Wednesday, 6 July 2016

Top 10 Worst Video Game Controllers


There's an art to crafting good controls... and these designs miss the mark. Welcome to the gamer and today we’ll be counting down our picks for the top 10 Worst Video Game Controllers. 

For this list we'll be scouring gaming history for the most atrocious and low-quality controllers known to the public, with a particular emphasis on controllers that are universally panned. We aren't including knock-off budget versions of official controllers – our focus is on unique controllers that had interesting ideas, but fell short of their promise.

#10: The Duke Xbox Controller


Sometimes it take a few tries to get things right, a concept Microsoft knows all too well. When the original Xbox console launched in November 2001, it came packaged with a proprietary controller known for one key quality: its size. The controller's sheer bulkiness earned it criticism, as well as the nicknames “Fatty” and “Duke”. Over time, the Duke controller was phased out in favour of the smaller Controller S, a decision we imagine was greeted with praise.

#9: Alphagrip AG-5 Controller

Computer controllers certainly have their place but THIS is far from ideal. I mean, just look at this thing! Developed by the company AlphaGrip Inc., the AG-5 is a handheld keyboard built in the shape of a controller. In theory this device would be optimal for both gameplay and typing – in practice, however, the device is party to a steep learning curve and lacks the precise controls suited to fast-paced games. From an awkward layout of keys to noticeable in-game slowness, there's no shortage of issues with the AG-5. 



#8: Roll N' Rocker

When people say they want to rock and roll, this likely wasn't what they had in mind. The Roll N' Rocker was built as an accessory for the Nintendo Entertainment System, the idea being that players would tilt on the device in order to control in-game movement. While an innovative idea, the device came under flak for failing to work properly with NES titles and for having a tendency to malfunction. Facing criticism and even an alleged lawsuit, the device's creator LJN Toys promptly discontinued its production.

#7: U-Force

Speaking of the NES, there were many peripherals to be associated with the famed console. One of the more infamous devices was the U-Force, a specially-made controller by Broderbund. Its gimmick was the use of infra-red sensors to detect hand movements, which it would then translate into controller commands. All well and good... except the U-Force was found to be imprecise in its reading of hand motions, to the point of not functioning at all with certain games. Such a shame.

#6: Sega Activator

Praise the almighty octogon... is what one might say if the darn thing worked. Built for the Sega Genesis, the Activator controller was as creatively ambitious as it was visually fascinating; an eight-sided device which sat on the floor, it fired IR beams that would theoretically interpret the player's kicks as in-game actions. Pitched as a viable substitute for a traditional control pad, the Activator was instead criticized for its inaccurate motion sensor technology and its tendancy to make games unnecessarily difficult. Not to mention that it makes you look like an idiot. 

#5: Philips CD-i Controller

Though Philips' proprietary console didn't lack for questionable controllers, the one that came standard with the system just boggles the mind. Designed more like a remote with its Infrared input, this particular peripheral had a simple interface with a small number of buttons and awkward directional pad. Unfortunately, the controller’s overall awkward shape made it uncomfortable to use, earning it criticism over the years. Given that production of the CD-i was discontinued in 1998, we imagine the It along with so many other hideous CD-I controllers went with it.

#4: Atari Jaguar Controller

Complexity does not always equate to success. Take the controller for the Atari Jaguar, which was notable for using a twelve-button keypad and three action buttons. What Atari didn't count on was the general public calling the Jaguar controller overly complicated and shoddily designed, with much of the negativity aimed at the central keypad. A redesigned controller with six action buttons, called the ProController, was eventually released... but by that point the damage had been done.

#3: Kinect


If motion control is the dream of game designers, then this is the stumble on the road to success. Originally released in 2010 for the Xbox 360, the Kinect promised gamers a fully motion-controlled gameplay experience; you simply stand in front of the device's camera, and use your hands to perform on-screen tasks. However, despite early enthusiasm the Kinect's poor implementation in games and spotty motion tracking ensured its legacy would be one of failure.

#2: Atari 5200 Controller

Oh, Atari, you had such good intentions. With the release of the 5200 console in 1982, Atari touted a analog joystick with more control than that of the 2600 console. Sadly, the joystick-based controller Atari packed with the 5200 didn't quite raise the bar; instead, it fell victim to the limitations of its design, from a stick that didn't center to keypad buttons made from a weak material. This, as you can imagine, caused many of them to break down altogether and become fully useless. By 1984, the 5200 and its various peripherals were discontinued.




Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions:

Intellivision Controller
NES Laserscope
Atari 5200 Trak-Ball
Super Scope

#1: Power Glove

As the saying goes, (“I love the Power Glove It's so bad”.) Made famous in the 1989 film “The Wizard”, Mattel's glove-shaped peripheral for the NES caught everyone's attention, with its combined controller-keypad interface and the promise of hand motions to control an on-screen character. Unfortunately, the Glove soon got attention for different reasons – it was found to be difficult to use, with imprecise controls and lacking information on how to interpret the keypad. In the end, the Glove produced $88 million in sales, viewed as a loss and proving its inability to engage.

Tuesday, 5 July 2016

Top 10 Richest Video Game Developers in the World



10. Square Enix – Value: $1.26 billion


The Japanese company is most famous for creating the Final Fantasy, Dragon Quest, and Kingdom Hearts series of games. The Final Fantasy series has sold over 110 million copies as of June 2014, making it by far their best-selling franchise to date. Building on their status as role playing game masters, Kingdom Hearts, in conjunction with Disney, is a rising star in the RPG genre, selling over 20 million copies as of March 2014.
In 2009, Square Enix bought Eidos Interactive and thus claimed the rights to the wildly popular Tomb Raider series. This only adds more in the way of expansive RPG play to Square Enix’s robust stable of franchises. This keeps true to the company’s goal of making games where the story and aesthetics of the game itself come first and foremost in the creative process.

9. Ubisoft – Value: $1.85 billion


Among the independent game companies in the industry, Ubisoft is the third largest behind only Activision and Electronic Arts. However, the French company is not lacking in resources or popular titles in their reserves. Assassin’s Creed, Ghost Recon, Rainbow Six, and Splinter Cell are among the famous titles developed by Ubisoft.
Founded in 1986 by the five Guillemot brothers, Ubisoft started out as a French distributor for games created by Electronic Arts, Sierra On-Line, and Microprose. Soon thereafter, the company set its sights on the U.S., United Kingdom, and Germany, distributing games in these markets. By the early ‘90s, Ubisoft turned towards development, beginning with online games such as Everquest.
Today, first person shooters are the pride of Ubisoft’s brand. Adventure epics such as Assassin’s Creed and Prince of Persia are incredibly popular, too. From humble beginnings to a major player in the development game, Ubisoft has scored big.

8. Konami – Value: $3.24 billion

Konami is a conglomerate of many products, including the development of video games. Trading cards, slot machines, arcade games, and even the management of health clubs all fall under the Konami umbrella of products and services. However, video games are where Konami makes the majority of their revenue.
Among Konami’s credited titles include horror brands such as Castlevania and Silent Hill, action series Metal Gear, and music arcade series Dance Dance Revolution. Silent Hill made the transition from its movie style gameplay to the big screen in the 2005 adaptation Silent Hill starring Naomi Watts in the abandoned ghostly

7. Electronic Arts – Value: $4.14 billion

If you are a sports gamer, you would undoubtedly know Electronic Arts as the force behind titles such as the mammoth Madden NFL franchise. However, EA’s reach goes well beyond the sports gaming set. Need For Speed, The Sims, Command and Conquer, and Medal of Honor are the franchises EA has developed from their beginnings as a PC game developer into popular console brands. Since then, EA has created new hit titles such as Mass Effect for Xbox and Playstation. Much like Square Enix, EA found itself a large media partner to collaborate on a new game. LucasArts and EA have worked together to produce Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, combining one of the largest independent game developers in the industry with one of the largest entertainment franchises in history.

6. Namco Bandai – Value: $4.74 billion

Namco’s roots lie in arcades all over the world. The Japanese company’s domain is the amusement park, supplying large scale arcade games. None other than the most famous of all arcade game characters, Pac-Man, was created by Namco.
Along the way, Namco capitalized on the success of the power pellet-munching dynamo. The acquisition of Atari and their partnership with Nintendo in the 1980s were chief among Namco’s ascent in the video game world. However, after a rash of tough business decisions, Namco stepped aside from game development until their 2005 merger with Bandai, which has continued popular series such as Tekken and Naruto.

5. Activision Blizzard – Value: $4.85 billion

In 2008, Activision merged with Vivendi Games. Thus, Activision Blizzard was born. As a result, the combined powers have resulted in a number of hit franchises to further propel this conglomerate ahead as of one of the big players in game development. Look no further than the juggernaut that is the Call of Duty Series. Arguably, only Halo is a more popular franchise than C.O.D., but Activision Blizzard has World of Warcraft to fall back on as well. To have the world’s most popular online role playing game like W.O.W. as their own, Activision Blizzard is assuredly not losing much sleep at night with this franchise in their arsenal.

4. Sega – Value: $4.9 billion

Sega used to be in the mix with the rest of the console giants in the industry. Now the home of that turbo, blue blur named Sonic the Hedgehog is solely focused on lending a hand to other companies from a development standpoint. Today, Sega finds itself in a partnership with former competitor, Nintendo; producing crossover titles such as the Mario and Sonic at the Olympic Games franchise. However, that rapid rodent has also made a comeback in a two part, fourth installment of the Sonic the Hedgehog franchise entitled, Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode I and Episode II in 2009 and 2012 respectively.

3. Nintendo – Value: $6.28 billion

From playing cards to hotels to video games, Nintendo has done it all in their 125-year history. However, Nintendo found the magic formula with a plumber named Mario who was determined to save Princess Peach from the King Koopa, Bowser, in the smash hit, Super Mario Bros. Since then, Nintendo has evolved in terms of consoles to remain at the forefront of the gaming industry. From the Nintendo Entertainment System, Super Nintendo, Gamecube, Wii, and Wii U, Nintendo has changed with the times in terms of ways to deliver an enjoyable gaming experience. Not only that, franchises like Mario, Pokémon, and The Legend of Zelda have set up Nintendo to succeed in terms of sustainability.

2. Microsoft Studios – Value: $12.82 billion

Formed in conjunction with the establishment of the Xbox in 2002, Microsoft Studios added another lucrative option to the stable at technology giant, Microsoft. Microsoft Studios’ products flood the market on numerous devices not limited to the traditional gaming console. The company produces games for Windows PCs as well as the Windows Phone.
However, what has lifted Microsoft Studios into the stratosphere of the gaming world is the Halo franchise. The science fiction, first person shooter starring Master Chief has been a staple of the Xbox franchise since its debut in 2001. Selling over 60 million units since it first came on the scene; the Halo franchise has earned Microsoft nearly $3.4 billion.

1. Sony Computer Entertainment – Value: $13.4 billion


The creative force behind Sony’s Playstation line of consoles, Sony Computer Entertainment is the king of video game development. Among Sony’s hits include the God of War and Gran Turismo franchises. God of War, the Greek mythology-based adventure epic, has spawned six sequels to its name, spanning multiple platforms under the Sony banner. However, Gran Turismo has claimed the title of best-selling franchise by Sony since its debut in 1997. The grand touring style racing game has been at forefront in terms of aesthetic advances in game development. Also, it does not hurt that over the years, the selection of cars to choose from has grown from 140 to 1226 in the latest edition, 2013’s Gran Turismo 6. These two titles are a small sample as to why Sony is the current king of the video game kingdom.

Top 10 Ubisoft Games



Its time to honor one of the biggest and one of our favorite developers, Welcome to the gamer and today we’re counting down our picks for the Top 10 Ubisoft games.

For this list, we’re restricting the titles to one game per franchise, The Tom Clancy name is exempt from this rule but the various franchises that spawned under said name are not. Also the game has to have been developed and published by a Ubisoft studio.

#10: “Scott Pilgrim Vs The World: The Game” (2010)


Kicking off our list is one of the few examples of a movie tie-in game done right, with nicely polished 2D animation not only drawing plenty of fan service from the Scott Pilgrim graphic novels and classic videogames alike. Top it all of with the epic chiptunes soundtrack from Anamanaguchi and you have a memorable old school 2D Beat-em-up that retro gamers will fall in lesbians with.

#9: “Ghost Recon: Advanced Warfighter” (2006)


There were a lot of tough choices for this list, the first being between this game and Future Solider, although ultimately Advanced Warfighter won out. While the graphics may look dated by today’s standards, its still a lot of fun to play as it gave players a groundbreaking array advanced weaponry to play with, spicing up a genre that’s long past stale. 

#8: “Rainbow 6: Vegas” (2008)


This choice however was a no-brainer. Set in the bright lights of Las Vegas, this cover based First Person / 3rd Person hybrid shooter made methodical squad based combat surprisingly intense. Taking place in recreations of real life Las Vegas casinos, there’s nothing more thrilling than having a rogue grenade blow up a slot machine and hearing all that loose change spill everywhere.

#7: “Driver: San Francisco” (2007)


Driver is probably one of the more unique games on the list. The game’s core gameplay mechanic revolves around projecting your mind into another driver on the road and plowing them into oncoming traffic because you were controlling them. Can you imagine trying to explain that to your Insurance Agency? Thankfully its not all real, the guy was in a coma this whole time, but hey still fun.

#6: “Beyond Good & Evil” (2004)


A game that became a cult classic, this lively tale has you in the role of Jade, who’s often regarded as one of the best female protagonists in gaming, who’s helped along the way by her adopted uncle who’s an anthropomorphic pig. The gameplay itself blends 3D stealth platforming along with a combat system that Ubisoft would later adopt in their Assassin’s Creed series. If you haven’t played this game before, it recently got a HD rerelease on Xbox Live and Playstation Network, so check it out.

#5: “Splinter’s Cell: Chaos Theory” (2005)


Another Tom Clansy title, another difficult choice, as each of the Splinter’s Cell games are really well made, In the end though, we gave the nod to Chaos Theory as it perfected the now signature cooperative Multiplayer. As Stealth Game with a heavy emphasis lighting, or lack there of, it allowed for some rather intense moments as you skulked in the shadows waiting for the right moment to drive your knife into a wandering guard.

#4: “Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time” (2003)


A reboot to a classic game that surpassed the quality of the original, Sands of time featured an extremely nimble free running acrobatic system, making for a fantastic 3D platformer. Making it even better was the ability to reverse time in the event you don’t get a jump quite right. Top it off was the fantastic art direction, making this an Arabian adventure not soon forgotten.

#3: “Rayman Legends” (2013)


While the original 3D Rayman games were memorable, the 2D platform Origin’s series was the limbless hero’s finest work. We’re giving the nod to Legends since it also contained the levels from Origins and for being a straight-up-amazing platformer, one that gave Mario a run for his coins. For even more enjoyment there was the Co-Op play with the Wii U gamepad for an experience unlike anything else.

#2: “Far Cry 3” (2012)


No contest for this one, The 3rd entry is by far the best in the series, for successfully combining it’s ambitious scale with a memorable setting and interesting characters. This open world FPS set on a tropical island is just brimming with things to do. Hunting wildlife, flying around on a hangglider, Ramboing though legions of pirates or even torching enormous crops of marijuana, you’ll never run out of things to do. Also need to give an honorable mention to its neon soaked DLC expansion Blood Dragon.

Speaking of honorable mentions, lets quickly take a look at some more before we get to Number 1

H.A.W.X
XIII
Rabbids TV Party

#1: “Assassin’s Creed 2” (2009)


Pretty sure most of you saw this series coming. The only real question was which game. We juggled back and forth between this game and Black Flag. But ultimately we went with 2 for the fact that it established Assassin’s Creed as Ubisoft’s signature franchise. With a fantastic open world based around the classic Italian Renaissance cities such as Florence, Rome and Venice.\, this is the game that gave birth to an annual tradition.

Top 10 EA Games




They’re biggest game publisher in the industry, so they’re bound to have a few of your favorites under their belt. Welcome to the gamer and today we’re counting down our picks for the Top 10 Electronic Arts games.

For this list we’re focusing one game per franchise, were also only focusing on games that were not only were published by EA but at the very least has to be developed by a team that is owned or is a subsidiary of EA. Which means that games like Crysis and Titanfall are excluded from the list.

EA may have a bit of a bad rap on the street as of late, but you this unfeeling titan of the industry has still produced more than its fair share of amazing titles. So let’s get started. 

#10: "Mirror’s Edge" (2008)


Lets kick off the list with one of the more unique games in the company’s portfolio. You take the role as Faith, a courier who’s a skilled parkour runner trying to clear her sisters name after she has been framed for murder. No easy task given that they live in a totalitarian society where everything is monitored. This action game doesn’t rely on shooting but rather on the fact that it’s a breathtakingly paced first person platformer.

#9: “Dragon Age: Origins” (2009)


After acquiring Canadian developer Bioware, one of the first games they released with the new partnership was a fantastic Fantasy RPG. The titular origins system meant that you picked from one of 6 personally customized characters, each with their own unique backstory. Harking back to Bioware’s Baldur’s gate days, the game brought back the large party, pausable combat play system. You could also build vital relationships with your party members and get them to teach you new tricks, get so angry they leave or even go to bed with you. 

#8: “Command and Conquer: Generals - Zero Hour” (2003)


After absorbing Westwood Studios, EA’s first in house C&C game ended up being a great hit that’s aged fairly well. The original Generals was good but had a shortage of content, the Zero Hour expansion however was blessing that’s still fun to play today, especially in Multiplayer, which boasts a total of 12 possible Generals each with unique loadouts that can cater to anyone’s play style. Unless you were a dick and chose the Super Weapon General against your friends.

#7: “SimCity 4” (2003)


The series that gave birth to the city simulation series still knows no true equal. The 4th game in the series is notable for making the shift to a 3D engine. Of course, they retained the imfamous disaster options like Earthquakes, Tornados, Meteor strikes and Volcano’s. Oh and you can upload your characters from The Sims to the game too. It’s widely considered to be a far superior game to the 2013 entry.

#6: “Need for Speed: Underground 2” (2004)


The more recent releases in the series were outscourced to other companies, though honestly our favorite in the franchise remains the 2nd in the Underground series. Underground 2 retained all the amazing customization options, wicked race modes and neon blur madness of its predecessor, and threw it all in to a completely open world for you to rip around it. You’ll never be so proud of such of douche-y looking car.

#5: EA Sports series


Ok so we’re kind of cheating with this entry, to rank a specific sport would be like saying which sport is the best in the world, and we’re not gonna touch that one. While our personal favorite may be the NHL series, being Canadian, we might be a bit biased with that opinion. So weather its Fifa, Madden NFL, NBA live or the Tiger Woods PGA Tour, being the only name in sports isn’t such a bad thing.

#4: “Dead Space” (2008)


A third person survival horror, Dead Space takes Resident Evil 4’s gameplay and puts it in System Shock 2’s setting. Oozing with atmosphere and shit-your-pants scares, Dead Space even brings a few new tricks to the table with it’s zero-G sequences and “don’t shoot for the head” dismemberment mechanics. Also, the death animations really don’t come any gorier than this. 

#3: “The Sims 2” (2004)


The revolutionary life simulator that few games can match. At 20 million copies sold The Sims 2 is the best selling PC game to date. There’s no goal in the game unless you want to try to contemplate the meaning of your trivial existence. Just take care of your sims from childhood to going to college to eventually raising a family of their own. And just like any best selling EA game, there’s a mountain of expansions for this one. Remember when they were called expansions?

#2: “Battlefield 3” (2011)


While the latest entry was plagued with bugs at launch, Battlefield 3 set the franchise up as a worthy competitor to Call of Duty, even if many remember it’s launch to be a nightmare as while. Origin anyone? Anyway, while the single player … is forgettable, it’s the multiplayer that makes the game truly shine. Large open maps with up 64 players at once, realtime destruction and tons of drivable, and crashable vehicles, Battlefield redefined the scale of multiplayer shooters.

Before we get to number one, here are a few honorable mentions

#1: “Mass Effect 2” (2010)


Taking the top spot is not only EA and Bioware’s best game to date, but also one of the best games of the 7th Generation. A Sci-Fi epic that defined the Western RPG genre, you travel the galaxy as Commander Shepard, recruiting memorable squad characters and saving humanity in the process. Notable for its staggering amount of lore, multiple choices, and the ability to transfer over your save file from the 1st Mass Effect game, it easily takes the top slot here.