Nothing. But. DRAGONS! How awesome is that? Pretty friggin awesome.

Sick DL’d this game weeks ago for the iPhone (it’s also available on iPad) and I never even gave it a gander until a couple days ago. I was bored and decided to open it up and check it out. I loved it.

The premise is easy: you’re given a floating island to start your very own Zoo/Theme Park dedicated to Dragons. DragonVale starts you off with an easy tutorial on how to care for your dragons, manage your park, make money, and buy buildings and habitats from the market.

Everything is time based. Each egg you hatch, each building you put up, growing food, and breeding (yes, I said breeding, but we’ll get to that later.) — takes a set amount of time to occur.

That’s where a currency called “Gems” come into play. These red “Gems” help by speeding things up and instantly readies the task at hand. The tutorial sets you up with a few from the start so you breeze right through it, but these gems are limited, and to replenish them you have to Purchase them through an in-app market.
(DragonVale is a Free-2-Play iOS game with in-app micro-transactions.)

Now don’t get started on the whole “OH, That’s how they get ya” routine. These guys at Backflip Studios gave you an AWESOME free game to play. You don’t HAVE to purchase their in-game content… but if you like the game enough to play it, then they deserve a little somethin somethin to help bring you the next piece of awesome they’re working on. So buy some friggin Gems. AND, you should look at ALL the “Freemium” games that way. I’m gonna buy Gems JUST for the Strong Bad reference in the game. There are meme references, too. Let’s see if you find ‘em.

I digress. You can also earn gems through your Game Center friends. You have the opportunity to grant a certain number of gems per day to anyone on your Friends List. You hook them up, they’ll hook you up. It’s that simple… Unless you have no friends playing… Get them to. EVERYONE should check this game out. I want more friends playing too. (Hit me up! GT=PsychoVandal) You can also link your Facebook account to invite all those lovely friends, too. Friends, Friends, Friends!

Above is a shot of the floating islands. You get one to start, but after a while, you’ll have an entire floating fleet of them harboring your massive Dragon park. The amount of stuff you can buy is crazy. You’ll fill ‘em up quick when you get the cash flowing.

OK, to the Breeding. Each Dragon has an element type. The basic Elements are Fire, Earth, Water, Lightning, Air, Plant, and Cold (Ice). I almost said “Heart”… Captain Planet came to mind… Anyway, you hatch the egg, feed it to maturity, then send it to the Breeding Cave and wait for the “Magic” to happen. The cool part is that there are MULTIPLE Dragons for each combination, as well as rare ones that come from breeding the hybrids. I counted 32 types from different combinations, but I heard they’ve added MORE. I also assume they’ll KEEP adding them in the future. This just makes me think of Pokemon, “I gotta catch em all”, I know I want to see them all.

Anyway, I’m done telling you about the game. you need to see this thing for yourself. Go Download(desktop, click here to open in iTunes) this bad boy NOW. And, while you wait for that to happen, watch this…

The boys at Backflip have done good. Real Good. A great game idea with great artwork and usability like this should be in your Top Games folder on your iPad or iPhone. This game will keep you entertained for a LONG time. Follow them at @BackflipStudios on Twitter to keep up to date on new DragonVale additions and new games they produce!

It looks like Punxsutawney Phil has someone stealing his light. But when we see this guys shadow, it means more Gears of War… not more Winter. I highly doubt when RAAM sees his own shadow that he runs back into the hole he came out of; My guess would be, that he stomps a mudhole in it.

If you haven’t seen the new Gears of War 3 DLC details, check ‘em here. But if you’re up-to-snuff on the goods, then just watch this awesome Launch Trailer from G4…

And who cares if there’s more Winter? It would just mean more time inside playing Gears. Go download this right now.

I’m using this to start another trend here. “In My Opinion” will be popping up here when I want to give you guys my opinion. You care. Don’t lie.

This IMO is coming to you on a special day and is brought to you by 343i; Climbing in your playlists and snatching your Reticule Bloom up… It was lame… Don’t laugh.
Today is the 343rd day of the year, which is very special to 343 Industries. I do hope you see the correlation…

So, despite the fact that I told Sick that I would not play CE until she was ready… and her not having the time to do so, I took to the Anniversary Maps in Reach. From seeing that they included Headlong, I was SO excited. It is quite a bit fun to run through this map to see what has been improved on, but that was CRUSHED oh so painfully by the fact that you DIE in three shots. Yes. That pistol with the zoom… and its power is back from CE Multiplayer. It is awesome that they put the Original Magnum and its 3-shot magic crap in the game as an option, but I DO NOT want it.

When these maps are fully integrated into matchmaking without the Magnum, THAT’S when I’ll be happy to play them.

I came here to tell you my opinion on the maps themselves, not the crap that came with them… so…

• High Noon/Hang’Em High- I absolutely HATED the remake of this map for Halo 2. HATED IT! Know why?… the long range “I keeeel you” from EveryWhere. Yes the stupid Battle Rifle from across the map. Of course, now we have the CE Magnum, which is NO better. BUT, this remake has added tunnels connecting the upper and lower areas to the towers. It makes it a tad bit easier to sneak around. There’s still the “Boom, Pow, Dead” thing if you don’t sneak from tombstone to tombstone, but I learned how to do that in Halo 2…

  Let’s just say that I will no longer be dreading this map in Matchmaking.

• Ridgeline/Timberland- I NEVER had the opportunity to touch this map until now. This was the first map I ran around in Custom Games when I DL’d this Map Pack. I was like, “Meh.” I wasn’t impressed with the layout. It just seemed…. Meh. But, when I got the opportunity to play this map in Big Team, my outlook on it changed, BIG TIME. There isn’t too many Big Team maps that I can say that I “love”, but this one just made that list.
• Solitary/Prisoner- I played the original map once… and a fan re-creation of it, but I was unimpressed. This is a vertical map. There are four floors, and NO space to run. Smallest. Map. EVER. It’s like the upscaled volume of L-shaped Tetraminos laid on its side and stacked four high. I do not like this one. I can say they added a bit to make it better, but I can see this being the unpopular kid that no one wants to play with. Add Jet-Packs and forget having fun.
• Penance/Damnation- This map will definitely get the most play-time out of me. It is fun as a Slayer map, as well as Objective-based matches. This is the ONLY instance where I’d prefer the Objective. Yeah, I said that. This map’s improvements have made it easier to traverse and more balanced. It still may be a pain to get in on a team that holds the Objective room, but it now has more routing options. I will choose this map 90% of the time when playing Team based Objective games.
• Breakneck/Headlong- Headlong is my all-time favorite Big Team map, and a playlist with this and Ridgeline/Timberland in it just straight wins. This map will always have the most hectic battles on it. Not once have I played this map and been bored. And Sniping? OH, so much fun. I have nothing but kind words for Breakneck.
• Battle Creek/Beaver Creek- This is THE most pain in the ass map I have ever played. Don’t get me wrong, it is probably the most balanced for Slayer AND Objective types, but it’s still a PITA. It’s a love/hate thing. We all love this map, but then we hate it when we’re done with it. Either we’ve played it until we’re sick of it, or the other team stomps us so hard we look at it in disgust. Though, Battle/Beaver Creek can give you some of the most fun matches as well. Again, balanced. Zen-like almost.

Along with these Multiplayer PvP maps, 343 has included another FireFight map. This one is different, though. You actually have the ability to play with AI controlled Allies. Freaking Awesome.

• Installation: 04 With the addition of AI allies, this FireFight map may actually create a bit of Nostalgia straight out of playing Halo:CE. That’s if you’re playing alone, of course. Now if you have a team of SPARTANS going in, you won’t get the Marines’ help. I think every FireFight that takes place on this map will be dominated by the Warthog. From playing HALO:CE over and over… and over again in the past, it’s just muscle memory at this point.

343 has impressed me every step of the way with their “Remakes.” They’ve definitely raised the bar on what we should see in remakes in the future. We can’t forget Certain Affinity, they deserve much of the credit as well. These maps are much more vibrant, better balanced, and a decent improvement on those from the past. I did not find ONE alteration I did not like. But if you DON’T like the aesthetic changes, they’ve also given the HD version of the original maps as well. Of course, certain things HAD to be changed to fit the Reach engine. Don’t bitch. You got the maps.

We’re gonna do something else here. For those of you who did not get Halo:CEA or purchase this awesome map pack, We’re going to give you a chance to win these maps right here!

Anniversary Map Pack Contest:

I’ve linked each map’s Heading with a Gameplay/Flythrough video. Take a look at each one and share with us which map you think has had the best makeover. You could also share which map you are most interested to get down and dirty in.

This contest is reserved for those who do NOT have the maps yet.
We will choose a random winner on Monday, Dec. 13th at 10pm EST. You have until then to comment. Your comment MUST have the content requested.

Good Luck! And Happy 343rd day of the Year!

Last weekend Sick and I participated in the Podtacular Special “Halo Decade Show: Part 3” involving the Halo Franchise and it’s community. Quite a few things were talked about, but one thing that came up was the Kinect’s integration into Halo:CEA and it’s potential for video games in general.

The Kinect has added new functionality to a few games that we didn’t expect to see. The most we’re getting so far is voice commands in shooters & video playback, motion controls for rhythm games & media browsing, and some of the most fun party games for the family I’ve ever experienced. The problem is… that Kinect has yet to be tapped for it’s FULL potential. That is kinda hard to do with hardcore gaming. Don’t get me wrong, Dance Central has done the best when it comes to this. But, there has to be more… The Kinect gives us more UI to play with and add to the user experience.

This…. right here… is the more we are looking for…

The Kinect’s potential doesn’t lie with video games alone… But, how EPIC is it that video games is where the future of UI was born?

With today’s Launch of the Horde Command pack I give you….

THE BEST LEGO STILL MOTION EVAR!

With the crew here making a 4-player run through the Campaign on Insane, I’ll save my Gears playing for that until we’re done.
Now, I’m prolly gonna give this DLC a go for a bit… but then RIGHT back to BF3. It’s just so hard to not think about that game. Sorry, Epic. Don’t worry, I still love you…

Those who have seen me tweet about the “Uncharted 3 BETA” codes may be a bit confused. I know I was.

Here’s the scoop.

Over the Weekend, I received a code from Klout for the Uncharted 3 Multiplayer DEMO, plus a link that would produce three more codes. Klout gave me the word BETA in the description, so I thought it was for the BETA.

I tweeted… and tweeted…. and TWEETED.

Got hardly a response. So I looked up the info on the BETA. It was available in June/July area and was already over. So I apologized.

Aaaaand, I’m gonna have to apologize again. So there IS something going on now. It is the Multiplayer DEMO codes that are being given out. Now, if you are involved in Klout, this is one of their Perks that are available right now. If you are not using Klout, you should be. Here is some information and their site. This Perk is through a partnership with Subway, as I’ve shown you above. You can also visit your nearest Subway Sandwich shop to find out more.

But for now, I’ll give you a glimpse of Single player gameplay that has been shown on Jimmy Fallon…

As stated, This game comes out on 11/1/11. But, you could get into the Multiplayer DEMO with a code from Klout or your participating Subway Sandwich Shop. There’s only 5 Days left, so get to it. Also, Follow @SubwayFreshBuzz for more info.

Although, you might have a chance RIGHT NOW! and get a head start over the weekend. The link below is good for three codes. But You MUST have a Klout account, an Influence in Playstation and score over 40.
If you have Klout, then you get it. If you don’t understand, visit the links above. -Note: Code Link is on First come, First Serve Basis for Eligible candidates-

Uncharted 3 Klout DEMO codes
-Please Leave a comment below letting us know who got the three codes-

If you are not eligible for the codes above, then Eat Fresh; You might find yourself in Drake’s Deception. Also, I will be giving out two codes later today on @MatchMadeInHalo. Tweet this with the “Tweet” button in the top left of this Post to better your odds of winning!

This video shows more of what 343 has been doing with the music for Halo:CEA.

I, myself, was a little worried about how this would turn out. But, they laid the majority of my fears to rest with this BTS. This game is great, and 343′s additions will be, too.

We’ve Been away far too long…

Everything that I’ve seen in the past month has drastically increased my desire for this game.

And there is more to come…

We can thank the Lovely @AlisonSt for this gem, and I quote,”This needs to be the Internet’s theme song:”

This video is short, sweet, and hits the point dead on. I just know when I saw it I was like, “Awww how cute.. OMG she just said ‘Dick’!…Wow, that makes sense…”
This is how everyone should see it. But, of course, there’s going to be a dick that trolls this just to do it. As long as everyone knows he’s a dick… and his life will be short. Metaphorically speaking…. is probably why he’s a dick.

Mankind Ill needs a Dick such as you.

But to save us from the trolls and the lame dick jokes, there’s this…

It’s NOT from the same person, and I do NOT know who the original posters are… JustSaying.

There’s nothing better than random Awesomeness… Robot Chicken Taught us this.

Many folks out there are already dreading Christmas and it’s drain on your pocket. It’s a good drain, it makes people feel good, brings family together, and everybody leaves happy. Except for the weird Uncle that gives everyone socks… Anyway, for these folks, that drain is still a few weeks away. But for us gamers, It’s already started…

Right now everyone is either playing Gears of War 3 (sept. 20th) or Rage (Oct. 4th) and then there’s the few that picked up other recent releases. (i.e. D&D: Neverwinter, NBA: 2K12, Payday: the Heist, Orcs Must Die (XBLA), Darkness 2, or Crysis) That’s a LOT of games to be released in the past week. Today Released Red Dead Redemption: GOTY Edition, and Tomorrow is….. wait for it…

1. Forza Motorsport 4 (XBOX 360)
2. Harvest Moon: Tale of Two Towns (3DS)
3. Marvel Super Hero Squad: Infinity Gauntlet (XBOX,PS3,Wii,NDS)
4. Ace Combat Assault Horizon (XBOX, PS3)
5. Might & Magic Heroes VI (PC)
6. SideWay (PS3, PC)
7. Rune Factory: Tides of Destiny (PS3, Wii)
8. Sesame Street: Once Upon a Monster (XBOX Kinect)
9. Kinectimals: Now With BEARS! (XBOX Kinect)
10. DDR 2(Wii)
11. Dragon Age 2 (PS3, PC)
12. Wipeout: The game 2 XBOX, PS3, Wii, NDS, 3DS)

WHEW!… that’s JUST tomorrow! Not looking at the slough of games coming out in the next couple weeks… months… Dear god.

This is the Best and Worst time of year to be a gamer, especially if you want to play the games all the way through. You don’t even have to want to play them ALL, just picking out ones your most interested in will still leave you broke and longing.

Just next week (Oct. 18th) we’ll be seeing:

1. Batman: Arkham City (XBOX,PS3)
2. Ratchet and Clank: All 4 One (PS3)
3. Pet Zombies (3DS)
4. Rocksmith (XBOX,PS3,PC)
5. PowerUp Heroes (XBOX)
6. Two Worlds 2: Pirates of the Flying Fortress (XBOX,PS3,PC)
7. Sims 3: Pets (XBOX,PS3,PC)
8. Motion Explosion (XBOX)

I’m gonna stop there…. but there’s um… 25 MORE that I did NOT post here….
Again I say, DEAR GOD!

ProTips:

• We have a family of mixed interest gamers, keeping everyone happy is tough. Tell you what, though… Gamefly is the sh… stuff!.
• Also, Be careful with your money! You buy too many games, you won’t be able to afford Christmas gifts for everyone else…

If you’d like to keep up with ALL of the games coming out soon, the links below have been a GREAT resource. They’ll even show you those non-hyped games that we should know about… like “PowerUp Heroes”. I would NEVER have heard of this if I didn’t go to IGN’s page…

Imagine Beating the Sh… stuff… out of your friend’s avatars! Hmm, kinda fits…

On it…

Resources:

• IGN Upcoming Game Releases
• VGRelease‘s “Out Now” sidebar