GAMING NEWS: Blizzard Announces StarCraft II

As noted on macworld.com, Blizzard Entertainment today released news of its latest game in the pipeline. And it is the sequel to one of their best-selling games of all time, StarCraft. Enter StarCraft II. Besides the fact that I came to know Blizzard through playing StarCraft before the WarCraft series (and now the World of WarCraft MMORPG), I'm stoked that they are developing the Mac version and the Windows version at the same time. This epic game set in outer space pits three playable races against each other for domination of their corner of the universe. Many sleepless nights will soon ensue.

MacWorld article

StarCraft II Official Page on Blizzard.com

Videogames: Fabulous at 40

Before all the computer and console games of today, there was a humble beginning, where a videogame called "Pong" ruled. Someone had to come up with the original idea, of course. Someone had to take a look at a relatively new technology (television), now in homes all over the country, and wonder if it would be possible to bring games into those houses, over the TV.

The year was 1967. Ralph Baer was ready to make history.

Read more about the rise of the videogame on 1up.com, here.

Video Games Turn 40

Ultimate Console Database

Hello, video game fans. Having grown up in the 70's myself, I've been around gaming consoles since the early, pre-Atari 2600 days. I remember getting one from Sears that had ping-pong and hockey on it, and my siblings and I were in heaven...then came the Atari 2600, and it blew our socks off.

But I digress. If you're into perusing the history of video game consoles, and perhaps reminiscing over an old console system you or a friend used to own, then look no further than the Ultimate Console Database, collecting information from every system the author could get his hands on. He's still working on some sections, so your input is vital if you owned some of these old systems. But it is amazing what is here. I remember my nephew having a 3-D, short-lived version of the GameBoy called 'VirtualBoy' -- it's here. And one I thought I'd never find, called "MicroVision" by Milton Bradley, right there in the 'Portables' section. Groovy! Check it out...

Ultimate Console Database

Play Adventure: Atari 2600 Online

I don't want to date myself here, but it was a Really Big Deal (tm) when, as a kid, I got for a Christmas present one year the Atari 2600 game console that I had been bugging my parents for. I would argue that everything you're playing on a game console today owes its start to the 2600. And if you bought one, there was one game that was a must-buy. That game was Adventure. The search for the chalice took you through castles, mazes, and encounters with deadly dragons and a psychotic bat.

Well, now you can find out for yourself what it was all about, as Adventure has been re-created online. Just click on the console buttons (just like on the actual system!) to launch your game, and remember to use the arrow keys to move around.

:sigh: ...when they talk about "back in the day", this was what it means for me.

Adventure