Cool, I'm likely to pick it up next week on XBLA then. You don't have the Japanese paddle add-on, do you?

No paddle. I don't see how that could add much though. You only move left/right. D-pad or analog will do just fine.

I didn't know it was hitting XBLA. I might have to nab that version to have the remake trifecta all in one place.

Yeah, it hits Wednesday for 800 points.
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I remember the IGN review for the DS version said that the paddle gave the game a much more authentic feel and was well worth the purchase, but like you, I wonder how big a difference it could really make.

I have SI:extreme for the PSP (got it for $10), and it's a UMD full of win.

I have the DS version and paddle and I found it slightly better with the paddle. You can make much quicker movements and the paddle gives you nearly pixel perfect movement. That said it is still very playable with the D pad and I played it that way as well with no major issues.

I just found the boxart to end all boxart:

Come on, what about that boxart doesn't scream FUN!!!!

Beat Chinatown Wars tonight. Story is predictable and not all that interesting. The missions overall though were very entertaining. A few annoying ones here and there, but overall not too bad. The last three missions are pretty tough so if you can put the money aside a chaingun and RPG (you have to deal with a helicopter in one of them) are highly recommended as they make them fairly easy missions.

Still lots to do in the game. Stunt Jumps, security cameras to destroy and now there are hidden items on the map to find. Took me 10 hours to finish the main storyline and I will probably have this one in my DS to goof around with for a long time. Game definitely earned all the 9s and 10s it received in reviews. Definitely in my top 5 best DS games.

If anyone here picked this game up make sure to link your DS to Rockstar's Social Club. They are adding a bulletproof car until the 8th to the import dealer. Car costs $800 and makes the missions much easier if you are dealing with cops and gangs shooting at you which happens in many of the driving missions. All you have to do is link your account and sync your stats before the 8th.

I ordered this for my little girl. It'll be a nice birthday present for her. Amazon just dropped the price to $144.99. Even though today is the official release date (they shipped it last Friday), it was like pulling teeth to get them to honor their own Pre-Order Price Guaranty (which states that you'll get the lower price if it drops between preorder time and the end of the day on the release date). After getting transferred to a manager, they finally complied. It was way too much work for $5, but you know, it was the principle of the thing

Good review and good to hear. I just started playing this after BB's $20 sale the other day and am just a few missions in. I was wondering how much replay value there would be after I play thru the normal missions.

I much prefer the driving controls to the walking controls but neither make me think I will just keep it around like a normal GTA game to just run over, shoot people, and generally cause chaos like I usually enjoy doing when I don't want to do a mission.

The chaos is definitely not as fun as San Andreas or Vice City. For one the sniper rifle is only available in a couple of missions and at the gun club for a shooting challenge. You can climb on very few buildings anyway so it is not surprising you don't get to carry one. Without that aspect you are left with more 2D mayhem. Some of that can be fun and I like having cops chasing me around the city, but it definitely isn't going to give you the same thrill as the old PS2 GTA games.

I am enjoying hunting down the security cameras, drug dealers, stunt jumps and statues. I peeked on Gamefaqs and there are apparently a couple of hidden missions as well if you can collect all the trophies so I am working on that next. I'm also impressed with how much of the DS city they got to match pretty closely with GTA IV. Even in a simpler toon style many areas are nearly identical.

Ooooh, love that green DS. Very pretty.

My daughter bought Peggle yesterday at Costco!

Now I have to find a way to steal her DS. Hmm maybe I can try to work from home tomorrow and play all morning while she's at school.

Legacy of Ys: Books I & II (DS) is $20 at Amazon today.

Worth it?

http://www.amazon.com/gp/feature.htm...pf_rd_i=468642

If you don't want to spill for the PC version, yes.

Snagged GTA: Chinatown today and so far so good. My wife picked up the Personal Trainer Cooking DS Software and I have to say it's pretty impressive. She's excited as hell to start trying some of the recipes.

I enjoyed it for full retail price. Simple and classic. I've only played Book I so far, not Book II.

Played Broken Sword yesterday for a bit, really fantastic implementation on the DS but the lack of voice acting is jarring (crossed with how quiet the music is.) I normally don't care, but the animation is so intricate and the mouths move and there is.. silence.

I found this Henry Hatsworth villain video over at Giant Bomb. Thought it was pretty amusing.

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Finally received my copy of Super Robot Taisen OG Saga: Endless Frontier (that's a mouthful). I usually hate DS games retailing for more than 29.99, but hey, I love the series and I got a soundtrack (that I will probably never listen to) for free. I love that they didn't bother to try to get voice actors to dub over the voices... people buying this game won't want that anyway.

I know, I know, like I needed yet another DS JRPG, but this one goes to the front of my list... sorry DQ5 and the other dozen half-finished DS RPGs in my queue...

Reminder: Tomorrow is the last day to register at the Rockstar Social Club to get that bulletproof car in GTA Chinatown Wars. It's a bit of a pain in the ass, but at least it's free.

Details Here:

Will the care always be available once it's unlocked? I've connected everything, but I haven't gone to actually get it in the game. If I don't bother doing that today will it still be there in the future now that everything is at least connected?

My understanding is as long as you've updated your stats after linking with the Social Club, you're okay.

My DS Game of the Year (if it comes out here this year):



HQ: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tLzrushtOm4&fmt=18

I don't know, outside of the old school GBA games (that were rebranded as Final Fantasy in the US) I have always felt burned by the Saga games. After Unlimited Saga I don't think that series will ever get me back. (If this game is part of that series. I see Saga and Square and that is what I think of.)