bitparade updates

[RivaOni]

art by Wyna Hiros http://wynahiros.deviantart.com, used with permission

Welcome to bitparade, it feels great to finally say that properly!

25 months ago, I launched Gamepulse, which recieved moderate success, we even appeared on Wikipedia for our Polybius feature, which has been rescued and added to this very site, along with the rest of the content written for Gamepulse.

Towards the middle of last year, it was becoming aware that Gamepulse needed refreshening, there wasn't the space on the server to do with it what I'd like and all the technical issues we'd had warranted a change, add to that that I wasn't fully in control of everything to do with the site, this led to the birth of the idea of leaving the old place behind and forming something new, and this has become bitparade.co.uk.

So with this first update, I'd like to welcome you to take a look around, enjoying reading our articles and our back catalogue of over 150 reviews!

We have some other things instore for you over the coming months, but they'll be released in due course.

For now however, here is our latest content:

Reviews:
Hotel Dusk: Room 215 - Nintendo DS -
The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess - Gamecube -
Dungeon Siege: Throne of Agony - Sony PSP -
Alpine Ski Racing - PC -
Star Fox Command - Nintendo DS -
Mario vs Donkey Kong 2 - Nintendo DS -
Need For Speed: Carbon - Microsoft XBox -
Rafa Nadal Tennis - Nintendo DS -
Suikoden V - Sony PlayStation 2 -
Tokobot Plus: Mysteries of the Karakuri - Sony PlayStation 2

Articles:
Star Fox - Taking a quick look at each instalment of Nintendo's space shooting series.
Gamecore - Ever wanted to hear Green Hill Zone recorded by a Metal band? Nows your chance with our article on bands that cover game music.
Top Ten Games of 2006 - This was voted on by a small number of Gamepulse members at the end of last year, we think its a pretty good list of the ten best games from last year!


You can add us to your MySpace, Facebook Groups, or add our RSS Feed to your bookmarks or relevant software.

We will also be adding some web banners, buttons and userbars for you to add to your websites, blogs or messageboard signatures if you wish to use them.

Updates will be posted every fortnight on a Monday, next update will be 19 March, but news will be posted constantly.

(Hope I have this in the right place, I thought I'd put it in here as it only appeals to the gamers on PO)

[Razer]

So does this replace gamepulse now? Should we change bookmarks?

[RivaOni]

Yeah Gamepulse is completely dead save for the content I transfered over, that domain takes you to nupo.org now.

[kurjohoto the III]

this will be noted and added. great site.

[RivaOni]

Thanks alot, we've worked hard since Gamepulse went Kaput.

[RivaOni]

Update 02:


Art used with permission by Jelli76@deviantart.com

Wow, what a busy three weeks its been since our last update. Not only do we have a nice bevvy of Reviews for you to read, we also take a look at the possibilities behind why Final Fantasy VII seems to be gaining more fans every year. I reveal mixed feelings on the PlayStation 3 shortly before its release and talk abit about Sony's upcoming Home project for the PlayStation Network., while Ben Williams reveals his lack of love for Nintendo, his dismay at gamers views of Sonic the Hedgehog and rants about Fanboyism.

On our forums, which are only accessible to members, we've recently been discussing which games would keep you happy if the games industry had another crash, Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories, SSX Blur, Burnout Dominator and Theme Park DS.

Reviews:
The Mark - PC
Supreme Commander - PC
Agatha Christie's Murder on the Orient Express - PC
Naruto: Shinobi Retsuden - DS
Pro Evolution Soccer 6 - DS
Sonic and the Secret Rings - Wii
Final Fantasy XII - PlayStation 2
Shin Megami Tensei: Digital Devil Saga 2 - PlayStation 2
NFL Street 3 - PlayStation 2
The Fast and the Furious - PlayStation 2
Arthur and the Invisibles - PlayStation 2

As before, you can add us to your friends list on MySpace, join our group on Facebook or subscribe to our RSS Feed.

[RivaOni]

Really need to keep on top of this, the last one was almost exactly a year ago!

News:

Street Fighter AOU2008 Trailer
Street Fighter The Later Years concludes
New Team Fortress 2 map
Keith Vas does not play videogames (admittedly a poor title from the poster, its about his claims that modern videogames contain rape)
Metal Gear Awesome 2
Gary Gygax dies, Age 69
Consoles to get TF2 maps?
Zak and Wiki flash demo
Criterion to patch Burnout Paradise
Wednesday Freeware game: OpenArena
Releases Week Ending March 7 2008
Name the race in Sonic RPG
Disgaea DS announced
Apollo Justice Dated!
Yet Another Government Petition
Echochrome Demo
New Street Fighter IV Video: Chun-Li versus Viper
Disgaea DS Screens

Articles:

Bizarre Creations interview

Editorials:

A Hidden Place ~ Ben Williams
A Bullet to the Head ~ Duane Weatherall

Reviews:

Patapon - PSP
Zak and Wiki - Wii
FIFA Street 3 - 360
Art of Fighting Anthology - PS2
Bleach: The Blade of Fate

[RivaOni]

News wise we told you of a British tabloid searching for stories linking videogames to crime and informed you of Ninja Gaiden 2's release date.

We also carried on our "What we're playing" weekly update, which was Marks turn to take the lead this week. Mark also wrote his Top Ten Downsides to the Byron Report. Which is a new feature we're going to try and keep to every Thursday (not writing about the Byron report, a different Top Ten something each week), and the Wednesday Freeware game made yet another return and introduced you to TeeWorlds.

Review wise, we took a look at Sonic Riders: Zero Gravity (PS2), SEGA Superstar Tennis (PS2) and Neves (DS).

Lastly, I pondered a reason as to why Western videogames don't make much of an impact in Territorial Heroes

[RivaOni]

Don't normally do a mid-week update, but we finally got around to doing our podcast.

Bitparadio Show 1: The Poorly Recorded Beginning

[RivaOni]

This week has been mildly busy on bitparade, I'll start with the news.

Mark kicked off shortly after our last update with a story about the US getting a manga based on the Zelda franchise, I announced that Ikaruga was indeed being released this week, and told you of an expansion pack for Track Mania Nations. Horror author Stephen King also declared that a Massachusetts proposal to ban the sale of violent games to manners as hypocritical. Whilst we also announced the release date for Rock Band, then its ridiculous pricing structure, and told you that the DLC would be similarly expensive.

Kane & Lynch: Dead Men also got some free new maps, Sony continued to improve the functionality of their PSP handheld with the release of the Official firmware 3.95, Capcom launched an art site for the delightful Okami, and SEGA closed down SEGA Racing Studios. Nintendo's Wii was the firstconsole to offer TV on demand via the BBC iPlayer, whilst Dr Tanya Byron defended her report after Keith Vaz tried to twist things, and lastly, Interplay launch a comeback with a few old faces in the limelight.

We carried on two of our regular features, namely What We're Playing and our Wednesday Freeware game, this week it was Stunt Playground, and launched a new one, bitparadio, our very own, poorly recorded podcast.

In our Editorials section, Ben chatted about playing Pro Evo on the Wii and the difficulties some face with using the Wiimote, Whilst I blabbered on about N'Gai Croal stating Resident Evil 5 could be seen as racist.

Lastly, Reviews, this week we have reviews of George of the Jungle, Teenage Zombies: Invasion of the Brain Thingy's and Crayola Treasure Adventures all on Nintendo DS.