be a hoot to dish out on the unsuspecting enemies.
Built around two-player co-operative play, Republic Heroes presents pretty much everything you could ask for from a Star Wars title: thrills, spills, authentic characters and powers, and a spine-tingling soundtrack to boot.


GAMES CHART: ALL FORMATS FULL PRICE

1. FIFA 10
2.Operation Flashpoint: Dragon Rising
3. Need For Speed: Shift
4. Professor Layton And Pandora’s Box
5. Wii Sports Resort
6. Halo 3: ODST
7. Gran Turismo
8. Wii Fit
9. Mario Kart Wii
10. Guitar Hero 5

Leisure software charts compiled by Chart Track, (c) ELSPA (UK) Ltd

Battle of the Titans

SO CHELSEA may well be top of the Premiership having beaten Liverpool at the weekend.
But there’s only one match that gamers are gearing up for next – Fifa 10 versus Pro Evolution Soccer 2010.
They say there’s always light at the end of the tunnel.
And with our (once again) abismal summer the only thing to look forward to is the annual play off between Electronic Arts and Konami.
It’s worth pointing out right now that I sit firmly in the Pro camp.
Always have.
But that may well be about to change.I got my hands on a copy of Fifa 10 last week and it’s safe to say it rocked my world.
It has been given a very serious makeover with life-like actions, awesome gameplay and great sound effects.
Manager Mode has returned and the developers have made dozens of improvements.
The one aspect I REALLY like is that teams are updated weekly (via the web) to update players’ injuries and team form.
On the other hand I’ve just downloaded the free playable download of PES 2010.
The free demo showcases the full game’s exhibition mode and users can select from Liverpool, or Barcelona, or the Spanish, Italian, French and German national sides.
The selected sides can then be played against the CPU or a friend in a five-minute match.On first impression the graphics rival Fifa’s.
The individual menu screens look awesome with a new makeover and the pre-match in-tunnel scenes look incredibly realistic.
The music (if you could call it that on the previous releases) has been vastly upgraded with the likes of the Kaiser Chiefs lending their tunes to the title.
But, and this is a temporary but before I experience the full game (released on October 23rd), the gameplay seems slower.
I don’t know why but it just doesn’t seem to flow with pace.Sure there was a vast difference when you played third-rate teams compared to say top national sides, but even with Liverpool versus Barcelona it seemed... tired.
I don’t know, maybe I’m wrong. My own brother thinks I am but we’ll see.
I’m still holding out to see whether the online glitches have disappeared to make my official rating.
But it’s safe to say that Fifa has raised the bar a fair way.

Here’s the Fifa review and that of several others released this week:

Title: FIFA 10
Platform: PS3
Genre: Football
Price: £49.99
Hit count: 5/5

WELL, put it this way, the boys at Konami are going to have to pull off a comeback of Man Utd vs Bayern Munich in 1999 proportions to have any chance of winning this season's battle of the heavyweight football sims.
FIFA has been improving significantly in recent years, while the Pro Evolution stable has stalled, and this latest EA offering has got the lot.
From improvements in on-the-pitch action such as better ball control, passing, dribbling and player positioning to the triumphant return of the Manager Mode, boasting over 50 major improvements on a list too detailed to go through here.
Rest assured, the realism is there like never before, and everything is polished to a high standard.
This is a shining example of a developer listening to player feedback and giving them a finely-tuned, superb football simulation that they somehow have to top next year.
Over to you, Pro Evo.


Title: Family Trainer: Extreme Challenge (with mat controller)
Platform: Wii
Genre: Sports
Price: £49.99
Hit count: 4/5

After the extremely enjoyable Outdoor Challenge comes this year's 'Extreme' offering, giving parents the opportunity to let their children experience the adrenalin rush of base-jumping and street-luge without the broken bones and ludicrous life insurance premiums.
The 12 or so activities available all stick tightly to the 'extreme' niche-sports theme, with wakeboarding, rock climbing, kite surfing, BMX biking and skateboarding thrown into the mix.
A good variety in gameplay on each activity will have you interacting with the Wii Remote and 8-buttoned custom mat in many different ways, and there's no doubt that this will keep your calorie count down if you or the kids are watching your waistlines.
And, of course, you can play it together, banishing any lingering preconceptions of gaming as just a lonesome life in a darkened room - this is extreme gaming, so get stuck in!


Title: The King of Fighters XII
Platform: PS3
Genre: Arcade
Price: £39.99
Hit count: 4/5

Remember the legendary arcade beat-em-up Street Fighter? Well, this is on a par.
KOF XII serves up 22 characters each with their own unique moves and styles in a stunning 2D production incorporating all-new, high-resolution fighters.
With every production house seemingly trying to out do each other with graphics and gameplay – almost trying to reinvent the wheel – it’s actually a breath of fresh air to play something which is new, but has a retro feel.
KOF XII is fast and furious fun for any game fan.
The only real snag is that it seems to be very easy to complete - even on normal mode despite the fact I've never played it before. Still, I don't mind going back and replaying.


Title: Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2
Platform: Xbox 360
Genre: Action / RPG
Price: £49.99
Hit count: 4/5

Hailed as ‘the greatest superhero action/RPG of all time’, Marvel Ultimate Alliance is back with the biggest and best army of heroes and villains to date.
The choice on offer is really impressive, as you can create and customize your dream team from the Marvel Universe, selecting from more than 24 playable characters, each with specialized powers which gradually level-up in traditional RPG style as you progress through the game.
The 250-plus fusion attacks are a blast as, for example, you team up Human Torch and Thor to create a spectacular fiery tornado.
This all sucks you in even further to the incredible Marvel world, plus brings a real tactical element to co-operative multiplayer, which you can experience online with three friends.
Compared with the first Ultimate Alliance release, there's probably not a whole lot that's new here.
The overall polishing up and tweaking, however, make this a Marvel adventure well worth revisiting.


Title: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Smash Up
Platform: Wii
Genre: Action
Price: £29.99
Hit count: 3/5

Here's another comic-book crew which has been around for more than 20 years, and stood the test of time pretty well.
This fighter seems to go back to the roots of the TMNT franchise, with good-old scrapping at its heart.
The overall game mechanics seem to lean heavily on the influence from Super Smash Bros Brawl: arguably the daddy of all fighting titles.
This is a good thing forturtles fans, who can select their favourite characters, pick a stage and then beat their opponent to a pulp - safe in the knowledge that the fighting gameplay is going to mirror that which it's copying.
But where this game falls down slightly is in depth - the collection of characters is paltry, bearing in mind there are 20 years or more of stories to draw upon.
Also, 12 trophies or figurines to collect compared to Smash Bros 500 or so doesn't cut it.
Overall, a great game for TMNT fighter fans, but it could have been so much more.


Title: Space Invaders Extreme 2
Platform: Nintendo DS
Genre: Arcade
Price: £19.99
Hit count: 4/5

It's fantastic to see some of the early gaming franchises still going strong, none more than Space Invaders, which for many was the first and only experience they needed to have before becoming hooked on videogames.
Shrunk down from that first huge arcade cabinet to the more petite proportions of the DS, SpaceInvaders Extreme 2 is an arcade-like assault on your gaming senses.
In the game you shoot, attack and stave off the onslaught by defeating all the invaders onscreen.
After annihilating a battalion of enemies and defeating the boss, it's onto the next stage.
This may sound basic and repetitive, but the variety invisual backdrops, and also the tactical formations that the invaders will throw at you, ensure that this is as intense a retro-gaming experience as you can get right now.
And for under £20, snap it up now and get zapping!


GAMES CHART: ALL FORMATS FULL PRICE

1. Halo 3: ODST
2. Professor Layton and Pandora's Box
3. Need For Speed: Shift
4. Guitar Hero 5
5. Wii Sports Resort
6. Batman: Arkham Asylum
7. Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2
8. Colin McRae: Dirt 2
9. Wet
10. Wii Fit

Leisure software charts compiled by Chart Track, (c) ELSPA (UK) Ltd

Those Spectrum days relived

THE NEXT time you see me I may well have less hair, a permanent look of anger on my face, and bruised knuckles.
Now I haven't joined the local cage fighting league... I've actually been playing Pro Evolution Soccer 09 online.
The idea is simple. Connect up your PS3 (or whatever platform you have) to the internet, get a copy of the game, register it and wallah! You can play matches against people from all over the world.
The actual reality is very different.
Remember the days of the Spectrum ZX and the (later) Spectrum 128K? Remember how you used to go to load a game, inserting the cassette into the tape player, and wait while the annoying noise signalled the game was loading. And then... it stopped. Without loading the game.
My parents used to ask me how the keyboard of the Spectrum became warped, as if someone had applied pressure onto it... almost like someone had thrown their clenched fists down onto it with great force.
You can imagine how it came about.
That rage from my youth has become increasingly apparent with the release of that game, and the subsequent attempts I have made to 'play' it.
While PES09 is different - in that it actually loads - the problems are similar.
You start the game and all's well. You're playing Ronaldo78 from Paris, France, he takes a shot and it goes wide of the goal.
My keeper goes to take the goal kick, he runs up and kicks the ball, the screen moves to the far end of the pitch and the ball is nowhere to be seen.
The game continues on Ronaldo78 scores, and I'm none the wiser. I was looking at the other end of the pitch where nothing was happening.
In computer speak it's called 'lagging' and it's where the game crashes.
And I can't tell you how annoying it is. Since launching the online service a couple of years ago the makers of the PES series have admitted to problems with its online content.
Each year I get the game and play it hoping the problem has been fixed. But it hasn't.
The online content on other games such as Grand Theft Auto is fine. Or rather, it works. But it seems Konami still haven't worked out how to fix it.
My internet connectivity is fine so it must be down to the game.
It is the single most annoying thing of my 31 years. Apart from of course the dark Spectrum days.
With the release of the new 2010 game later this year, one can only hope that things will improve. At least for my sanity's sake.

Anyways, in the meantime here's some other titles to crack on with:

Title: G-Force
Platform: Xbox 360
Genre: Action
Price: £39.99
Hit count: 4/5

The prospect of controlling a guinea pig hooked up with a high-tech jet-pack and other electronic gizmos is already enough to make the most mature gamer raise a smile - the fact that this game comes bundled with a couple of pairs of old-school 3D glasses merely completes your regression to pre-teen times.
Tying in with Disney's big-screen release, G-Force predominantly puts you in control of Darwin, heading up a team of dynamic guinea pigs on a mission to save the world. Plus there's Mooch the fly, whose character you can switch between when puzzles require you to access those hard-to-reach places.
There's a great balance of action and puzzle-solving throughout, and the enemies can't fail to raise a chuckle - whether you're tackling a crazed food blender or temperamental toaster. Tight controls never waver, whatever you're trying to do, and a mild sense of repetition later on the game does little, if anything, to dampen a fab movie tie-in experience.


Title: GTA Triple Pack
Platform: PS2
Genre: Action
Price: £24.99
Hit count: 5/5

While Grand Theft Auto 4 gave gamers a startlingly realistic glimpse into the future of sandbox titles on the next-generation consoles, Rockstar fanatics will never look back at previous incarnations of the GTA series and scoff - they'll appreciate the giant leaps the developer took for gaming-kind with each instalment.
Now you can relive the past with an incredible trilogy that simply must be owned, if only for keeping shrink-wrapped on your shelf for posterity.
A mere £25 gives you the full, unabridged versions of GTA 3, GTA Vice City and GTA San Andreas, all of which in their own right are fantastic, funny, controversial and captivating games - together they're a hefty chunk of the best games ever released for the PS2.


Title: Fritz Chess
Platform: PS3
Genre: Chess
Price: £19.99
Hit count: 4/5

Chess is chess, so how can so many different incarnations of this classic board game continue to shift thousands of units? Surely, if you've got one simulation, you've got them all?
Well, one glance down the features list of Fritz Chess shows that while the classic mode is there in all its glory - and with several difficulty settings - there are also a host of 'alternative' modes that would probably have the game's creators turning in their graves.
Chess 960 randomly shuffles the greater pieces to give each match a new unexpected challenge, while Giveaway chess sees the victor crowned when he has captured all of his opponent's pieces.
These modes certainly add a bit of spice to proceedings, and some much-needed variety, but it's the core challenge that will appeal to chess fans.
And, with over 2,000 historical matches to relive and analyse, there's more than enough to keep those over-active brains ticking over.


Title: Cake Mania: In The Mix!
Platform: Wii
Genre: Cookery
Price: £19.99
Hit count: 3/5

So, what will the Wii controller have you doing this week? It's fair to say that almost every physical activity has been recreated on the system during its relatively short life-span, meaning we shouldn't bat an eyelid at being asked to decorate a cake that you've just baked.
And that's exactly the kind of gaming challenge you can expect with In The Mix, as you build up your bakeries to the point where celebrity chefs would be jealous at the embarrassment of culinary riches at your disposal - from display stands to cookie ovens and everything inbetween.
Graphically it looks really nice, and there's no doubt it becomes a serious challenge pretty quickly, but sadly it's let down by a pretty clumsy control system - the one thing that makes this version truly unique from other formats, albeit this time in a bad way.


Title: Puzzle Kingdoms
Platform: Nintendo DS
Genre: Puzzle/Strategy
Price: £19.99
Hit count: 3/5

From conquering cities around the world to competing in what is essentially are-skinned Bejeweled experience, Puzzle Kingdoms challenges you to plan outstrategic attacks in order to defeat your opponents, then order your troops across the map, winning battles through this puzzle gameplay.
At first it's aslightly bizarre combination of role-playing-games and puzzle action, but overall it works pretty well.
Battles are frenetic and addictive, and the careful management of your team of heroes is also crucial to your success. Fans of Galactrix and Puzzle Quest will be grateful for more of the same here, although things probably haven't moved on as much as you would like.
For anyone else looking for a fairly unique, on-the-go gaming experience, Puzzle Kingdoms is probably worth a look for under £20.


WHAT'S HOT AND WHAT'S NOT

Following the Grand Theft Auto retro trilogy pack on PS2, iPhone and iPod Touch owners can now also take a peek at how GTA-style action is taking shape on Apple's hardware.
A free 'lite' version of TAG Games' crime sim Car Jack Streets has been launched in the App store.
The top-down, free-for-all provides a 30-minute crime spree across the city, with the aim of raising 5,000 dollars to pay off a mob boss, while the full version gives you the wide open city you'd expect, with unlimited missions and carnage to create.
Designed and developed by members of the original Grand Theft Auto creative team, this is one not to miss.
In the charts this week, Wii Sports Resort went straight into the No 1 position, toppling Harry Potter, which in turn sent Transformers spiralling down from two to five.
Tiger Woods PGA Tour 10 held firm at three, as did Wii Fit at four, while Virtua Tennis 2009 was the big loser of the week, falling out of the top-10 altogether.

GAMES CHART: ALL FORMATS FULL PRICE

1. Wii Sports Resort
2. Harry Potter And The Half-Blood Prince
3. Tiger Woods PGA Tour 10
4. Wii Fit
5. Transformers: Revenge Of The Fallen
6. Fight Night Round 4
7. Call Of Juarez: Bound In Blood
8. The Sims 3
9. Call Of Duty 4: Modern Warfare
10. EA Sports Active: Personal Trainer

Leisure software charts compiled by Chart Track, (c) ELSPA (UK) Ltd

Jacko's death sparks surge in online viewing

IT seems we are a nation - and indeed a world - of people who love bad news.

I'm sure if you look back at hit counts surrounding all the major news stories over the last 10 years, figures would should most people logged onto the web following the death of someone or the demise of something.

And yesterday was further proof.
The first reports of Michael Jackson’s death emerged on a showbiz website sparking a massive surge in online traffic around the globe as millions of people logged on to find out more.
It was the American site www.tmz.com that broke the news reporting it was "looking bad" for the star.
The massive level of interest caused the site to temporarily go down but that did not stop the news spreading via blogs and social networking sites.
So many people wanted to verify early reports of his death that the computers running Google’s news section interpreted the "Michael Jackson" requests as an automated attack for about half an hour.
The BBC News website reported UK traffic was 48% higher than usual at 4am today.
By 3.20pm yesterday even The Herald's (www.thisisplymouth.co.uk) website had received a great many views with more than 2,000 viewing that story alone making it one of the most read of the day.
With the news of his death confirmed, one of the UK’s most popular sites, Twitter, was full of reaction.
Among the people who turned to the site to pay tribute were Hollywood star Demi Moore and Foreign Secretary David Miliband.
Before long, nine of the 10 most popular topics being discussed were related to the star.
Fans also logged on the myspace page of his former wife, Lisa Marie Presley, to pay tribute.
Once again it seems sad that in death a figure will actually be larger than he was in life, regardless of whether he was known as the 'king of pop'.

If you can peel yourself away from the online updates check out this week's new game releases and related news:

Title: Fight Night Round 4
Platform: Xbox 360
Genre: Boxing
Price: £49.99
Hit count: 5/5

The Fight Night series has been a rip-roaring success on next-gen consoles, with Round 3 raising the bar in terms of jaw-dropping graphics and gameplay mechanics in the ring. Round 4 picks up right where EA left off, with another hard-hitting simulation that mixes a variety of fighting styles and boxer differentiation to emulate the greatest fighters of all time. Whether you’re pressuring your opponent with the brawling inside style of a young Mike Tyson, or capitalising on Muhammad Ali’s reach and fleetness of foot, this really is the real deal as scrapping experiences go. It’s polished off with an incredible new physics-based animation system that will have you reeling on your sofa with every punch you take. Top-notch sporting action – have you got what it takes to be king of the ring?


Title: Transformers: Revenge Of The Fallen
Platform: PS3
Genre: Action
Price: £39.99
Hit count: 4/5

Tying in with one of this summer’s blockbuster releases, Transformers: Revenge Of The Fallen may be greeted with a little trepidation by gamers, if not cinema-goers. The franchise’s previous foray into the gaming world provided enjoyment, yet left fans wanting so much more. Here, flitting from Autobot to Decepticon side in the engaging single-player campaign soon shows you that the controls have been tightened up and you’re now capable of some pretty stunning combat moves, particularly thanks to the ability to transform in mid-air. A solid multiplayer mode takes the mechanised action online to good effect, and adds up to an all-action sequel that delivers for long-standing fans of these iconic characters, with pretty much all your favourite characters available to play. Transformers fans, let’s roll!


Title: Indiana Jones And The Staff Of Kings
Platform: Wii
Genre: Action
Price: £44.99
Hit count: 3/5

What self-respecting gamer and action-movie fan isn’t going to get just a little bit excited about the prospect of wielding Indy’s whip, thanks to the motion-sensing technology that Nintendo’s Wii can offer? Here, the world’s most famous archaeologist sets out on an all-new globe-trotting quest, from San Francisco’s Chinatown to the lush jungles of Panama, in a race to recover a relic of biblical proportions – the Staff of Moses. There are some control issues, but this shouldn’t detract from what is still a well-designed adventure romp that stays true to the spirit of the original films. Whether you’re running for your life as a temple collapses around you or flying a biplane through a canyon trench, the cinematic moments come thick and fast and should provide more than enough amusement for casual gamers and hardcore Indy fans alike.


Title: Ghostbusters: The Video Game
Platform: PS3
Genre: Action
Price: £49.99
Hit count: 4/5

Yet another movie to morph onto console systems, Ghostbusters: The Video Game presents an all-new storyline for gamers to get their teeth into, once again putting you in charge of that motley crew of paranormal pest controllers. Not only does it deliver in terms of humour, with superb voice-acting from almost all of the original actors, it also has the kind of gameplay mechanics you’d hope for when faced with the prospect of grappling with a ghost above a trap and lowering it down to complete the capture. It’s pretty much everything fans could want in terms of an authentic recreation of a much-loved film, and it’s a great example of how movie tie-in titles don’t have to always be tosh.


Title: MySims Racing
Platform: Nintendo DS
Genre: Racing
Price: £29.99
Hit count: 4/5

Little racers like this are designed to be high speed, great fun and perfectly designed for DS on-the-go gaming. MySims Racing sings out all of these virtues from the off, as wannabe speedsters burn rubber against the toughest MySims rival racers on the trickiest tracks in Speedville. Rewarding your success on the track with a staggering array of options for kart customisation off it adds a fantastic extra layer of depth to the game. The obligatory four-player multiplayer racing option is delivered really well, with some great power-ups available to help wreck your pals’ progress in the heat of the battle. It may be a small system, but MySims Racing has bundles of big personality and is well worth a look for racing fans.


WHAT’S HOT AND WHAT’S NOT
PSP handheld gamers may have been green with envy when they saw all the fuss around the release of Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars on the DS recently, but fear not – it’s coming to Sony’s system, too. Due for release this autumn, development on the PSP version will home in on using the console’s widescreen graphics, enhanced lighting and animation power, while new story missions will also be introduced.
In the charts this week, Prototype nabbed first place, knocking The Sims 3 down into second spot, while Wii Fit climbed one place from four to three. Ghostbusters: The Video Game was the only new entry to the top end, coming in at four, while the Wimbledon factor is taking effect with Virtua Tennis 2009 and EA Sports Grand Slam Tennis moving up into the bottom rungs of the top-10.

GAMES CHART: ALL FORMATS FULL PRICE

1.Prototype
2.The Sims 3
3.Wii Fit
4.Ghostbusters: The Video Game
5.Call of Duty: World At War
6.Red Faction: Guerilla
7.UFC 2009: Undisputed
8.EA Sports Active
9.Virtua Tennis 2009
10.EA Sports Grand Slam Tennis

Leisure software charts compiled by Chart Track, (c) ELSPA (UK) Ltd

DIY skills aided by the internet

So hello! And no before you ask, I didn't get the job on the remote paradise island.

Over the last few weeks I've been busy doing DIY jobs and various other tasks in the newsroom.
It seems my washing machine had been leaking for 18 months without telling me.

I only discovered this fact three weeks ago when a friend came round to look at another job and noticed the 'springy' nature of floor tiles. Oops.

So yes, ever since the damp discovery I've been busy drying, painting, rearranging, washing and um, freaking out.

While builder and plasterer friends of mine have been really helpful in telling me the best way to go about it, I have to say the web has been just as amazing.

Google - whatever you think of it - is just the most useful thing on the planet. If you don't know, someone will... whether they are in Edinburgh or Iceland, there will be some online forum somewhere where someone has had a similar problem and has sought advice.

For me, with the DIY skills of a piece of mouldy cheese, it has been invaluable.

At the same time it's been great pricing up the price of paint, varnish and other useful bits on websites such as B&Q and Homebase.

I even looked on The Range's website (which is pretty good and useful) after interviewing Chris Dawson on - I have to say - a completely unrelated matter.

I am forever in awe of the information joe public can now get on the web, and often question what the hell we did before it?!

In the last couple of weeks I've also been caught up in a raging battle which divides the world... PC or Mac?

I have a PC which has served me well for years and years.

Ever since I've had a job I've used a PC, and even before that I was using one at home.

I've never really thought twice about changing to a Mac but then a friend offered me one.

He's always raved about them (as Mac users tend to do) and I've always ignored him. Until that is, I had a go at one last week.

It has to be said the operating system is soooooo much faster, slicker and well... sexier.

I'm told you can run a number of programmes at the same time, and the hugely annoying system updates are a thing of the past.

While I'm still not completely sold on the idea (it's like deciding to speak a different language after so many years for the sheer will of change!) I have to say I'm not far off.

Oh, also I must admit to chuckling somewhat uncontrollably last week over the visit of world leaders for the global summit.

It wasn't the content of discussions which made me laugh, but more the meeting of the Obamas and The Queen and Duke of Edinburgh.

During a 'private' meeting, the Obamas presented HRH The Queen with an iPod containing a video of her State visit in 2007.

And in return what did the Queen give the Obamas....? Why an autographed picture of herself and Philip. Priceless!

Does anyone else consider the image of The Queen wandering around her grounds clutching an ipod ever so slightly weird...?



Title: Pro Evolution Soccer 2009
Platform: Wii
Genre: Football
Price: £39.99
Hit count: 4/5

It could be argued that the Pro Evolution Soccer series has been superseded by FIFA – even amongst those hardcore purists who for years refused to be dazzled by official kits and other licenses.

Where the ball may have been dropped on PS3 and Xbox 360, PES is carving an incredibly successful niche on Wii as a real hardcore football title.

It’s hard to pick up, with a very steep learning curve, but the rewards on offer from the intuitive and unique Wii control methods are well worth persevering with.

From marshalling your back four to sending teammates on angled, defence-splitting forward runs, the possibilities appear to be nigh-on endless.

While the title suffers from under-polished graphics, the countless game modes and incredible realism presented to you by this superb control system make this one of the best football experiences on a console right now.


Title: Wanted: Weapons and Fate
Platform: PS3
Genre: Action
Price: £39.99
Hit count: 4/5

Anyone who watched Wanted, the movie, will have a pretty good idea of what they’re going to get here – over-the-top action and the kind of intense entertainment experience you might not have been expecting from the outset.

Yes, this is a short game, and the adrenalin-rush of tackling all that the game has to offer will disappear within just five or six short hours.

But the special effects (including a slo-mo ’Assassin Time’) and continuation of the laughably far-fetched story line featured in the film make this an attraction worth paying the entrance fee for. Where movie tie-in titles so often disappoint, Weapons of Fate bucks the trend, and that certainly sets it apart.


Title: Go Diego Go! Great Dinosaur Rescue
Platform: Nintendo DS
Genre: Action / Adventure
Price: £19.99
Hit count: 3/5

Already a hugely successful kids TV series, this installment of Go Diego Go! gives pre-schoolers the chance to travel back through time with Diego and Baby Jaguar to help Maia the Maiasura find her way back to her family in this rescue adventure.

You’ll have to climb rock walls, travel along monkey bars, solve puzzles and even jump on a pogo stick to help Diego’s friend find her way home in this prehistoric journey, all mirroring a recent episode from the show.

Pitched perfectly at the target market, parents can be sure that the game combines authentic animated entertainment with an educational twist and should be well received as an interactive Easter gift for little ones!

Title: WWE Legends of Wrestlemania
Platform: Xbox 360
Genre: Wrestling
Price: £44.99
Hit count 4/5

Gamers of a certain age will probably remember with misty eyes the days when WWE was better known as WWF, and wrestlers such as Hulk Hogan and Legion of Doom ruled the ring. So here comes a pretty tidy combination – next generation consoles with 1980s and 1990s wrestling nostalgia.

It all mixes up to provide an enjoyable virtual grapple – the control method isn’t too complicated, making it easy to dive in and play as your favourite character.

With around 40 to choose from, you’ll probably spend more time chuckling at the authenticity of these many blasts from the past than you do rediscovering and executing their signature moves.

It all adds up to another excellent wrestling outing on consoles, and certainly one for those in search of the old-school retro feel.


Title: Phineas & Ferb
Platform: Nintendo DS
Genre: Action
Price: £24.99
Hit count: 3/5

Another DS title to hop on the success of animated adventures, this Disney-created duo, Phineas & Ferb, are out to build an awesome vehicle to race.

So, while Phineas heads out on a platforming mission to pick up all the relevant parts, Ferb takes on mechanical duties.

Touch-screen mini games move the story on, and the racing elements turn out to be pretty good fun, too, all displayed in an engaging and colourful style that recreates the vibrancy of the cartoon itself really well.

As with Go Diego above, this game won’t win any awards for its gameplay originality, but what it does, it does really well.

The addition of connectivity to DGamer – Disney’s online kid-friendly service – brings another layer of enjoyment for young gamers as they look to publish their achievements online for all to see.



Title: Halo Wars
Platform: Xbox 360
Genre: Real Time Strategy
Price: £49.99
Hit count: 4/5

From a first person perspective, Halo looked pretty darn good, so what’s it like when you pull back for a wider look?

Well, with the creators of Age of Empires taking the helm, the franchise is in safe hands. Halo Wars does a fab job of putting you in charge of the human UNSC armies as you play out their first deadly encounters with the Covenant.

Set before Halo 1, you lead the crew through initial skirmishes to an all-out war against the evil beggars in, what has to be said, is a well designed, slick-playing RTS title, Halo or no Halo.

The game buzzes off the pressure that comes from carrying the Halo name and feels like a whole new experience for the franchise. Die hard Halo fans must have it. RTS fans will love it anyway.

Title: Family Ski and Snowboard
Platform: Wii
Genre: Sports
Price: £34.99
Hit count: 4/5

Winter sports are notoriously dangerous.

The adrenalin rush of speeding down the slopes on skis or a snowboard could just as quickly transform into a lengthy spell at accident and emergency on the Alps.

Fortunately, this snow-bound sports entertainment is all played out in the relative safety of your living room, using the Wii balance board. Plenty of events and courses – all available from the start – give you loads to get your teeth into.

Once you’ve mastered the motion-sensing controls, things like the slalom and trick competitions add an extra layer of difficulty to the game, which will be welcomed by competent gamers.

For those laid up by the early events, you can always laugh at people playing it instead!

Title: Mario Power Tennis
Platform: Wii
Genre: Tennis
Price: £29.99
Hit count: 3/5

As a Gamecube title five years ago, Mario Power Tennis was great fun, so the prospect of bringing it up-to-date on Wii, with those motion controls we know so well, seems pretty exciting.

Sadly, what gamers get is an identical port of the original which is now, understandably, showing its age.

The motion controls should be breathing new life into the title, but in reality they act as a hindrance.

They’re nowhere near as slick as those already displayed on Wii Sports. It’s a shame, because the Mario factor injects more excitement than might normally come with a tennis title. However, it’s just not enough. Mario Power Tennis is a double fault.


Title: Spectrobes: Beyond The Portals
Platform: Nintendo DS
Genre: Action / RPG
Price: £29.99
Hit count: 4/5

Rallen and Jeena, those interplanetary patrol officers who discover, excavate, awaken and train fossilised creatures known as Spectrobes, are back for more, this time investigating the origins of the mysterious portals that lead to distant dimensions.

Beyond the Portals does improve upon the original in most areas, and the excellent 3D graphics combined with meaty combat make this a great little title for DS gamers looking for a fast, light RPG fix.

It’s got something of the Pokemon about it, so will also appeal to fans of that monster training sub-genre.

The inclusion of DGamer, where you can customize a unique 3D avatar, earn exclusive Disney content, and chat with friends though the DS’s wifi connection, adds an extra layer of entertainment that all adds up to a tasty sci-fi package.


Title: Chrono Trigger
Platform: Nintendo DS
Genre: RPG
Price: £29.99
Hit count: 4/5

Some games are best left untouched.

To attempt a radical overhaul of Chrono Trigger would have been not only a dangerous task but a snub to granting it another flourish on Nintendo DS.

Yes, if you played this many years ago on the SNES it will reignite your passion for the timeless 2D world that gave birth to an RPG franchise rivaled only by Final Fantasy. Bar a few script edits here and there, it’s presented as it was and still holds up against the test of time and technological advancement.

Fans of the original who were wishing for the next stage of the series will have to hold their horses a while longer. For those seeking a spot of nostalgia, or willing to unearth a real retro RPG gem, this is just the job.

A spot of research

At times like this I usually raise my head back, tilt slightly to one side and, veer off into some nondescript void.

Sadly no matter how many times I try I can't do it. I can't lie to you and I have no excuse for not being around for the last couple of weeks.

I've simply been away and busy, and busy being away.

But before you write me off thinking this blog is going to be a nothing but dribble consider this... has he actually been away researching?

They say life is all about experience and to consider yourself an expert I guess you have to experience those things that qualify.

Last weekend I decided to take this blog on the road and up to London for a). Valentine's; b). birthday celebrations and c). inspiration.

During the stay my partner and I decided to experience what has been described as the "most hi-tech eating experience in London".

Inamo in London's Soho is quite simply different and a real breath of fresh air.

Some of the (older) guys here at Herald towers laughed off suggestion of the restaurant. "What's wrong with talking to a waiter and doing everything normally?" they asked.

Nothing really. Change is good is it not?

At the core of Inamo's oriental restaurant is an interactive ordering system.
Diners place orders from an illustrated food and drinks menu projected on to their table surface.

You can set the mood, choose your table cloth, play a game of Battleships with the person sat opposite, and even order a taxi home.

A swift click on the table and a waiter or waitress delivers food or drink to your table. Look at another drop down menu and you can view the bill, with food or bar orders racking up as you order them.

The only snag was - after a few drinks - me placing my bottle of beer in the small circle assigned for cursor navigation and thus ordering plates of unwanted food. Eek!
Oh well.

So how many of you have been to Regent Street's Apple store?

Isn't it just THE weirdest place on earth? I mean, I'm into gadgets and boys toys but that place is just freaky.

It's like a temple for geeks.

You walk in and there's a massive open plan space - probably twice the size of the neighbouring Ted Baker store - and hundreds of people are just stood around either holding iPhones, iTouches or iPods or laptops.

Some are talking to guys in suits who look like a cross between medical examiners and scientists and others and on facebook.

Like mobile phone shops people can pick up all the different iPods and play with them... but most didn't have earphones in.

At the back of the room there's a a kind of theatre set up where lectures are given on how to use certain Apple software.

I walked in and felt like I was part of an experiement.

Ok so aside from my trip to London I've also been travelling at the world's oceans. Well, kinda.

A team from Plymouth Marine Laboratory has been working with Google to help populate the new version of Google Earth (v5.0 beta), which contains ocean floor, column and surface data from marine experts around the world.

PML's contribution to "Ocean in Google Earth" was based around research expeditions to portray the exciting, challenging and fascinating life of a marine scientist at sea.

Ocean in Google Earth combines underwater terrain and expert content to enable users to explore some of the most difficult-to-reach parts of the world.

Virtual travellers can swim around underwater volcanoes, watch videos about exotic marine life, read about nearby shipwrecks and contribute photos and videos of favourite surf and dive spots.

And - unlike a certain red-top newspaper seems to think, users can't see Atlantis off the coast of Africa.

Here's the latest titles:

Title: Street Fighter IV
Platform: PS3
Genre: Fighting
Price: £39.99
Hit count: 5/5

The Street Fighter series will always have its roots firmly planted in the world of coin-op arcades, but it’s been phenomenally successful on home consoles, and this fourth installment is a long overdue dose of frenetic ’2D’ fighting, next-gen style.

Featuring a mix of returning favourites such as Ryu, Ken and Chun-Li, as well as new characters such as Crimson Viper, Abel and Rufus, everything now takes on a stylised 3D appearance, squeezing every drop of power from the PS3 to produce an incredible gaming experience that will have fans of spinning bird kicks and the like salivating.

New game mechanics and a raft of special new moves ensure the series is moving on rather than reliving the same old razzmatazz on a different console and this is arguably the best blow dealt yet.


Title: X-Blades
Platform: Xbox 360
Genre: Action
Price: £39.99
Hit count: 3/5

And you thought Lara Croft was the character to have stolen all gamers’ hearts.

In X-Blades, Ayumi proves that a lack of clothing needn’t be a barrier to unearthing a host of ancient artefacts in this hack’n’slash action frenzy.

For the most part, X-Blades proves to be a fairly entertaining action adventure that you’ll have probably played a dozen times before, but without as much flesh on show.

Magical powers expand upon the core combat to make disposing of the host of horrible baddies you’ll encounter all the more enjoyable, and the cel-shaded style of proceedings goes down pretty well on the 360.

The odd jerk here and there and control gripe mean frustrations will creep in after time, but this is still a pretty solid adventure.


Title: Little League World Series Baseball
Platform: Wii
Genre: Baseball
Price: £19.99
Hit count: 4/5

Little League World Series forms one sixth of the recent Fun4all series of Wii games, designed to get the whole family involved in gaming.

You don’t need to be a gamer with any record of console conquests to guess what this is all about, but it’s incredibly good fun, using the Wii’s remote motion sensing to the max, from spinning your pitch to hitting a home run.

Almost every area of playing a match is enjoyable and it’s all presented in that saccharine cartoon style that you can’t help but beam back at towards your TV.

While targeted primarily at youngsters, there are enough difficulty levels to keep you coming back for more and, when you enter senior or ’big’ territory, you know you’re up against the big hitters. A great sports title for all the family.


Title: Race Pro
Platform: Xbox 360
Genre: Racing
Price: £44.99
Hit count: 4/5

Swedish development outfit Simbin and their founder Henrik Roos – who used to be a professional GT Championship driver – have built a solid reputation for unforgiving yet hugely entertaining racing simulations on PC.

This first foray into the world of console racing proves to be perfect timing as the under-the-bonnet effects slipstream seamlessly from desktop PC to living room TV, offering a considered learning curve before really unleashing the racing beast when you finally come to removing whatever stabilisers have kept you going so far.

Every car handles wonderfully differently, from the brilliant Mini that marks the beginning of your career mode, right through to the BMW and Caterham offerings.

While the graphics could have benefited from one more coat of polish, make no mistake, this is a racer that will suck you in and challenge even the most experienced of gamers...


Title: Eternal Sonata
Platform: Xbox 360
Genre: RPG
Price: £39.99
Hit count: 4/5

It’s probably a first for a figure from musical history to be holding shelf space alongside the likes of Sonic the Hedgehog and the Grand Theft Auto crew.

But Eternal Sonata thrusts Frederic Chopin into the gaming limelight as, on his deathbed, the famous composer dreams of a young girl facing a terrible destiny and the boy who will fight to save her, leading him to the discovery of the light that shines in each of us in this enduring tale of good and evil, love and betrayal.

Yes, it’s one of those slightly bizarre yet ever so addictive RPG titles that next-gen gamers gobble up on release and, with a cracking battle system, incredibly atmospheric music (with some from Chopin of course) and a graphical style that is detailed to absolute perfection, it is an RPG fan’s dream – epic in scale and unique enough to stand out in a heavy crowd.


Title: F.E.A.R. 2: Project Origin
Platform: PS3
Genre: Shooter
Price: £39.99
Hit count: 4/5

Just when you thought it was safe to peep out from your sight target, that creepy little girl that sent shivers down all shooters’ spines last year in the original F.E.A.R is back, in another dark dollop of intense first-person shooter action.

Beginning shortly before the ending of F.E.A.R., a Special Forces squad is on a routine mission when the city of Auburn is rocked by a supernatural explosion.

Alma, that freaky girl with immense power and a thirst for revenge, has unleashed her wrath upon the city and thrown it into chaos.

And so begins another awesome episode of close-quarters battling through the supernatural and super-organised human opponents that Project Origin throws at you.

Put simply, it improves on the original in almost every way, and provides gamers with the first real blockbuster gaming experience of 2009.



Title: House of the Dead: Overkill
Platform: Wii
Genre: Shooter
Price: £39.99
Hit count: 4/5

House of the Dead is a classic arcade series and Overkill represents the first foray into Wii territory for the light-gun shooting action, coming up trumps, for the franchise and the genre in general.

Graphically, Overkill is cracking and will provide some jump out of your seat moments, although the visual prowess does have a negative on the framerate when the action hots up.

This aside, you’ll love the X-rated dialogue and overall grindhouse feel to this production, which may be an acquired taste, but behind the blood and guts is the kind of technically accomplished title that we’re all dying to see more of on Wii this year.


Title: Destroy All Humans: Path of the Furon
Platform: Xbox 360
Genre: Action
Price: £39.99
Hit count: 3/5

It’s the 1970s and Crypto finds himself in Los Paradiso, a Las Vegas styled environment upon which you (as he) must unleash another helping of humourous destruction upon the human race.

With an upgraded arsenal of weapons and the chance to dish out the mayhem from the comfort of your flying saucer, Path of the Furon does move the original on slightly, although some missions feel like re-hashes from earlier titles.

The graphics are a bit of a mixed bag but the 70s funk and disco fits into proceedings a treat – all in all you feel that you’re getting the final flourishes from a series that may be on a path to self-destruction sometime soon, though fans of Crypto and co will be hoping this isn’t the case.


GAMES CHART ALL FORMATS FULL PRICE

1 (1) Wii Fit
2 (-) FEAR 2: Project Origin
3 (4) Mystery Case Files: Millionheir
4 (3) Call of Duty: World At War
5 (2) FIFA 09
6 (6) Mario Kart Wii
7 (7) Wii Play
8 (-) My Fitness Coach
9 (5) Professor Layton and the Curious Village
10 (9) Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games

Leisure software charts compiled by Chart Track, (c) ELSPA (UK) Ltd

The best job in the world

LOOK in the job pages of The Herald, or any other newspaper, and you'll no occasionally see a 'caretaker' position.

Not once have I ever considered such a position... until now.

The very position I looked at wasn't at a school, a prison or a sports centre - it was on an island. And not just any island, Hamilton Island – the largest inhabited island in Australia's Great Barrier Reef region.

Earlier on this week Tourism Queensland advertised the Island Caretaker position on a newly set up website at www.islandreefjob.com. Such was the hype surrounding the post that the website crashed just minutes after 9am on the day of launch - seemingly when everyone in England arrived at their desks and thought 'what the hell!'

Advertised as 'The best job in the world', they're not wrong. I mean what could make the task seem tedious?

Is it feeding the fish? Cleaning the pool? Basking in all-year-round warm temperatures? The surrounds of blue skies, pure sands and crystal clear water? Collecting the mail?

ARE YOU STILL READING THIS? If so, WHY?

Oh, did I mention the successful candidate will also be paid a salary package of AUD $150,000 for the six-month contract.

He or she will receive return airfares from your nearest capital city (in your home country),

accommodation and transport on Hamilton Island, travel insurance for the contract period,

computer, internet, digital video and stills cameras access, plus travel to a number of the

other Islands of the Great Barrier Reef.

The six-month contract commences 1st July, 2009.

So, if you don't hear from me from July onwards... you'll know why.

While surfing the web this week I've also managed to discover possibly the handiest website ever for those with broken cars.

www.findapart.co.uk is a wonder to behold and fills me full of warm glowing things when I think about.

That's in stark contrast to the internal fiery red rage I feel when I think about garages and mechanics.

This website is everything it says on the tin and more.

And it works like this.

Say you're looking for a part for your car, say a gearbox, and every garage you phone says "no chance".

Visit the website and fill in a very short (not exceedingly long compared to most websites) form giving the make and model of your car and the part you're looking for, followed by your name, telephone (optional) or email address (also optional).

Then click 'submit'. My details went out to everyone on the website's database and... within a day I got a text, email, and a phone call offering me a gearbox with free delivery up in Blackburn. Now that's a service.

Anyways, here's the best releases of the last week:



Title: Lord of the Rings: Conquest

Platform: Xbox 360

Genre: Action / Adventure

Price: £49.99

Hit count: 4/5

Lord of the Rings never fails to set the gaming fraternity’s collective pulse racing when details of a new release are made available. Conquest takes an easily accessible action/adventure slant on the many battles played out in the three films to hook fans of Tolkien’s epic work once again. The reward for completing a fantastically engaging heroic campaign is unlocking the evil one, which plays out the scenario of the ring falling into Sauron’s hands – a devilishly enjoyable experience. Crisp graphics, atmospheric sound and an easy to pick up and play control system make this the best next-gen hack’n’slash that 2009 has offered up so far.

4/5



Title: Tomb Raider: Underworld

Platform: PS2

Genre: Action

Price: £29.99

Hit count: 4/5

This was the kind of big-budget, classic franchise release that we were all desperate to be a hit on the next-gen consoles. So it’s good to report that Tomb Raider: Underworld is an equally impressive return to form for Lara Croft on PS2, as she embarks on an incredible journey around the world to uncover the secrets of a forgotten power. Lara feels totally re-invigorated, with a wealth of new acrobatic abilities and weaponry to tackle the treacherous landscapes of Thailand, the Arctic sea and Mexico, to name but three. The graphics were never going to match its next-gen counterparts, yet the environments still cleverly hide a host of devised puzzles to tackle. Combine that with an advanced combat system that puts you in complete control of the beautiful Croft and you know you have a sure-fire winner here.




Title: Mirror’s Edge

Platform: PC

Genre: Action

Price: £34.99

Hit count: 4/5

This is no ordinary first person title – let’s make that very clear from the outset. That alone should send you shooting to the shops to snap up this instant classic from EA. As Faith, a ’Runner’ in a world where communication channels are highly monitored and the movement of information is closely watched, you’re launched into a career as one of these high-octane adrenalin-pumping couriers. From the off, you’ll see first-hand how the incredible perspective and pace of movement push this game to the limits, as you find yourself on the edge of the city, on the wrong side of the law, and out to discover the truth behind your sister’s wrongful framing for murder. Superb chases and intense combat – this is an awesome, high-flying experience.



Title: Jeep Thrills

Platform: Wii

Genre: Driving

Price: £19.99

Hit count: 2/5

Some games should never have made it out of the developer’s studio and Jeep Thrills on PS2 was one of them. What’s all the more shocking is that it has been sit fit to transform to Wii and nearly all of the flaws that held this game back first time round, arise again. Slow, repetitive and poorly presented, this can hardly be classed as a racer, such is the pedestrian pace of proceedings. The tracks are tedious, the turbo boosts barely make a difference to closing the distance on the leaders and the less said about the sound, the better. Suffice to say that if you’re looking to kick off your 2009 with a whimper, Jeep Thrills is where to start. Everyone else should avoid it at all costs...



Title: Lost in Blue 3

Platform: Nintendo DS

Genre: Adventure

Price: £29.99

Hit count: 3/5

Lost on a desert island, with all the exotic trappings such an experience entails, the third installment of the Lost in Blue series has you guiding one of two stranded characters, each with their own personal history, through the mysterious isle, surviving the elements to stay alive. You’ll need to work cooperatively with other characters to gather food, explore the island and hunt dangerous wildlife, and by completing one character’s storyline you will unlock the storylines of two additional characters, allowing you to explore the island in different ways, experience new storylines, and uncover different endings. That’s a decent reward for fans of the series, but the whole feel and gameplay of this is remarkably similar to the first two, so you may find your patience tested. A decent adventure nonetheless.


GAMES CHART ALL FORMATS FULL PRICE

1.FIFA 09

2.Call of Duty: World At War

3.Need For Speed: Undercover

4.Wii Fit

5.Wii Play

6.Guitar Hero: World Tour

7.Mario & Sonic At The Olympic Games

8.Quantum Of Solace

9.LEGO Indiana Jones: Original Adventures

10.Mario Kart Wii

Leisure software charts compiled by Chart Track, (c) ELSPA (UK) Ltd