metagamers » Rick Daino

Playstation Vita: Preparing for launch

Rick Daino — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 18:32:04 +0000

So the US Playstation Vita is right around the corner and it’s time to ask that all important question… “Should you pick a Vita up at launch or wait?”

Let’s first look at pricing and the different flavors of the PS Vita:

1. PS Vita First Edition Bundle ($349.99) – Includes the Playstation Vita 3G/Wi-Fi system plus a 4GB memory card, a limited edition case, Little Deviants, AT&T DataConnect Session Pass + Free PSN Game and pick up your system one week early. (Release Date: Feb 15th 2012)

2. PS Vita 3G Launch Bundle ($299.99) – Includes the PlayStation Vita 3G/Wi-Fi System + 8GB Memory Card + AT&T DataConnect Session Pass + Free PSN Game (Release Date: Feb 22nd 2012)

3. PS Vita WiFi Model ($249.99) – Includes the Playstation Vita WiFi System ONLY (Release Date: Feb 22nd 2012)

Anyway you slice it the Playstation Vita is quite an investment!

Now lets have a look at the titles available on launch day (retail and online download):

Escape Plan (PSN Only)
Hot Shots Golf: World Invitational
Hustle Kings (PSN Only)
Little Deviants
ModNation Racers: Road Trip
Super StarDust Delta (PSN Only)
UNCHARTED: Golden Abyss
wipEout 2048
Army Corps of Hell
Asphalt Injection
BEN10 GALACTIC RACING
Blazblue: Continuum Shift EXTEND
Dungeon Hunter Alliance
Dynasty Warriors Next
F1 2011
EA SPORTS FIFA Soccer
Lumines Electronic Symphony
Michael Jackson The Experience
Plants vs. Zombies (PSN Only)
Rayman Origins
Shinobido 2: Revenge of Zen
Tales of Space: Mutant Blobs (PSN Only)
Touch My Katamari
Ultimate Marvel vs Capcom 3
Virtua Tennis 4: World Tour Edition

Keep in mind Sony has stated that purchasing titles online through the Playstation network will offer a savings on normal boxed retail copies however, using this method of obtaining a game will consume your memory card space faster.

I’ll also mention that while I honestly do not think the PS Vita will fly off shelves on launch day I would not be one bit surprised to see memory cards become the hard to find item since they are only manufactured by Sony and must be purchased separately if not included in a bundle.

My word to the wise: If you are picking up a Vita you should also plan to buy the largest memory card you can at launch to avoid possible headaches later.

So then, back to the original question… Should you buy a Vita at launch? My answer varies so here it goes:

First off I will state that if anyone is planning on picking up a Vita at launch it only makes sense to pick up the Launch bundle or First Edition bundle as both give you the best value for your dollar while including extra items that if purchased separately would exceed the bundle MSRP asking price.

Based on your situation I advise the following:

1. If you are a hardcore gamer, on the bleeding edge and you must purchase everything at launch then obviously this is a day one purchase for you.

2. If you are a casual gamer but see many titles within the launch window that you must have then buy it. The system will provide you with hours of enjoyment and should be worth your purchase.

3. If you are a casual gamer and don’t really see any titles of interest in the launch window then wait, prices will drop and more titles will release that make your purchase at a later time a better option.

4. If you are someone just looking to buy a “hot” item for resale value then skip it, it is really doubtful the Vita will be that hard to find item that commands a premium price.

Finally, I will mention the pricing consideration. I predict we will see a price drop on the Vita this year, possibly around the June 2012 time frame along side the big E3 Expo.

Why? A couple key reasons come top of mind:

1. Expect Apple to release the iPad 3 this year along with the iPhone 5 which will take focus off the Vita

2. Nintendo will release the Wii-U this year

3. The continued erosion of the handheld gaming market by the mobile platform (Android/iOS). iPhone’s, iPod’s, iPad’s and Android devices do much of the same as their handheld counterparts but also offer so much more than just games (HD Video, High Quality photos, applications and much more). Cost of applications and games on mobile platforms tends to be much cheaper than buying games on a handheld device.

So at the end of the day what are we left with? In my opinion we have the most powerful handheld system made by a console manufacturer to date (I’ve seen it in person at E3 and it is near PS3 quality) however, it is also the most expensive. Technology does not come cheap but at the same time until Sony lowers the price of the Vita (I suggest $189.99 WiFi and $239.99 WiFi/3G) they are facing an uphill battle.

Vita may translate to life however, until they can bring the cost down I’m afraid Sony is sucking the “life” right out of their own system.

Soul Calibur V & Final Fantasy XIII-2

Rick Daino — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 17:16:14 +0000

This week we see the release of two highly anticipated games in Soul Calibur V and Final Fantasy XIII-2 both for the Xbox 360 and Playstation 3 platforms. After looking at the deals on these games this week it appears Target has the best value for your dollar as they are giving away a $20 Gift Card with each game. Some mixed reports are coming in stating that the gift card is available for use right away so those of you picking up both titles might want to have your purchase done in two transactions to you can try applying the card to your other game.

Are you planning on picking up either of these titles this week or will you wait for the eventual price drop?

SeeThru iPhone 4S Case Review

Rick Daino — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 18:22:42 +0000

While it may not be as protective as the Speck CandyShell it comes very close with the added benefit of being Ultra Clear! Check it out:

My iPhone 4S story

Rick Daino — Fri, 07 Oct 2011 18:43:50 +0000

So the iPhone 4S is officially available for pre order and as of 11am (Pacific) you can still go to http://store.apple.com and grab your selected model for October 14th delivery in the USA.

In case you were wondering I did stay up to pre order mine just in case demand was greater than supply.

Here is what I experienced:

 Logged on to iChat about 2 hours before midnight and hooked up with my buddy from http://www.photofriday.com to pass the time while we both waited to secure our new devices

 At about midnight reports came in from http://forums.macrumors.com that Verizon and Sprint preorders were up. Still no sign of orders going up on http://store.apple.com as the store was still showing closed.

 At about 12:40a (Pacific) http://store.apple.com came online but for the next hour or so both myself and my friend were unable to get past the carrier eligibility page. HTTP errors, timeouts and “Sorry we were unable to process your request” messages.

 Around 1:40a (Pacific) the ability to pre order an iPhone went down and stayed down for about 10 minutes.

 Around 1:50a (Pacific) both myself and my friend were able to “Reserve” our iPhones. Apple seemed to remove the carrier check at this point and simply allowed you to reserve your phone. Got an email from apple stating they would contact me when it was time to finish the process of ordering my phone.

 Around 3:30a (Pacific) I got my email from Apple and successfully finished my order for my iPhone 4S

Overall I am really happy with the way Apple handled the situation this time. In my opinion it was much appreciated that they took the store down to change the pre order process to a reservation system. Not only did this tweak in the process save me some stress but it also let me catch some sleep as opposed to staying up all night hitting refresh.

How about you? Did you pre order an iPhone 4S and if so what was your experience?

Steve Jobs (1955-2011)

Rick Daino — Thu, 06 Oct 2011 04:30:02 +0000

Thank you Steve, you will be missed. 

iPhone 4S video wrap up

Rick Daino — Wed, 05 Oct 2011 00:23:37 +0000

Looking for a wrap up video of what took place at the apple press event this past Tuesday October 4th 2011? Check out my video below where I sum up all that took place.

iPhone media event less than 24 hours away

Rick Daino — Mon, 03 Oct 2011 19:58:51 +0000

Less than 24 hours away from Apple’s official iPhone media event and the rumor mill is in full swing!

Will Tim Cook’s first presentation (without Steve Jobs) fufill iPhone 5 dreams or shatter them with the announcement of a supercharged iPhone 4s? Your guess is as good as mine. If you asked me last week if we would see both an iPhone 5 and 4s this year my answer would have been yes however, with the recent press and early leaks (no mention of iPhone 5) it really has me wondering.

If you plan to update to the next gen iPhone will you still go 4s if it is the only option or will you hold out for an iPhone 5 release?

I’ll let you know my thoughts after we learn more tomorrow.

The last Spy Mouse Code

Rick Daino — Sat, 10 Sep 2011 15:53:39 +0000

If you have been watching metagamers on YouTube you know that I have been giving away codes for the iPhone/iPad game Spy Mouse.

This was a simple and quick giveaway so if you did not get one of the codes don’t worry, I’ll try to do more like these in the future.

Remember to connect with us any of the following ways:

Metagamers Website

Metagamers YouTube Channel

Metagamers on Twitter

Metagamers on Facebook

and now for the last code….. 9M7MM963NMR3

Friday Featured: CAG

Rick Daino — Fri, 09 Sep 2011 19:29:06 +0000

This week the Friday Featured should come as no surprise to many of you.

CAG (cheap ass gamer) is the king of all “Where do you go to find out all the latest gaming deals and upcoming promotions/sales/ad’s” website. They also offer up reviews, a trading community, etc…

I check CAG almost daily and they have saved me a TON of money by informing me of what is on sale, when and where.

Check them out at http://www.cheapassgamer.com/

Friday Featured: How to download your free games from the Nintendo 3DS ambassador program

Rick Daino — Fri, 02 Sep 2011 22:56:04 +0000

Normally I would not include one of my own videos for the Friday Featured but I have seen so many tweets and questions come up this past week regarding how to download the free offered games from the Nintendo 3DS ambassador program that I figured it would be a good idea to share.

As a reminder, if you purchased a Nintendo 3DS prior to the recent price drop and visited the online Nintendo eShop before 11:59 p.m. ET on Aug 11th you were automatically registered in the program and eligible to receive 20 free games.

The video below shows how to download those games as the process is not as simple as you might think.