Grand Theft Auto 4

I've had quite a few requests for GTA4 on both 360 and PS3, sadly there's no retailers selling it at even a half decent price that have it in stock.

The best option is to probably head to the highstreet, and you should be able to get it for £40 or under. Asda are selling the 360 version for £34, and if you are a student you can get 10% off at Zavvi, HMV and some Gamestation branches, and if you have a GAME card student discount is available at some branches too.

As soon as it is available for a good price online I will post it, but it'll probably be a while.

Get into festivals for free with Oxfam

I'm going to be going to Leeds and Glastonbury festival this year (as I did last year) as an Oxfam steward. I can't recommend it enough, you meet a great bunch of people, and everyone you meet is going to be friendly to someone with an Oxfam Tabard on (and it makes it really to blag free booze).

Anyway, Oxfam are looking for people to steward and campaign for them. Stewarding involves a range of tasks, I have had - operating gates, running a Barbecue, driving around Glastonbury delivering coffee to people. If could be anything.

Campaigning basically means walking around the festivals with a clipboard and encouraging people to sign up for newsletters. You work 3 shifts, but will have plenty of time to see lots of bands, and take in the festival atmosphere.

You do have to pay a £165 deposit, which will be refunded, but in return you get free entrance into the festivals, free camping, and food vouchers for when you are on shift.

It's a really good cause, and you will have a lot of fun.

Head here to apply.





They need stewards for -
Glastonbury
Cornbury
Glade
Womad
Summer Sundae
Bloom Festival
Leeds
Reading
Bestival

And campaigners for -
Isle of Wight
Glastonbury
Latitude
Womad
V (Chelmsford/Staffordshire)
Leeds
Reading
Bestival
Love Box

Let me know if you are going to any. As I said I'll be at Leeds (Fuck you I won't do what you tell me) and Glastonbury this year.

Devil May Cry 4, Xbox 360 - £19.99

Devil May Cry 4, Xbox 360 - £19.99 delivered

Apply code "K775GDM" for that price.

Update: This deal has now expired.

Devil May Cry 4, PS3 - £19.99

Devil May Cry 4, PS3 - £19.99 delivered

Apply code "GYWWWHE" for that price.

Update: This deal has now expired.

Eternal Sonata, Xbox 360 - £10.99

Eternal Sonata, Xbox 360 - £10.99 delivered

Bully: Scholarship Edition, Xbox 360 - £19.99

Bully: Scholarship Edition, Xbox 360 - £19.99 delivered

Apply code "YKJGPYA" for that price.

Update: This deal has now expired.

Disgaea: Afternoon of Darkness, PSP - £17.63

Disgaea: Afternoon of Darkness, PSP - £17.63 delivered

Apply code "PP-02-DISCOUNT" for 2% off.

Beautiful Katamari, Xbox 360 - £24.99

Beautiful Katamari, Xbox 360 - £24.99 delivered

Bladestorm: The Hundred Year War, Xbox 360 - £17.99

Bladestorm: The Hundred Year War, Xbox 360 - £17.99 delivered

Bladestorm: The Hundred Year War, PS3 - £17.99

Bladestorm: The Hundred Year War, PS3 - £17.99 delivered

Gunpey, DS - £3.99

Gunpey, DS - £3.99 delivered

Gunpey, PSP - £2.99

Gunpey, PSP - £2.99 delivered

Lego Star Wars: The Complete Saga, PS3 - £22.49

Lego Star Wars: The Complete Saga, PS3 - £22.49 delivered

Devil May Cry 4, PS3 - £23.99

Devil May Cry 4, PS3 - £23.99 delivered

Silent Hill: Origins, PSP - £15.57

Silent Hill: Origins, PSP - £15.57 delivered

Apply code "PP-02-DISCOUNT" for 2% off.

ScummVM Wii - Wiimote Edition Released

The ScummVM interpretor is a piece of software that allow you to play a bunch of classic Adventure games on a range of platforms. It has now been ported to the Wii, with Wiimote support, meaning you can use the Wiimote pointer to replace the functionality of the mouse.

You can download it here.

The Scumm engine was originally made for Lucasarts Maniac Mansion, but it was used for a whole host of fantastic games. My personal favourites are Day of the Tentacle, Sam & Max Hit the Road and Beneath a Steel Sky.

There is some fantastic homebrew coming out for the Wii, and it's only just getting started, I can't wait to see what's down the line. You will need some way of launching .dol files to use this, Wiibrew should have all the advice you need for that.

I strongly suggest you head over to ScummVM.org and download the charming and hilarious Beneath a Steel Sky.



Update: here's a video of it in action, playing Full Throttle. Cheers to hideous_enigma for the link.

Eternal Sonata, Xbox 360 - £14.99

Eternal Sonata, Xbox 360 - £14.99 delivered

Prototype, Xbox 360 - £29.99

Prototype, Xbox 360 - £29.99 delivered

This game looks fantastic. It's from Radical entertainment, the developers behind "Incredible Hulk: Ultimate Destruction". It's their first original IP, and it really looks like they are going all out there. Not for the squeamish. Check out this new trailer.

Lego Star Wars: Complete Saga, PS3 - £23.93

Lego Star Wars: Complete Saga, PS3 - £23.93 delivered

Peter Jackson's King Kong, Xbox 360 - £4

Peter Jackson's King Kong, Xbox 360 - £4 delivered

Armored Core 4, Xbox 360 - £12

Armored Core 4, Xbox 360 - £12 delivered

Armored Core 4, PS3 - £14

Armored Core 4, PS3 - £14 delivered

Geometry Wars: Galaxies, DS - £12

Geometry Wars: Galaxies, DS - £12 delivered

Ōkami, Wii - £29

Ōkami, Wii - £29 delivered

Metal Gear Solid Portable Ops, PSP - £12

Metal Gear Solid Portable Ops, PSP - £12 delivered

We Love Golf, Wii - £29

We Love Golf, Wii - £29 delivered

Prototype, PC - £17.99

Prototype, PC - £17.99 delivered

Gears Of War, Xbox 360 - £15.93

Gears Of War, Xbox 360 - £15.93 delivered

Peter Jackson's King Kong, Xbox 360 - £4.99

Peter Jackson's King Kong, Xbox 360 - £4.99 delivered

Blackthorne, GBA - £6.26

Blackthorne, GBA - £6.26 delivered

Port of a really fantastic old Blizzard game, it plays a bit like Prince of Persia, but with a shotgun and orcs. Great 2D art and surprisingly funny. You might have played it as "Blackhawk". Highly recomended.

Every Extend Extra, PSP - £8.96

Every Extend Extra, PSP - £8.96 delivered

Cooking Mama, DS - £12.56

Cooking Mama, DS - £12.56 delivered

Cold Fear, Xbox - £3.56

Cold Fear, Xbox - £3.56 delivered

Animal Soccer World, PS2 - £5.36

Animal Soccer World, PS2 - £5.36 delivered

Demented genius

Sonic 2 HD fan remake on the way.

Update: I just noticed a bunch of traffic coming from a range of places over the internet, so this is probably a lot of peoples first time visiting SavyGamer. If you head to the homepage you'll get a good idea of what this blog typically is. I track all the best deals for video games in the UK, and update regularly. I occasionally write longer articles whenever I feel there is anything important I want to write about. Thanks, and on to the Sonic 2 HD goodness -

This right here is why bedroom development is such a good thing.

A while back, there was an artists impression of what an HD remake of the Mega Drive classic Sonic 2 would look like doing the rounds, you may have seen it -



Hot, no?

Well, a bunch of highly talented people from the 'sonic community' have decided that they want to make this artists impression a reality.

The team consists of TheSonicRetard (author of the NeedleMouse Engine, and responsible for the graphics engine of Sonic 2 HD), Tweaker (the creator of Sonic Megamix), BlazeHedgehog and Cinossu (who have already put together the remixed soundtrack), Jman2050, the lead game engine programmer and Vincent who is contributing a lot of the art.

Work so far is in early stages, but still looking incredible so far.



This will be using TheSonicRetard's NeedleMouse engine.

The engine is going to be using a colour palette system with 256 simultaneous colours on screen at once, and all the spites are going to be based on the original games colours, but with four levels of lighting.

No plans for how it's going to be distributed as of yet, they aren't looking that far ahead. They really are just doing it out of love for the game.

Sega have a history for looking at fan-made projects like this and hiring teams based on it. Really, this type of thing would sell bucketloads on the various digital distribution platforms, it would be crazy to not give these guys jobs in this humble bloggers opinion.

The end goal is to remake the entire game, and with the passion and talent shown so far, I cannot wait to see the end result.

Head to SonicRetro forums for more. Here's a bunch more WIP art -

























Prototype, Xbox 360 - £32.34

Prototype, Xbox 360 - £32.34 delivered

Apply code "APR10" for 10% off.

Almost certainly the best pre-order price you will find for this fantastic looking game from the makers of Incredible Hulk: Ultimate Destruction, one of the best hidden gems of last generation.

Halo 3, Xbox 360 - £14.99

Halo 3, Xbox 360 - £14.99 delivered

Digital Devil Saga 2, PS2 - £8.03

Digital Devil Saga 2, PS2 - £8.03 delivered

Apply code "APR10" for 10% off.

The Witcher, PC - £11.63

The Witcher, PC - £11.63 delivered

Apply code "APR10" for 10% off.

Geometry Wars: Galaxies, Wii - £14.33

Geometry Wars: Galaxies, Wii - £14.33 delivered

Apply code "APR10" for 10% off.

Metroid Prime 3: Corruption, Wii - £24.68

Metroid Prime 3: Corruption, Wii - £24.68 delivered

Apply code "APR10" for 10% off.

No More Heroes, Wii - £22.43

No More Heroes, Wii - £22.43 delivered

Apply code "APR10" for 10% off.

Freshly Picked - Tingle's Rosy Rupeeland, DS - £19.99

Freshly Picked - Tingle's Rosy Rupeeland, DS - £19.99 delivered

Guitar Hero On Tour, DS - £39.99

Guitar Hero On Tour, DS - £39.99 delivered

10% off at TheHut.com

TheHut.com are having one of their 24hour 10% off everything sales.

Apply code "APR10" for 10% off.

The Legend Of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass, DS - £16.93

The Legend Of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass, DS - £16.93 delivered

Custom Robo Arena, DS - £9.93

Custom Robo Arena, DS - £9.93 delivered

The Witcher, PC - £14.93

The Witcher, PC - £14.93 delivered

Persona 3, PS2 - £19.59

Persona 3, PS2 - £19.59 delivered

Apply code "PP-02-DISCOUNT" for 2% off.

Mario & Luigi: Partners in time, DS - £17.95

Mario & Luigi: Partners in time, DS - £17.95 delivered

Dark Sector, PS3 - £29.99

Dark Sector, PS3 - £29.99 delivered

King Of Fighters NeoWave, PS2 - £4.99

King Of Fighters NeoWave, PS2 - £4.99 delivered

Seems to be showing the Xbox artwork, but it's definitely the PS2 version.

Castlevania: Portrait Of Ruin, DS - £14.93

Castlevania: Portrait Of Ruin, DS - £14.93 delivered

People need to stop using rapidshare.com for anything

A friend of mine wanted to send me a bunch of files in a .rar archive. He uploaded it to rapidshare.com and then emailed me the link.

Now, the 2 minute wait was annoying, but I could deal with it. The fact that the counter measured time in decimal minutes (ie, It went from 2.0 minutes to 1.9 minutes) irked me, but I could get past it. The fact that the download page timed out several times because I forgot to go right back to it after exactly 2.1 minutes because *gasp* I was doing something on another page was just an example of bad web design.

After that came the final straw:

Does it hurt anyone else's brains? It certainly hurts mine. Maybe it's because I am dyslexic, but whatever, this is inconvenient and in my opinion flat out stupid. This is the year 2008, the internet should be way beyond this kind of thing by now. Megaupload might have a lot of advertising, but around 30-60 second waiting times and a simple 3 letter captcha make it far more usable, and I have never had any problems with it.

I implore you to never upload anything to Rapidshare, and if anyone knows of any better sites for uploading files I would love to hear some suggestions.

Trauma Center: Under the Knife, DS - £16.99

Trauma Center: Under the Knife, DS - £16.99 delivered

Pokémon Pearl, DS - £13.99

Pokémon Pearl, DS - £13.99 delivered

Pokémon Diamond, DS - £13.99

Pokémon Diamond, DS - £13.99 delivered

Gothic 3, PC - £5.99

Gothic 3, PC - £5.99 delivered

We have a winner!

Congratulations to Stephen Parker, the lucky winner of the Final Fantasy inspired artwork.

Never mind everyone else, better luck next time.

A bunch of people have contacted me about the possibility of buying a painting off my Mum (which she was thrilled at the idea of), she's actually recently broken her arm, and so is struggling to paint at all. If and when she decides she would like to sell any artwork I will post here to let you all know.

Thanks to everyone for entering, and I'll be arranging the painting being sent to you tomorrow Stephen, enjoy it!

Competition closes tonight

It's your last chance to enter the Final Fantasy competition as it closes tonight at midnight, so get your entries in fast. I'll be announcing the winner tomorrow.

Good Luck!

£2 off Play.com

Head over to play.com and enter the code "SUNDAYMAIL" along with your email address, and they'll email you a £2 off voucher next week.

Echochrome, PSP - £19.99

Echochrome, PSP - £19.99 delivered

Grand Theft Auto IV: Special Edition, Xbox 360 - £58

Grand Theft Auto IV: Special Edition, Xbox 360 - £58 delivered

Mass Effect, Xbox 360 - £18.61

Mass Effect, Xbox 360 - £18.61 delivered

Apply code "PP-02-DISCOUNT" for 2% off.

House of the Dead 2 & 3 Return, Wii - £21.06

House of the Dead 2 & 3 Return, Wii - £21.06 delivered

Apply code "PP-02-DISCOUNT" for 2% off.

Gears of War, Xbox 360 - £16.99

Gears of War, Xbox 360 - £16.99 delivered

Devil May Cry 4, PS3 - £23.99

Devil May Cry 4, PS3 - £23.99 delivered

Opoona, Wii - £25.99

Opoona, Wii - £25.99 delivered

Sonic And The Secret Rings, Wii - £12.99

Sonic And The Secret Rings, Wii - £12.99 delivered

Ghost Squad, Wii - £16.99

Ghost Squad, Wii - £16.99 delivered

Grand Theft Auto IV: Special Edition, Xbox 360 - £59.99

Grand Theft Auto IV: Special Edition, Xbox 360 - £59.99 delivered

Grand Theft Auto IV: Special Edition, PS3 - £59.99

Grand Theft Auto IV: Special Edition, PS3 - £59.99 delivered

Tales Of Eternia, PSP - £9.99

Tales Of Eternia, PSP - £9.99 delivered

Sonic Mega Collection Plus, PS2 - 99p

Sonic Mega Collection Plus, PS2 - 99p delivered

Buy it now. I command you

Update: You were too slow

Freshly Picked - Tingle's Rosy Rupeeland, DS - £9.99

Freshly Picked - Tingle's Rosy Rupeeland, DS - £9.99 delivered

Sega Superstars Tennis, Wii - £15

Sega Superstars Tennis, Wii - £15 delivered

Super Paper Mario, Wii - £17.99

Super Paper Mario, Wii - £17.99 delivered

Battalion Wars 2, Wii - £17.99

Battalion Wars 2, Wii - £17.99 delivered

Motorstorm, PS3 - £17.99

Motorstorm, PS3 - £17.99 delivered

Legend Of Zelda - Phantom Hourglass, DS - £14.99

Legend Of Zelda - Phantom Hourglass, DS - £14.99 delivered

Wipeout Pure, PSP - £6.99

Wipeout Pure, PSP - £6.99 delivered

Legacy Of Kain: Defiance, PS2 - £4.73

Legacy Of Kain: Defiance, PS2 - £4.73 delivered

Megaman Powered Up, PSP - £12.93

Megaman Powered Up, PSP - £12.93 delivered

Shin Megami Tensei: Digital Devil Saga 2, PS2 - £8.72

Shin Megami Tensei: Digital Devil Saga 2, PS2 - £8.72 delivered

Kingdom Hearts 2, PS2 - £6.99

Kingdom Hearts 2, PS2 - £6.99 delivered

Eternal Sonata, Xbox 360 - £15.93

Eternal Sonata, Xbox 360 - £15.93 delivered

The Ship, PC - £6.93

The Ship, PC - £6.93 delivered

This is cheaper than the Steam price.

Get it and then play with me!

The Rub Rabbits, DS - £8.93

The Rub Rabbits, DS - £8.93 delivered

Metroid: Zero Mission, GBA - £13.43

Metroid: Zero Mission, GBA - £13.43 delivered

Megaman Maverick Hunter X, PSP - £13.43

Megaman Maverick Hunter X, PSP - £13.43 delivered

Megaman Powered Up, PSP - £13.43

Megaman Powered Up, PSP - £13.43 delivered

Rab's Red Ring Appeal

Time Crisis 4 with Gun, PS3 - £49.49

Time Crisis 4 with Gun, PS3 - £49.49 delivered

Apply code "cheap games" for free delivery

Sega Rally, PS3 - £15.93

Sega Rally, PS3 - £15.93 delivered

Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Blue Rescue Team, DS - £6.99

Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Blue Rescue Team, DS - £6.99 delivered

Tomb Raider: Legend, PS2 - £5.99

Tomb Raider: Legend, PS2 - £5.99 delivered

The World Ends With You, DS - £24.43

The World Ends With You, DS - £24.43 delivered

Homebrew Region free Wii launcher released

If you are down with the Twilight hack, then the killer ap we've all been waiting for has finally been released. "Gecko Region Free" an .elf file for region free Wii game launching can be downloaded here.

Big thanks to NUke and everyone else who contributed to making this launcher.

Sadly it doesn't work with Super Smash Bros. Brawl as of yet, but hopefully they are working on a new version which will. Maybe Gamecube compatibility further down the line?

From NUke -
"Gecko Region Free was created with the homebrew libogc library. No certs, Tmd, Tik, Keys or other Nintendo copyright material were used or attached in the file, making it a pure homebrew release. No Datel code was used either, so please don't call this a clone etc as this and Freeloader work in completely different ways.

The decryption is done by the hardware, not in software and the correct IOS version of the game booting is selected and used. This is done by reading the information off the DVD using the low level read commands and then passed back to the starlet.

My own apploader was written, and will completely ignore the update partition, no patching is done except a region flag which is required.

This of course only works with Wii games."

It has been confirmed to work with No More Heroes, and the fantastic part of this hack is that it can't be used for piracy.

Update: Updated download link to version 1.2

Castlevania - Dracula X Chronicles, PSP - £14.43

Castlevania - Dracula X Chronicles, PSP - £14.43 delivered

Sonic Rush, DS - £9.93

Sonic Rush, DS - £9.93 delivered

Advance Wars: Dark Conflict, DS - £17.93

Advance Wars: Dark Conflict, DS - £17.93 delivered

Final Fantasy III, DS - £12.43

Final Fantasy III, DS - £12.43 delivered

Forza 2, Viva Piñata and a Wireless controller, Xbox 360 - £29.99

Forza 2, Viva Piñata and a Wireless controller, Xbox 360 - £29.99 delivered

Final Fantasy VII artwork competition closing date

I'll be closing the competition for the FFVII inspired artwork this Sunday (20th) at midnight and announcing the winner shortly after.

If you've not entered yet, hurry along to the competition page and get your entry sent in.

Final Fantasy: Crystal Chronicles - Ring Of Fates, DS - £9.99

Final Fantasy: Crystal Chronicles - Ring Of Fates, DS - £9.99 delivered

Burnout: Paradise, Xbox 360 - £24.99

Burnout: Paradise, Xbox 360 - £24.99 delivered

Lego Star Wars: The Complete Saga, Xbox 360 - £24.99

Lego Star Wars: The Complete Saga, Xbox 360 - £24.99 delivered

Lego Star Wars: The Complete Saga, PS3 - £24.99

Lego Star Wars: The Complete Saga, PS3 - £24.99 delivered

Devil May Cry 4, Xbox 360 - £24.99

Devil May Cry 4, Xbox 360 - £24.99 delivered

Devil May Cry 4, PS3 - £23.99

Devil May Cry 4, PS3 - £23.99 delivered

Odin Sphere, PS2 - £17.95

Odin Sphere, PS2 - £17.95 delivered

Final Fantasy XII, PS2 - £8.95

Final Fantasy XII, PS2 - £8.95 delivered

Metal Gear Solid 4 - Guns Of The Patriots, PS3 - £34.93

Metal Gear Solid 4 - Guns Of The Patriots, PS3 - £34.93 delivered

Polarium, DS - £7.63

Polarium, DS - £7.63 delivered

Fantastic Xbox 360 deals

Amazon have just dropped the price of an Xbox 360 premium to £189.98.

They are also offering, when bought with a console:

Halo 3 - £10
Either Assassin's Creed, Burnout Paradise, The Simpsons, FIFA Street 3 or SmackDown Vs Raw 2008 - £20 (apply code "XBXGAMEZ" for this price)
Forza 2, Viva Pinata and a Wireless Controller - £25

And you can mix and match these deals, so a 360, Halo 3, Assassin's Creed, Forza 2, Viva Pinata and an extra Wireless Controller comes to £244.98 delivered.

Joytech Wireless PS2 Controller - £12.99

Joytech Wireless PS2 Controller - £12.99

Slimline PS2 Console - £69.97

Slimline PS2 Console - £69.97 collect in store

Mario And Sonic At The Olympic Games, Wii - £29.93

Mario And Sonic At The Olympic Games, Wii - £29.93 delivered

Megaman Starforce: Pegasus, DS - £9.99

Megaman Starforce: Pegasus, DS - £9.99 delivered

Now, it claims to be a Play.com exclusive, which is a flat out lie, but this is still the best price for this game around...

Mario Kart Wii - £27.71 in store at Asda

I guess it's as the title says, Mario Kart Wii is out now, and if you are quick, it's just £27.71 in Asda.

Animal Crossing: Wild World, DS - £14.43

Animal Crossing: Wild World, DS - £14.43 delivered

No More Heroes, Wii - £24.93

No More Heroes, Wii - £24.93 delivered

Valkyrie Profile 2, PS2 - £7.96

Valkyrie Profile 2, PS2 - £7.96

Spend £15 for free P&P

Bully: Scholarship Edition, Wii - £24

Bully: Scholarship Edition, Wii - £24 delivered

Apply code "PP-02-DISCOUNT" for 2% off.

UFO Trilogy, PC - £9.99

UFO Trilogy, PC - £9.99 delivered

Contains:
UFO: Aftermath
UFO: Aftershock
UFO: Afterlight

Halo 3: Collectors Edition, Xbox 360 - £14.57

Halo 3: Collectors Edition, Xbox 360 - £14.57 delivered

Buy Portishead's new album

Buy Portishead's new album.

That's an order.

Portishead, Third
- £8.32 delivered

Apply code "PP-02-DISCOUNT" for 2% off.

Wild Arms 5, PS2 - £22.04

Wild Arms 5, PS2 - £22.04 delivered

Apply code "PP-02-DISCOUNT" for 2% off.

Zack & Wiki: Quest For Barbaros Treasure, Wii - £26.99

Zack & Wiki: Quest For Barbaros Treasure, Wii - £26.99 delivered

Sega Rally, PSP - £9.99

Sega Rally, PSP - £9.99 delivered

Castlevania: Portrait Of Ruin, DS - £11.99

Castlevania: Portrait Of Ruin, DS - £11.99 delivered

The Red Star, PS2 - £3.49

The Red Star, PS2 - £3.49 delivered

Buy this game.

It is a Shmup/Beat 'em up. With RPG-light elements.

It is set in civil war torn Neo-Russia

It has magic, and guns, and explosions.

It has references to Zoolander, The Office and Contra.

It is superb.

Stuntman: Ignition, Xbox 360 - £11.93

Stuntman: Ignition, Xbox 360 - £11.93 delivered

Geometry Wars: Galaxies, Wii - £14.83

Geometry Wars: Galaxies, Wii - £14.83 delivered

NiGHTS: Journey Of Dreams, Wii - £14.83

NiGHTS: Journey Of Dreams, Wii - £14.83 delivered

Gears of War, Xbox 360 - £14.69

Gears of War, Xbox 360 - £14.69 delivered

Apply code "PP-02-DISCOUNT" for 2% off.

Myst: The Collection, PC - £10.77

Myst: The Collection, PC - £10.77 delivered

From the look of it, this is basically all the Myst games compiled into one collection. Just over £2 a game, is a pretty good deal which ever way you cut it.

Apply code "PP-02-DISCOUNT" for 2% off.

No More Heroes, Wii - £24.99

No More Heroes, Wii - £24.99 delivered

Just in time for Yahtzee's Zero Punctuation on it. I'll have to find a good price on Branston Pickle too I think.

Silent Hill Origins, PS2 - £17.99

Silent Hill Origins, PS2 - £17.99 delivered

Xbox 360 Premium, Lost Oddyssey, Gears Of War, Crackdown and Blue Dragon - £227.99

Xbox 360 Premium, Lost Oddyssey, Gears Of War, Crackdown and Blue Dragon - £227.99 delivered

Apply code "experience08" for 5% off

BBC iPlayer launches on the Nintendo Wii

Tonight at midnight, the BBC iPlayer will be made available for the Nintendo Wii's Opera Browser.

This means that you will be able to watch BBC content, for free, on your TV, on demand. Top Gear, Doctor Who, (sigh) Eastenders and tonnes more BBC shows will be available for a week after they air.

From the BBC - "Early versions of the service will be available from 9 April but more polished software will be released as the service is developed. The iPlayer on the Wii is currently being tested and the BBC expects to release more test versions in late 2008. An early version of the service is available from 9 April. It is only available in the UK to licence-fee payers. The BBC said a message would be sent to Wii owners to alert them to its availability."

Sounds good to me, I would hope for a dedicated iPlayer Channel at some point in the future, with a custom designed interface for the Wii.

Congregations to the BBC, this is a service better than what piracy offers, and that is really what you need to do to prevent future generations from becoming increasingly disenfranchised towards the media.

Tomb Raider: Anniversary, Xbox 360 - £12

Tomb Raider: Anniversary, Xbox 360 - £12 delivered

Killer 7, Gamecube - £11.25

Killer 7, Gamecube - £11.25 delivered

Rock Band, Xbox 360 - £132.98

Firstly. Fuck EA.

Seriously.

Rock Band (Solus) - £39.99
Rock Band: Band In A Box - £99.99

Then apply code "experience08" for 5% off at play.com

Total = £132.98

Just to note, this is only one guitar, so you'll need another guitar for 4 player, but unless I am mistaken, a Guitar Hero 2/3 guitar should do the job fine.

A Retrospective from the Bargain Bins, part 2 - Gamecube

I finally got around to making part two of this feature, focused on the little cube that could. It was my personal platform of choice last generation, and all these games are playable on the Wii. For a range of complicated economic reasons it seems that Gamecube games have retained their value, and so there are less good games available for under a tenner than there is for it's PS2 and Xbox brethren. I have made a couple of exceptions for games a bit over a tenner that are still great value. You can purchase pre-owned Gamecube consoles from GAME stores for £12.99, meaning that for the price of a single new game you can get a new console and a bunch of great games.



Billy Hatcher And The Giant Egg - £9.99 delivered, Apply code "Cheap Games" for free delivery
What the Critics said: "the best platform game Sonic Team's made since the 2D hedgehog adventures that made them, and that's as good a reason as any to buy it." - Eurogamer
What I say: Gloriously childish, heart-warming characters, and a pretty decent 3D platformer, which does a few unique things.
Why to buy it: Blue Skies in games.
Why not to buy it: You are a cold dead husk of a gamer that needs Junkies killing babies with lead pipes in their games to enjoy them.

Geist - £14.99 delivered, Apply code "Cheap Games" for free delivery
What the Critics said: "and as fun as it is to walk around in bodies that don't belong to you, too much of the game plays it by the same old rules." - Eurogamer
What I say: Geist is a pretty flawed game, it is a bad FPS and has some really terrible set peices. However, the core gameplay is so fresh and unique that now the price has come down a bit it is certainly worth playing.
Why to buy it: You like it when games let you be mischievous.
Why not to buy it: Lots of small bad design choices easily ruin a game for you.

Gotcha Force - £12.25 delivered
What the Critics said: They really couldn't make their minds up, this one really split the critics collective opinions.
What I say: The lazy way of describing this game would to list a bunch of games that Gotcha force synthesises gameplay elements from. It's like Power Stone meet Armoured Core meets Pokémon, but not quite as good as that might imply.
Why to buy it: You are looking for fast paced, fairly simple, cutesy multiplayer centric game.
Why not to buy it: You're looking for a single player game.

Metal Arms: Glitch In The System
- £12.99 delivered, Apply code "Cheap Games" for free delivery
What the Critics said: "All round Metal Arms is a undoubtedly a quality offering that deserves far more attention than it's ever going to get this time of year, but lacks that crucial X factor to elevate it to the top rungs. Simply put it borrows a hatful of ideas, implements them well but never truly wows you as a landmark gaming experience." - Eurogamer
What I say: Genuinely funny, good enough that Blizzard acquired the developers straight after its release.
Why to buy it: If you like the sound of a 3rd person shooter with a sense of humour and platforming elements.
Why not to buy it: If you can get your hands on the Xbox version, in my opinion it controls a little better, and it looks a little prettier.

Metroid Prime - £6 delivered
What the Critics said: "a game which came out of nowhere and hit every single one of the right buttons. It's a game that's inspiring increasingly breathless masturbation of the world's vocabulary, and if it's good enough to remind us - the surly, anal, tempestuous critics - why we got into games writing in the first place" - Eurogamer
What I say: Superb level design, peerless art direction, bleak, isolated, sci-fi epic. A must own in every sense of the term. Looks as good today as it did when it first came out, and at this price everyone should own it. A masterpiece.
Why to buy it: You like good games.
Why not to buy it: You have an irrational fear of backtracking.

PN03 - £6 delivered
What the Critics said: "just ask yourself - am I patient, dextrous and in need of something different? If the answer is yes, than P.N.03 might just fit the bill." - Eurogamer
What I say: This lost gem you have to thank for Resident Evil 4 and God Hand. Shinji Mikami's experimental Gamecube exclusive may look like a 3rd person shooter, but it has more in common with an Arcadey Shmup.
Why to buy it: You like games with traditional control schemes and lots and lots of content.
Why not to buy it: You like fun gameplay mechanics.

Prince Of Persia - Sands Of Time - £6 delivered
What the Critics said: "The Sands of Time is a towering achievement in far more areas than any other similar title. You've probably done a lot of the things you'll do in Prince of Persia before, but never to this standard, and apart from the innovations, the consistency, the logic and the spell-binding presentation, what makes it so special is just how well made it is." - Eurogamer
What I say: Easily one of the best platformers of last generation, the combat is a little weak, but by no means enough to hold it back, fantastic level design that I think holds it above either of the sequels.
Why to buy it: If you have any love for the old Prince of Persia games, platformers in general, or Time Reverse gameplay.
Why not to buy it: It will be a little bit prettier on the Xbox, and if I remember correctly the PS2 Audio is a little better, but the Gamecube version is perfectly fine. There is a "Prince of Persia Trilogy" pack on the PS2 that will be cheaper if you want to get all three games in the trilogy.

R:Racing - £8.25
What the Critics said: It doesn't matter
What I say: You aren't buying this for R:Racing, a fairly forgettable racing sim-lite, but you are getting it for Pac-Man Vs., a really fun and unique multiplayer only game. One player (on a GBA) is pacman, the rest of you are ghosts on the TV screen. Hilarity ensues.
Why to buy it: You want a fun multiplayer game to play.
Why not to buy it: You haven't got a GBA + GC to GBA cable. Or you plan on getting Namco Museum DS, which also includes it.

Resident Evil 4
- £12 delivered
What the Critics said: "In short, it's the biggest, by far the best looking, arguably the most enjoyable and least frustrating Resident Evil game we've played and it was worth every torturous minute to savour what will rightly become regarded as a true masterpiece of the horror genre. If you need to buy a GameCube to play it, then don't hesitate." - Eurogamer
What I say: The genius of it is in the pacing. Every second of this game I am thinking "I can't wait till I finish this section because the next bit is fantastic", it keeps you on your toes for every second. I have played through the full game about 6 or 7 times, and I can see myself playing it for years to come.
Why to buy it: By a fair margin, one of the best games ever, no hyperbole.
Why not to buy it: If you have access to a Wii, "Wii Edition" is the definitive version, other than that, everyone should own it.

Second Sight - £5 delivered
What the Critics said: "But, in truth, Second Sight rises above many of the quibbles that you could justifiably level at it. A key ingredient in its success is its engaging concept, which comes layered with a satisfying narrative structure and credible characters. Factor in Free Radical's trademark attention to detail and instantly gratifying controls and it's a game you can't help but be drawn to." - Eurogamer
What I say: Yeah, this game is great, really nice narrative.
Why to buy it: If you like any other Free Radical game, or even goldeneye or Perfect Dark, you should check this out, it's not particularly similar to them, but it is of the same quality and has the same charm.
Why not to buy it: If you can get this on the Xbox it'll be a bit a bit prettier.

Sonic Mega Collection - £12 delivered
What the Critics said:
"There are some truly magic moments here that transcend nostalgia. Even now, that first time you achieve absolutely blinding speed is exhilarating. For us, it was the Chemical Plant Zone in Sonic 2, watching Sonic go so fast that he practically breached the right-hand side of the screen. Ten years and hundreds of other platform games have done nothing to dull the impact of the blue blur pushing the boundaries. Heck, he probably invented that turn of phrase, too." - Eurogamer
What I say: Unless you own these games on some other format, buy it, buy it now.
Why to buy it: because I said so.
Why not to buy it: The PS2 and Xbox version have a bunch of extra stuff over the Gamecube version, but I say get it for whichever console has the controller you prefer.

Spider-man 2: The Movie - £4 delivered
What the Critics said: "Whether you should buy it or not is a matter of how much you want a superhero game that leaves you feeling unbeatable and unique when you're swinging with effortless grace around the city, but then tarnishes that brilliance by serving it alongside some badly judged missions, less than brilliant visuals and our old chum the dodgy camera." - Eurogamer
What I say: Forget it's shortcomings, this puts you in control of Spider-Man, and you will grin through the patches of bad design.
Why to buy it: Bruce Campbell does the voice overs, big open New York, web swinging, it's based on Spider-Man 2 not 3.
Why not to buy it: If you don't like Spider-Man, or get bored of open world games easily.

Super Mario Sunshine - £10 delivered
What the Critics said: "This is the sequel to Super Mario 64, the game which launched a platform and reminded the world that Shigeru Miyamoto makes the best platform games. Super Mario Sunshine couldn't hope to shatter boundaries and reshape the genre for a second time, but it could and has managed to provide one of the biggest and most entertaining platform games since its illustrious predecessor. The best game ever? No, but you'd be a fool not to buy it." - Eurogamer
What I say: The problem facing Super Mario Sunshine, looking back at it now, is that it is sandwiched between two of the best 3D platformers ever. Mario 64 pioneered 3D platforming, and showed the world how it should be done, and Super Mario Galaxy has some of the most joyful, trippy level designs in any game for a long time. So Mario Sunshine is left in the middle as a 'average' Mario platformer. But whatever way you slice it, an average Mario platformer is still miles ahead of most games, and there are moments where it is at least as good as Galaxy.
Why to buy it: You like platformers, or just good games in general.
Why not to buy it: If you didn't like Super Mario Galaxy, you won't like this either, but I would go and see a Doctor because aparently you are dead inside.

Timesplitters 2 - £6 delivered
What the Critics said:
"It's a cliché, and it's silly, but I'm going to say it anyway - TimeSplitters 2 feels like the spiritual successor to GoldenEye, but with fantastic graphics, much more varied environments and enemies, and the promise of frantic action-packed segments as well as more cerebral stealth missions...TimeSplitters 2 is stacking up to be the FPS title to beat in console terms." - Eurogamer
What I say: Couldn't agree more, way better single player than it deserves, and full campaign is playable in coop.
Why to buy it: You are looking for a fun, relatively arcadey FPS to play either alone or with a friend.
Why not to buy it: Didn't enjoy Goldeneye or Perfect Dark back in the day, or if you can get it on Xbox.

Tomb Raider - Legend - £8 delivered
What the Critics said: "Panning back to the bigger picture, there's no doubt that Tomb Raider Legend is, overall, a pretty entertaining game that long-term fans of the series will be reasonably satisfied by. The way that Crystal Dynamics has, on its debut for the franchise, managed to recapture a large chunk of what made the game such a hit in the first place is truly commendable" - Eurogamer
What I say: Fun action romp. Let down by some bad bosses, but there are moments of geneius in here.
Why to buy it: You liked Tomb Raider back in the day, but find the old ones unplayable today.
Why not to buy it: You need games with compelling and interesting characters to keep you engaged. You won't be finding that here.

XIII - £4 delivered
What the Critics said: "In truth XIII is a flawed masterpiece. A game brimming with variety and a freshness lacking from most of the factory farmed franchise exercises that pass through our offices with crushing regularity. I've come away with a warm glow that Ubisoft has tried to conjure something a little different and has for the large part succeeded" - Eurogamer
What I say: Colourful, great comic book art style, and really satisfying headshots.
Why to buy it: You want an FPS with a pretty unique art style, and fun interactive environments.
Why not to buy it: The gameplay is by the numbers (but I would say still well executed), it will be prettier on Xbox and PC, and probably control better on the PC.


And that's the gamecube, it's a real shame that a lot of the more unique titles on the platform are still commanding prices of £20+, but I guess part of that is due to the success of the Wii. If you missed part 1, on the PS2 you can find it here, although some of the links may be dead by now. Part 3 will be coming up shortly.

Xbox 360 Premium + GTA4 - £189.99

Xbox 360 Premium + GTA4 - £189.99 delivered

Apply code "experience08" for 5% off

Xbox 360 Elite - £219.98

Xbox 360 Elite - £219.98 delivered

God Of War 2, PS2 - £11.93

God Of War 2, PS2 - £11.93 delivered

Chronos Twin, DS - £5

Chronos Twin, DS - £5 delivered

Pretty much everyone should get this game at this price, it's a fairly old school, indie, 2D platformer, not unlike the Megaman games, but with a really unique twist. You control two guys, in different time zones, at the same time.

This video explains it pretty well (although it is squashed to show both screens)

Sega Superstar Tennis, Wii - £25

Sega Superstar Tennis, Wii - £25 delivered

A-Train HX, Xbox 360 - £15

A-Train HX, Xbox 360 - £15 delivered

Magical Starsign, DS - £9

Magical Starsign, DS - £9 delivered

Sega Rally, Xbox 360 - £9

Sega Rally, Xbox 360 - £9 delivered

Stuntman Ignition, Xbox 360 - £9

Stuntman Ignition, Xbox 360 - £9 delivered

Prism: Light the Way, DS - £7.99

Prism: Light the Way, DS - £7.99 delivered

Donkey Kong: Jungle Beat, Gamecube - £22.53

Donkey Kong: Jungle Beat, Gamecube - £22.53 delivered

Apply code "PP-02-DISCOUNT" for 2% off.

Want to win some Final Fantasy VII inspired artwork?

Those of you who frequent the Penny-Arcade forums may know about the artwork my Mum has been painting recently. She is painting artwork inspired by Video Games, and the profits from any sales are going to Oxfam, so far she has done Shadow of the Colussus, Disgaea, ICO and a bunch more. Well, there is a Final Fantasy VII painting going spare at the minute, and she said she would like to give it away to the readers of SavyGamer!

Check it out -

This painting depicts Red XIII and Seto in Cosmo Canyon (IIRC, it's been a while since I played FFVII)

If you would be at all interested in getting your hands on this painting, then send an email to savygamer@gmail.com with the subject "Painting Competition" and your address in the body.

Anyone worldwide can enter the competition, but if you are outside of the UK, you may have to contribute for international postage (depends on how much it is). For full terms and conditions, send an email to SavyGamer.

The deadline for this competition is Sunday the 20th of April at midnight. Good Luck!

Update: This Competition is now closed, sorry!

Mass Effect, Xbox 360 - £18.98

Mass Effect, Xbox 360 - £18.98 delivered

Eternal Sonata, Xbox 360 - £16.96

Eternal Sonata, Xbox 360 - £16.96 delivered

Stuntman: Ignition, PS3 - £14.20

Stuntman: Ignition, PS3 - £14.20 delivered

Apply code "PP-02-DISCOUNT" for 2% off.

Tomb Raider: Anniversary, Xbox 360 - £12.97

Tomb Raider: Anniversary, Xbox 360 - £12.97 delivered

Sega Bass Fishing, Wii - £17.99

Sega Bass Fishing, Wii - £17.99 delivered

Dungeon Siege II [Deluxe Edition], PC - £5

Dungeon Siege II [Deluxe Edition], PC - £5 delivered

Halo 3: Collectors Edition, Xbox 360 - £23.51

Halo 3: Collectors Edition, Xbox 360 - £23.51 delivered

Apply code "PP-02-DISCOUNT" for 2% off.

echochrome, PSP - £18.55

echochrome, PSP - £18.55 delivered

Import Asian version, which is the version with some English text (unlike the Japanese version)

Dungeon Explorer, PSP - £14.20

Dungeon Explorer, PSP - £14.20 delivered

Apply code "PP-02-DISCOUNT" for 2% off.

Riviera: The Promised Land, PSP - £24.99

Riviera: The Promised Land, PSP - £24.99 delivered

The developer behind this game, Sting, make some of the best 2D art I have ever witnessed in games. Not played this game, but heard lots of good things about the GBA original. It's published by Atlus, so if you want it you are probably best off getting it at launch.

Dark Sector, Xbox 360 - £29.93

Dark Sector, Xbox 360 - £29.93 delivered

Dark Sector, PS3 - £29.99

Dark Sector, PS3 - £29.99 delivered

I rock.

I recently entered a Guitar Hero competition.

Here is the outcome -



You guys should all enter too. First prize is flying over to Neversoft and being in the new Guitar Hero game. A bunch of 360's and other cool prizes are available too.

Wii fit, Wii - £64.99

Wii fit, Wii - £64.99 delivered

Apply code "dt7aquwhf" for £5 off

Mario Kart, Wii - £29.99

Mario Kart, Wii - £29.99 delivered

Apply code "dt7aquwhf" for £5 off

Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: Ring of Fates, DS - £17.99

Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: Ring of Fates, DS - £17.99 delivered

Pokémon Pearl, DS - £12.99

Pokémon Pearl, DS - £12.99 delivered

Super Princess Peach, DS - £12.99

Super Princess Peach, DS - £12.99 delivered

The Legend Of Zelda - Phantom Hourglass, DS - £14.99

The Legend Of Zelda - Phantom Hourglass, DS - £14.99 delivered

The Club, Xbox 360 - £17.99

The Club, Xbox 360 - £17.99 delivered

40gb PS3 + Gran Turismo 5 Prologue, Rainbow Six Vegas 2, Uncharted & Everybodys Golf - £349.99

40gb PS3 + Gran Turismo 5 Prologue, Rainbow Six Vegas 2, Uncharted & Everybodys Golf - £349.99 delivered

Worms: Open Warfare 2, DS - £9.49

Worms: Open Warfare 2, DS - £9.49 delivered

Apply code "experience08" for 5% off

The Greenhouse Effect

The two of "world's most influential gamers" today have showed why they deserve the title yet again today. Jerry 'Tycho' Holkins and Mike 'Gabe' Krahulik of Penny-Arcade webcomic announced their partnership with Hothead Games to launch a new independant games digital distribution service Greenhouse.

The idea behind the platform is to create "a way that would be easy for the developer to get it out there with a royalty structure that is not full of shit".

Which sounds pretty fantastic to me.

The service is platform agnostic, it supports Windows, Mac and Linux. Head over to the homepage now to help out with the beta, and hear a really nice podcast of Jerry and Mike talking about the service, and how the development of their first ever game "Penny Arcade Adventures - On the Rain-Slick Precipice of Darkness, Episode One" lead to the services creation.

That's all the details, but that is only half the story.

I registered on the forums to solve a small problem I was having with the podcast download. The problem I had was solved in minutes by a helpful forumer, bearing in mind these forums opened about half an hour ago. Then I went along to the news forum, and saw a really friendly welcome message from Community Manager Kristin. She tells us that we should feel free to ask any questions about the development of the service, or of 'PAA - OTRSPODA E1' and she'll get back to us.

A bunch of people (including myself) go on to ask questions about things. Her and her team answer pretty much anything honestly and openly. I got answers about UK pricing, people asked lots of technical questions about the service, and just lots of general feedback. Everything is answered, Hothead are giving quality direct feedback to it's audience, and taking on board suggestions and showing quick response to it.

Learn from this publishers. Next time you think of giving Gamespot a big cheque for some positive coverage, maybe rethink your strategy. Maybe spend your cash on running a decent community. Take on board what your fans and the people that pay your bills have to say about your product, embrace their input and feedback.

About the UK pricing -

"Ep. 1 will be $19.95 US everywhere (except Canada)" meaning we will get it for $19.95 converted into sterling, plus fee for conversion. A great deal for the UK at the minute, and honestly how digital distribution should be.

"Honestly, I can't comment on future titles. I can imagine that we wouldn't want to penalize you because of where you live. The only reason I can think that a game would cost more in certain regions is if heavy localization required, and I don't think we'll be running into that in the near future." Sound good so far.

Now this information I wanted to know, so I asked them, and they told me what they could. This is how games journalism should be. Honestly, who cares was Matt Casmamasnsamanssiaiamsnaia wants to know about Wii Fit. Let's democratise this party. Direct interaction with honest and open developers. Let it percolate the blogosphere, fora and social media and networking hubs, and then you have a direct relationship between the end user and the creator.

I honestly strongly suggest you register and post with anything you would want to know about this service, or this game. Even if they can't tell you something they will be open about why.

Or maybe I am just a web hippy.

GameCube Console (black) - £24.99

GameCube Console (black) - £24.99 delivered

Condemned: Criminal Origins, Xbox 360 - £9.99

Condemned: Criminal Origins, Xbox 360 - £9.99 delivered

PaRappa The Rapper, PSP - £7.99

PaRappa The Rapper, PSP - £7.99 delivered

Apply code "PP-PARAPPA-2" to bring the price down to £7.99

Supreme Commander Gold Edition, PC - £6.99

Supreme Commander Gold Edition, PC - £6.99 delivered

Contains 'Supreme Commander' and 'Supreme Commander: Forged Alliance' expansion pack.

Apply code "cheap games" for free delivery

Sega Rally, PC - £6.93

Sega Rally, PC - £6.93 delivered

The new one that is.

Second Sight, Xbox - £3.50

Second Sight, Xbox - £3.50 delivered

Great game, really nice narrative, from the guys behind the Timesplitters series.

Avoid reading the synopsis on CEX though, one of the game's strong points is the narrative, and it kind of ruins it.

Orcs & Elves, DS - £10.99

Orcs & Elves, DS - £10.99 delivered

House Of The Dead 2 & 3 Return, Wii - £18.98

House Of The Dead 2 & 3 Return, Wii - £18.98 delivered

Eledees, Wii - £14.99

Eledees, Wii - £14.99 delivered

Castlevania: Portrait Of Ruin, DS - £14.99

Castlevania: Portrait Of Ruin, DS - £14.99 delivered