Independent game developers Spacetime Studios out of Austin, TX created a game in 2010 called Pocket Legends. This was boasted as the world’s first cross-platform, 3D, persistent mobile MMO. Last year, they became the first 3D publisher in history to give people the ability to play the same game on their smartphones, tablets, and desktop.

Seeing as they aren’t the types who would sit around twiddling their thumbs, another game is on the rise called Dark Legends. This game takes you into the secret societies of vampires, and puts you up against zombies, demons, and humans who will be after your hide. The combat system is supposed to be a lot faster, with a lot of content for solo and multiplayer alike.

If this sounds like something that will tickle your fancy, you can expect it sometime within the first quarter of this year. It will be available on Android, iOS, and Chrome, that way most everyone has the chance to get their hands on it. You can expect more information on the game when the Game Developer’s Conference happens in early March.

Yikes! Things are not looking good for the new Playstation Vita, which was just released last month in Japan. On December 17th and 18th, the first two days that the Vita was available, roughly 325,000 units were sold. Since then, however, only about 176,000 units were sold, which for those of you doing the math, is just above 50%.

On a weekly basis, it’s looking even worse. Only 18,361 units were sold between January 9th and the 15th, which is over 50% less than the week before when the Vita sold 42,915 units.

However, Sony maintains that it’s too early to worry about if the Vita will fail. Jim Ryan, Sony Computer Entertainment Europe President and the CEO, said in an interview with MCV “One of the things we have learned over a long period of time is that whether it is PS1, PS2, PSP or PS3, it is dangerous to the point of impossible to take any experience from the Japanese Market and try and extrapolate it, and propose upon what will happen to in Europe or North America.” In other words, just because it might struggle in one part of the world, it doesn’t mean it will struggle in other parts.

But so far, the facts are saying that the Vita is facing some immense challenges in its first month, and I would venture that if the American and European launch doesn’t go so smoothly, we might not be seeing the Vita for too much longer.

Over the last year, Razer has been toying with the idea of moving past offering PC gaming peripherals such as mice and keyboards to full-blown computers. This started with the Blade, which was pegged as “The World’s First true Gaming Laptop.” Well now the company has moved on from laptops to tablets.

Unveiled at CES, the Fiona Concept Tablet promises “hardcore gaming on the go.” In its conceptual state, we’re looking at a tablet powered by a Core i7 processor with a 10.” screen running at 1280 x 800 and Dolby 7.1 surround sound. Impressive specs for a mere tablet. There is no mention of a dedicated graphics chip, so one can only assume that it is using the built-in Intel HD Graphics.

What’s really interesting is that the device is something of a hybrid. We can plainly see the two grips, which feature four buttons, an analog stick, bumper, and trigger each. This gives you the feel of a portable gaming console. However, you can plug in an adapter, which allows you to use a keyboard and mouse, just like a PC.

The biggest question here is just who the audience is. I think the fact that you’ll be able to hook up a standard keyboard and mouse will make it considerably more versatile than many other tablets out there. Also, this is the first truly portable PC gaming device. Sure, it’s bigger than a PSP or 3DS, but it’s still something you can toss in a backpack and bust out just about anywhere. My two biggest concerns are the price, and those handles on the side. Right now, there is no announced price, so I can’t really say much on that. I would say that it’s pretty safe to assume that it will be priced more like a laptop then a tablet. However, if those handles aren’t easily detachable, I think that could be the biggest issue. They add a considerable amount of bulk, and limit the usefulness of the device as a tablet. I’m excited to see where they take this concept.

If you are an avid player of Rift, then chances are you want to spend every waking moment integrating yourself into some aspect of the game. While we know that there are responsibilities outside of the gaming world, it doesn’t mean we can’t have it with us when we’re on the go.

The beta version of the Trion Worlds Rift mobile app is currently available for download for iOS devices through the app store. It will be available for Android users too, but they’ll have to wait until later this month to get their hands on it.

The full version will have its launch sometime during Q1, and will allow you to use the real-time chat, and give zone event alerts so you don’t miss anything while you’re out and about. Not to mention this app carries some fun games like Planar Invasion, Crafty Critters, and Shinies that will give you in-game loot, crafting materials, and artifacts. It’s a free app, so maybe it’s worth a download?

As an early adopter of the 3DS, I’ve been eagerly awaiting Nintendo’s announcement concerning the final games included in their Ambassador Program. For those not familiar on all the details, all 3DS owners who accessed the Nintendo eShop before August 12th were given access to the Ambassador Program. This essentially entitled you to 20 free classic Nintendo games that were set to be released throughout the course of the year.

Why was Nintendo so generous? Well, I imagine it had something to do with the lofty price cut that they delivered around the same time. They knew that early buyers wouldn’t be happy to hear that had they waited a few months, they could have paid $80 less. Nintendo then announced the first 10 games, from the NES era:

• Super Mario Bros.
• Donkey Kong Jr.
• Balloon Fight
• Ice Climber
• The Legend of Zelda
• Metroid
• NES Open Tournament Golf
• Wrecking Crew
• Zelda II – The Adventure of Link
• Yoshi

These were made available earlier this year, with the final 10 GBA titles to be released by the end of the year. Five of them were announced, with the others left as a mystery. Well now we finally have confirmation not only of those titles, but of their release date as well. Or at least the release date for Japan. Those in Japan will be able to download their games tomorrow. Unfortunately Nintendo hasn’t specified when the rest of us will be getting the following games:

• F-Zero (“Maximum Velocity”)
• Super Mario Advance 3
• Zelda: The Minish Cap
• Fire Emblem – Seima no Kouseki
• Kirby & the Amazing Mirror
• Mario Kart Advance
• Mario vs Donkey Kong
• Metroid Fusion
• Wario Land Advance
• Made in Wario

These last couple of days are big days for Minecraft. Following the announcement of Minecraft 1.0 being released to the masses, another announcement arose concerning the little devices in your pocket. Have you ever been so attached to Minecraft that you forget to eat? Tons of people around the world have gone through this phenomenon, but have no fear… you can take Minecraft anywhere with you now.

Minecraft: Pocket Edition, a dumbed down version of Minecraft 1.0, is now available for purchase on iOS devices as well as Android devices. You can find the app on iTunes for $9.99. I haven’t played the game yet, but $9.99 seems a bit too much for a dumbed down phone and tablet version of Minecraft. You can find the description of the game below:

Description
Imagine it, build it. Create worlds on the go with Minecraft – Pocket Edition
Minecraft – Pocket Edition allows you to build on the go. Use blocks to create masterpieces as you travel, hangout with friends, sit at the park, the possibilities are endless. Move beyond the limits of your computer and play Minecraft everywhere you go.
Randomized worlds
Build anything you can imagine
Build with 36 different kinds of blocks
Invite and play with friends to your world (local wireless network)
Save multi-player worlds on your own phone

This could revolutionize work non-productivity as well as toilet entertainment. Pick this bad boy up and you won’t have another boring bus ride, meeting, or funeral. If the game even somewhat resembles Minecraft and you can truly build a world on your phone then it will get a 5 out of 5 from me.

Everyone loves a good iOS game right? On top of that, we also love adorable songs that get stuck in our heads for months. All I need say is Badgers, Kenya, and Magical Trevor, and I have ruined you for at least the next two hours.

The same makers of these video extravaganzas have created Russian Dancing Men. You get to travel through various worlds that go with songs that speak of amazing horses, crabs, and narwhals. There are only four buttons to control your dancing comrade, with conveniently only four different obstacles to face. You have a loops, pits, hurdles, and spikes to avoid, but at least you do it to the beat of some snazzy music.

It is a rhythm game, so you should try to have some knowledge of the songs beforehand, as they have some tempo changes in the middle of the songs. That will make things pretty difficult if you aren’t expecting it. I was sold on the fact that there’s a new song in the game, but it looks like a fun way to pass time on the bus. Even more fun if you play it without headphones on, so everyone can join in your songs.

iPhone and iPad compatibility for Nintendo games has been an ever increasing request by gaming fans around the world. However, Nintendo president Satoru Iwata has clearly stated  that the company would not go in that direction.  He believes that it would in fact create more revenue, but in the long term it would be troublesome for the company.  Since Nintendo won’t do it, someone else has to profit off of the requests, right?

A company called Audio Attack LLC is known for ripping names off of video games and making a downgraded, uninteresting, and worthless version of that game.  This happened with Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit as well as Call of Duty: Modern Warfare.  The company takes the logo and name, changes it slightly, and sells a product that kind of resembles the popular video games that we play.

This recently happened with Zelda when the company decided that the Nintendo iOS hype was off the charts.  They constructed (threw together) a game called Ultimate iZelda Climb that closely resembles the popular Doodle Jump that nearly everyone has on their phones.  The game does not include sound, but does include a static image of Link which appears to be taken from Wind Waker, as well as a barely readable score screen.  Tread lightly.

It is very seldom that you will ever see a beautiful iPhone game. That is, unless you’ve seen Epic Citadel or Infinity Blade. These games run on the Unreal Engine 3 and they are quite the virtual site to behold. Well, for an iPhone that is.

There is a measurable amount of excitement for October 6^th, which is when The Dark Meadow will be released. It looks as though this game will be quite horrifying, although likely very short.

This isn’t a huge game, and it will likely have a lower price range, so if you do have skepticism, you don’t have to feel bad about a smaller purchase. But! It looks to be full of action, horror, and mystery, so it must be good right?

With the rise of 3G internet connections and mobile devices capable of browsing the web, it makes access to all kinds of media easier than ever. And by media, I mean porn. Admit it, you know that at some point you’ve been sitting in a coffee shop, bored out of your mind, and decided to whip out your 3DS to find some hot girl on girl action (or whatever floats your boat).  The next-gen handheld from Sony will make that even easier, with the addition of a 3G card. Unfortunately for our friends in Japan, it could lead to a rather embarrassing situation.

Docomo has been chosen as the official carrier for PS Vita in Japan. While that may not mean anything to most of us, it does to porn-surfers in that country. You see, the only way to have the parental controls lifted on your Vita, you’re going to have to visit a Docomo retail store and ask them to change it for you.

That’s right, you need to walk up to the counter, present your photo ID and UIM card and tell them that you need to be able to look at porn. No, you won’t use those words, but the cute girl behind the counter is going to know exactly what you’re going to be doing when you leave the store. What’s more, if you’re under the age of 20, you’re going to have to provide a letter of consent from your legal guardian. My advice? Save the porn surfing for when you’re at home, or on an open WiFi connection. You really don’t need to be looking at hentai on the bus.