It’s no surprise that a computer program could beat a human at Pong any time if it really wanted to, but what’s really cool about this invention is that it’s an actual robot. The above video shows the Pong Robot frantically tapping the keys in its struggle to keep that bouncing ball alive. Later in the demonstration, you see all the angles on which the ball is traveling. Presumably, this is what the robot sees in its robotic mind as it’s watching the screen through its robotic eyes. We can’t wait until it becomes self-aware and uses that newfound knowledge to own us all in Halo. [via Vimeo]

The world of Fallout 3 just got a bit bigger… and a bit more tough.  Fallout 3: Operation Anchorage has been released as downloadable content for Xbox 360 and PC video game systems.  This is only available to those who own a copy of Fallout 3, and this expansion is added seamlessly into the Fallout 3 world map.  Operation Anchorage is a new world for Fallout 3 that takes place completely inside a military simulation.  Via sim, your vault warrior travels to the Northwest to engage in combat with the Chinese Military– who has overtaken the city of Anchorage, Alaska.  If you’ve already downloaded and played the expansion, let us know what you think in the comments… [gamesforwindows]

Try as we might to deny it, video games certainly have their fair share of violence. But it’s all in good fun, as proven by the wild, crazy and downright cool weapons we’ve been able to play with over the years. Sure, we’ve seen a few friendly sites build similar lists, but last week’s Portal Gun replica got us excited enough to take our own crack at it. Can you blame us?  Here they are, GearCrave’s ten best video game weapons in the history of gaming.

Continue Reading

The cold winter chill of post-holiday gaming is starting to thaw with a title we’re actually excited about. Afro Samurai features talent from the anime series of the same name, with Samuel L. Jackson staring as Afro and his fast-talking sidekick Ninja Ninja and a sountrack by The RZA. The game itself is Ninja Gaiden/Devil May Cry fare, with the requisite mix of balletic swordplay and excess gore.

In sad news for gamers who prefer more peaceful ventures, the Flight Simulator series is in peril. As part of its recent round of layoffs, Microsoft shuttered Aces Studio, developer of the flying franchise. A Microsoft rep told Edge that the company is “committed to flying games,” but elaborated no further on the future of Flight Simulator. The longest-running franchise in Microsoft’s repertoire, it’ll be missed if it’s indeed forever gone.

Let’s face it, foosball is awesome, but those wooden tables are so tacky. This designer version from 2eleven Table-Soccer is more likely to impress with its smooth shape and funky colors. Plus, it has an automated ball retriever, a score display, monitors on the sides — not sure what for — and even cup holders. Better get some orange furniture to match, or become a Bengals fan. We’d love to tell you about price and availability, but the  Web site’s in German. Maybe try sending an e-mail and hope for the best? [via Be Sportier]

Don’t tell Aperture Science, but prop designer Volpin has replicated Portal’s ASHPD gun for his girlfriend’s cosplay contest. Best of all, it can light up in both orange and blue, depending on which side of the time-traveling wormhole you’d like to construct. For materials, he used florist’s foam, wonderflex, bondo, PVC pipe, ABS plastic, LED lighting, an acrylic plunger handle, roll-feed paper spindle, an old drawer pull, rubber hose and coaxial cable connectors. If you wish hard enough, maybe it’ll turn into a real working portal gun. I’d leave one end of the warp permanently outside my neighborhood taco stand. [Cosplay and Flickr]

With the holiday gaming season long gone, it’s easy to get excited for the new year and draw up lists of all the great possibilities. But we’re grumpy, and don’t buy the idea that all these games are sure-fire gems. For good fun and pure speculation, here’s our list of what will be the biggest disappointments of 2009. Disclaimer: GearCrave reserves the right to be completely incorrect about any of the games you see below.

Continue Reading

It’s pretty eerie that Skate 2 (Xbox 360 and PS3) and Stoked (Xbox 360) are being released during the same week. Aside from the obvious similarities between skateboarding and snowboarding , the video games themselves offer some shared features, like open worlds to explore and trick systems that rely on analog sticks instead of buttons. It’s not all the same though; Stoked is a newcomer to the snowboarding game genre, while Skate 2 is the unsung hero, forever stuck in Tony Hawk’s enormous shadow.

Speaking of being stuck, last week, California Congressman Joe Baca joined the legions of politicians who’ve taken up video games as their personal punching bag. Baca wants violent titles to carry warning labels, reading that “exposure to violent video games and other violent media has been linked to aggressive behavior.” What’s the harm in such a bill? Imagine if an artistically wonderful but utterly violent game like Fallout 3 was tagged with a sticker that made it sound like cigarettes, but a Tarantino flick was not. In reality, neither one deserves it, and that’s why these attacks never hold water.

Immersion is a cherished feeling in video games, but the usual realistic graphics and sound, intense plots and motion controls are nothing compared to a SWAT team storming your neighborhood and ordering your surrender mid-deathmatch. That’s what happened when two guys in Valby near Copenhagen, Denmark, played their Playstation too loud and alarmed the residents in their apartment building. The unnamed game, on an unnamed console generation, caused the neighbors to report gunfire to police, who swarmed the building and used a megaphone to call out the perps. As expected, the whole ordeal was cleared up — after a short handcuffing and a bit of explanation. Tonight, I play Gears of War 2 at full blast. [The Register via CrunchGear]