In honor of this memorable game, Rockstar is relaunching the game ten years later (December 15th, 2011) on iOS and Android smartphones and tablets. A full list of supported launch devices is bellow, with more handsets coming in the future. The game will sell for a mere $4.99, but how can you put a price on stealing cars wherever you may be?

I’ve seen some screenshots and it amazes me how much they remind me of the actual game. This isn’t watered down, this is GTA III in all its glory. It is crazy to consider a game that pushed circa-2001 hardware to the extreme can now be played on your mobile device. Who knows what gaming will look like ten years from now.

Supported Devices

Apple iOS Devices: iPad 1 & 2, iPhone 4 & 4S, iPod touch 4th Generation
Android Phones: HTC Rezound, LG Optimus 2x, Motorola Atrix 4G, Motorola Droid X2, Motorola Photon 4G, Samsung Galaxy R, T-Mobile G2x
Android Tablets: Acer Iconia, Asus Eee Pad Transformer, Dell Streak 7, LG Optimus Pad, Motorola Xoom, Samsung Galaxy Tab 8.9 and 10.1, Sony Tablet S, Toshiba Thrive

Prior to launch sometime later this year, Bungie has already begun to hype up the game. In this new ViDoc, Bungie details a little bit of the design process behind Halo Reach. Bungie never ceases to amaze me, I cannot wait for Halo Reach!

In anticipation of this launch, but mostly to clear current inventory, fat PS3 models have been discounted by $100. The 80GB model, for instance, will begin to sell for $299, the same price as the new PS3 slim. According to Sony, these price updates should be effective immediately but most retailers are still reflecting the old prices. Prior to launch, Sony began clearing inventory which makes sense because this price drop doesn’t make me want to run out and purchase an old PS3. I mean, the 80GB model is the same price as the upcoming, improved 120GB slim PS3. 80GB today or 120GB, in a smaller form factor, tomorrow: what would you choose?

It’s about time Sony released this update. The original PS3 was way too big and bulky. It’s almost as if they launch consoles bigger than they need to be just so they can sell a slim version down the road. So far, Sony has done that with their entire PlayStation line and it’s really quite frustrating. Is this an improvement? Sure. Is it worth the upgrade? Maybe. Is Sony benefiting more than the consumer? Definitely.

For more information on Need for Speed Shift, and other Need for Speed titles, check out their twitter and youtube profiles.

This is looking like a great feature except for the fact that Microsoft shipped consoles with no hard drive or a 20gb hard drive for the early years and still sells units without a HD. I don’t know if this feature will make be go out and buy an overpriced proprietary HD from Microsoft but if I had a large xbox hard drive, I would use this feature for sure.

In case you haven’t seen or herd anything about this new software, bellow is a video showing off a lot of the cool new features.

…this may be set in the halo 3 world but you probably will be playing as someone other than the master chief

Well, I’m happy to say my prediction was correct; Halo 3: Recon is an expansion to and takes place before the action in Halo 3. You will be playing as an Orbital Drop Shock Trooper (ODST), one not as powerful as the master chief, in order to recapture the covenant infested city in New Mombasa. Besides some news maps, the multiplayer in this new game will essentially be the same as Halo 3.

With this in mind, Bungie has said that

“We’re not viewing this as a full game.”

So hopefully we will see a lower price point than the regular $60 USD but this has not been confirmed. An interesting comparison was made when Luke Smith told kotaku

“I would think of it [Halo 3: Recon] as our Frozen Throne,”

Referencing the very successful and fun expansion to Warcraft 3. The game is set to be released Fall 2009.

This new model is 12% smaller than the current DS lite in part because there is no longer a GBA (Game Boy-Advanced) slot. Personally I would have preferred if they kept the GBA slot and the dimensions transferred from the current model to this new model.

The DSi screen’s have both received an upgrade to 3.25 inches each but unfortunately it appears the resolution will remain the same. For storage, the DSi will have an unmentioned internal supply as well as an SD port for expandability.

Additionally on the hardware side, the DSi will ship in both white and black finishes. Plus, they will have an external 3 megapixel camera as well as a front facing camera.

On the software side of things, Nintendo will be selling content directly to the users DSi over the ‘DSi Shop’ including a free web browser application and “DS Ware” game. Using the newly renamed ‘Nintendo Points’ users will be able to purchase additional content priced using either a 200, 500, or 800 point bracket.

The above video clip above from Bungie hints at future products coming from the developer famous for the halo franchise. And from the looks of things, the fight is not finished.

Obviously, this game will be an xbox 360 exclusive and I’m sure the online play will be great similar to halo 3′s addicting action. There has been speculation in the past that the next halo game would be halo 4 but I’m not so sure. Halo has been dominated by the master chief thus far so a game not focused on him would be different which is why I feel this upcoming title is not halo 4.

In my opinion, it looks like this may be set in the halo 3 world but you probably will be playing as someone other than the master chief. This would make sense considering the other teaser trailer Bungie launched after wining an EFI award didn’t show the master chief. Watching it over a few time I have also found what appears to be a release date: 01/06/09.

Kotaku has some interesting information on what the trailer means. If you have followed the franchise in the past, it’s worth reading.

Starting on September 5th, 2008 Microsoft will officially start selling their xbox 360 consoles at a $50 price decrease. The prices are as follows:

Xbox 360 Arcade $199
Xbox 360 Pro (60gb HD) $299
Xbox 360 Elite (120gb HD, Black) $399

What does this really mean? Well, the console with the largest gaming selection and best online play is now also the cheapest. (The Arcade’s $199 price point compared to the $250 Nintendo Wii) At these lower prices, more people have an opportunity to jump in and play. I think this move is perfect for Microsoft. They now have the opportunity to draw in casual gamers and sell consoles to people upgrading from the previous generation. Even hard-core gamers who can’t afford a $400 system or don’t want to play party games all day, now have an option to frag their friends in halo 3 or slice them in half with gears of war all that a reasonable price.

This move is really tough on Nintendo. No longer is their console the cheapest and therefore casual gamers now have another option. When those people walk into a gaming store or their local big-box chain, they have the choice for a more powerful and cheaper console with a larger gaming selection to boot. People are still flocking to the Wii so it’s not a huge threat at this time, but it is something Nintendo needs to keep their eyes on.

As for the prices of the other consoles, I don’t foresee an immediate response. The Nintendo Wii, which is still in high-demand, is consistently outselling the competition. The PlayStation 3 is also selling well and has some great exclusives in the works. However, I think by the holiday season both companies will bight the bullet and lower their prices too. Honestly, this is great for the consumer whether you want a 360 or not.

Source

Above is a little clip about the full game and I have to say it looks really interesting. You still get the creature creator plus an entire ‘RTS’-like game. I am really excited about it and you should too.

The main game is coming to the PC (and mac!) September 7th. The required specifications aren’t that high so you will probably have the resources to play. Plus, there are mobile versions of the game coming to the Nintendo DS. (And iPhone if I remember correctly.)

Halo 3, by Bungie, won an award at EFI. In their acceptance speech, for the edge award in interactive innovation, a prerecorded video was plaid revealing some interesting bits of information. Although nothing is set in stone, it’s pretty safe to say the halo universe is not completely closed.

Since games on the iPhone will be downloaded from the app store game prices will be lower than the ds because there is no need for extensive marketing and all copies will be sold digitally so no transportation costs of the physical game will be incurred. Based on the control scheme of both devices we will definitely see an overlap of games. For the iPhone, this is truly a good thing.

One of the better games on the DS, brain-age, could easily be ported over to the iPhone. Now what would be more attractive to you; bring a ds with you on a train or plane while traveling or whipping out your cell phone and playing the same game with ease? Look at another example. Trauma center, another amazing DS and Wii game, could be ported over to the iPhone. Any time during the day you could take a ten minute break and play.

Thats not to overshadow currently announced iPhone games. When the app store launches for around $10 you can purchase super monkey ball. For ten bucks you can enjoy 100 levels based in several worlds with all four monkeys. This fully packed game will take advantage of the touch screen and accelerometer for a low price compared to the troublesome ds version of super monkey ball.

The DS is a great platform and I’m not trying to take away from it. I think that both systems can work together to boost sales of mobile gaming. The DS has a very large install base and so many people would never give up their DS. However, with more and more people owning an iPhone it’s clear gaming on apple’s device will expand. Apple may try competing with the DS, but like the blackberry, I think apple will stay away from directly comparing the platforms and continue to work to better their amazingly powerful, functional, and unique device.

Overall, apple’s iPhone will probably never be able to overtake the nintendo ds in this stage of it’s life. However, being able to conveniently acquire a lower priced game which will always be right in your pocket, ready to play is a very attractive model. I have a DS but my brother uses it more often than I do. However, being able to play similar games on my cell phone for a few minutes when time permits is an amazing option and one casual gamers should not overlook.

Video demo of the racing and physics game