Trainz Simulator is clearly 
aimed at true enthusiasts. For a general audience, the app can be described in a single word: Intimidating. Even in its easy mode, this app is complicated — certainly too complicated for young kids. For those who want to learn more about the locomotive world, though, there’s plenty to discover here. The app has a ton of options, including letting players create their own routes and environments. And the thorough collection of train types (and accompanying information about each) is a primer for newcomers.
Monthly Archives: August 2011
Game Review: Words With Friends (Facebook)
Phone app fans of word 
games likely already knows about Words With Friends — but adding the popular Scrabble-like game to Facebook should make dwell times on the site soar. You can play multiple opponents simultaneously. And the more games you have going, the more likely you are to stick around. At its heart, the Facebook version is basically the same as the mobile version, but adds a couple new features like Brag Feeds (letting you gloat about triple word scores) and the ability to challenge friends directly through their news feeds. For word aficionados, this is one Facebook that will be hard to resist.
Wal-Mart brings Vudu to iPad, closes MP3 store
The king of retail is 
launching a new digital service just as it throws in the towel on another.
Wal-Mart has brought its Vudu movie streaming service to the iPad in a move to expand its distribution. But as it dives deeper into video, the company has announce plans to shut down its MP3 download service by the end of the month.
Star Trek theme park beaming down to Jordan
Most kings adopt a regal 
air, separating themselves from the common folk. Not Jordan’s King Abdullah II. He’s a geek and he’s proud of it.
The Jordanian monarch is the chief investor in an upcoming theme park that will revolve around Star Trek. Slated to open in 2014, the park costs a reported $1.5 billion.
That’s a lot of Gold-Pressed Latinum.
Gamefly details new digital service
GameFly has found a fair bit 
of success by emulating Netflix’s old business model in the video game space. For a fixed amount per month, users can rent console games and keep them for as long as they want.
Now, the company is following in its forerunner’s footsteps once again – with plans to add a game streaming site to supplement its offerings.
Is Boardwalk worth it?
For some families, Monopoly is a 
bonding experience. For others, it’s a Machiavellian affair that tosses love and loyalty aside in favor of a capitalistic bloodlust where there is but one goal: Drive mom, dad, grandma and weird Uncle Steve into bankruptcy as soon as possible.
But what’s the most efficient way to do that? Everyone has a theory about how best to win at Monopoly. Some try to buy a single property of every color, while others swear that becoming a slum lord, buying up the low rent properties, is the key to victory.
And no matter the strategy, there’s no greater jewel in a player’s crown than Boardwalk. But is that pricey blue spot — and it’s sister street Park Place — really worth it?
Analysis: Take-Two Misses A Free Pass In Light Of NBA Lockout
[In light of an NBA lockout, Gamasutra 
editor-at-large Chris Morris calls Take-Two’s optimistic outlook for NBA 2K12 “baffling,” arguing that the publisher missed a “free pass to lower expectations in a way investors would understand.”]
There was plenty of bad news in Take-Two’s earnings call Monday.
The company missed expectations – and managed to do so on a day where investors were already in panic mode. Duke Nukem Forever, the company said, was profitable, but the overwhelmingly negative reviews put a ceiling on that title’s earnings potential. And because of that stumble from the flat-topped king of the one liner, the company was forced to cut its forecast.
But the bad news was almost overshadowed by Take-Two’s baffling decision to maintain a downright optimistic outlook for this year’s NBA 2Ktitle, despite the dark clouds hovering over the real-world NBA.
Woman goes into labor during Skyrim demo…and stays for demo
The annual QuakeCon video game 
expo in Texas draws a pretty dedicated crowd. Few, however, are as dedicated as engaged gamers Chaz and Stevi.
This past Thursday, the couple was sitting in a demonstration for Bethesda’s upcoming role-playing epic The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim when Stevi, who was nine months pregnant, began to feel what she thought were contractions.
This is when a normal person might go to the hospital. Not Stevi.
Spotify subs top 1.4 million in a month
Spotfiy rode into the 
U.S. market on a high wave of anticipation and hype – and it looks like that pre-publicity has really worked well for it.
The cloud-based music streaming service has captured 1.4 million users in its first month – with 175,000 of those subscribers selecting the pay option.
App Review: Roboto
While Roboto has some control 
issues that might have you pulling out your hair from time to time, there’s no denying this is a very well done platform game. Graphically gorgeous, this app offers some truly fun twists (like areas where gravity is reversed). The game’s late ramp up in difficulty is a bit unexpected, though, and actually detracts from the pleasure of playing — especially when coupled with less than responsive controls. Still, there’s plenty to do in each level and the game certainly doesn’t rush you through it, boasting 30 levels. It’s not perfect, but it’s darned good.
Chris Morris: Journalist 