the controls only use 2 analogs. How could they 'suck ass'?

Yup!

Done. 2 Xbox w/ HDMI, 2 play and charge kits and 2 extra controllers on the way with 2 day shipping!

I did 2 day shipping as well, ordered yesterday at about 3pm, and I just looked at the tracking and it's going to be delivered today already. From Kentucky to Wisconsin overnight. I'm impressed. UPS, FWIW. Who knew a unionized company could work so efficiently?

Sweet. Be sure to post back when it arrives and let me know that it's actually the HDMI version that arrives.

Guess I need to go pick up Madden in the next couple days.

Might want to check Toysrus, supposedly you can buy Madden and get a 2nd game for 50% off. Plus there's a 20% off coupon you can stack on top of it, making Madden $48 and a 2nd $60 game $30.

EDIT: Here's a CAG thread about the TRU deal - http://www.cheapassgamer.com/forums/...d.php?t=148433

Can't see the thread without creating an account.

Do you know if the deal applies to preorders as well?

I don't think there are any other games I will pick up before 9/11. I'm only interested in playing online with friends, so my plans are for:

Madden (this week)
NHL game (not sure which one yet)
PGR4
Halo 3

Maybe:
Fifa 08
The upcoming Ace Combat

Anything out currently that's a must for 1 on 1 online play?

I really don't care about single player so games like Gears, etc won't be more than a rental for me unless there is a great online mode.

and then?

Well I've not played it online yet, but Gears is supposedly one of the better online games there is.

And the way it sounds IN STORE you can't do pre-orders, but online you can. Of course online you can't use the 20% off coupon and you have shipping + tax.

Here's the in-store coupon - http://img524.imageshack.us/my.php?image=trudy4.jpg

If ordering online, just add Madden and another game to your cart, should take 50% off the other.

I don't have a 360, just am waiting for the right time to jump in. Just felt like telling you that from what I read Gears is THE game to get for online multiplayer.

I might as well at least get 20% off one copy of Madden then.

Where do I get that coupon? Do people just print it out? That seems weird from that jpg.

Interesting. Guess I need to look into this more.

With Halo 3 coming along, I'm sure that's where I'll spend most of my time. I'm not sure I need another FPS but I'll read about it. I've only played the single player Gears (amazing) and didn't even know there was online play.

The coupon is also on the main Toysrus us page. Just print it out, if the cashier gives you any grief, tell him it came off their own damn website.

You can go to the Toys'rus website and they have the coupon on their front page.

After being pretty unimpressed with the hyped games I've demoed so far this year (Crackdown and Lost Planet just didn't grab me), the Bioshock and Stranglehold demos are a breath of fresh air. I worry that the Stranglehold gameplay might get old after awhile (and frankly wonder if it would be better off as a Wii title) but it was a lot more fun and intuitive than I thought it would be.

Just read up about it. Man, I had no idea it had those features.

I'll pick it up for sure.

I'm picking up that and Madden in a bit, I've got Gears but giving my brother a copy for his BD, $30 is better than $60 (or $50-something elsewhere online).

thats basically it. It's always a race against time to build the largest Katamari, which is basically like your overall score.


thats about it. I find it enjoyable and addictive.

I'd do the "buy madden get 50% off" deal but since it's only online i might not receive it before the weekend (they say it won't ship for 2 full business days) so looks like i'll have to do the 20% off in-store instead. $12 instead of $30 savings. Oh well.

So I hear there is a 45nm chip coming soon. Do any of you have info on this?

No, the buy Madden get 50% off deal is in store also. So you could get Madden ($60 - 20% =$48) + Gears of War ($60 - 50% = $30) for $78 before tax in store.

Won't be showing up for a year, from what I heard.

I wouldn't get Gears. you could get that game used for 30 bucks pretty easily

I would recommend getting a newer game thats worth more, personally

This sucks. I'm coming down with a cold, so I'm going to leave the office and spend the afternoon on my couch under a blanket ... and Bioshock hasn't been released yet.

Next week, I'll be all healthy and in the office while Bioshock will spend all day sitting on my shelf, waiting for me to get home from work.

End of next year at the earliest.

I got my refurb back today. i haven't tried it out yet but atleast it looks like it is brand new.