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Key Information
Modes and duration
- Full-time: 1 year
- Part-time: 2 years
Programme start date
Tuition Fees (2016/17)
- Overseas:
Application dates
Entry Requirements
A minimum of an upper second-class Bachelor's degree in a relevant discipline, preferably with substantial physics content, from a UK university or an overseas qualification of an equivalent standard.
English Language Requirements
If your education has not been conducted in the English language, you will be expected to demonstrate evidence of an adequate level of English proficiency.
The English language level for this programme is: Standard
Further information can be found on our English language requirements page.
International students
Country-specific information, including details of when UCL representatives are visiting your part of the world, can be obtained from the International Students website.
International applicants can find out the equivalent qualification for their country by selecting from the list below.
Select your country:
Degree Information
Students develop insights into the techniques used in current projects, and gain in-depth experience of a particular specialised research area, through project work, as a member of a research team. The programme provides the professional skills necessary to play a meaningful role in industrial or academic life.
Students undertake modules to the value of 180 credits.
The programme consists of a choice of three core modules (45 credits), three optional modules (45 credits), a research essay (30 credits) and a dissertation (60 credits).
A Postgraduate Diploma, of three core modules (45 credits), three optional modules (45 credits) and a research essay (30 credits); full-time nine months is offered.
Core Modules
- Deep Earth and Planetary Modelling
- Earth and Planetary Materials
- Planetary Atmospheres
- Solar Physics
- Space Plasma and Magnetospheric Physics
- Please note: students choose three of the above.
- Any remaining core module
- Earth and Planetary System Science
- Melting and Volcanism
- Astronomical Spectroscopy
- Physics of the Earth
- Space Medicine and Extreme Environment Physiology
All students submit a critical research essay and MSc students undertake an independent research project which culminates in a substantial dissertation and oral presentation.
Teaching and Learning
The programme is delivered through a combination of lectures, practical classes, computer-based teaching, fieldwork, and tutorials. Student performance is assessed through coursework and written examination. The research project is assessed by literature survey, oral presentation and the dissertation.
Candidates may be eligible for a Santander scholarship. For further details please visit:
Scholarships relevant to this department are displayed (where available) below. For a comprehensive list of the funding opportunities available at UCL, including funding relevant to your nationality, please visit the Scholarships and Funding website.
Brown Family Bursary - NOW OPEN!
- Value:
- £15,000 (1 year)
- Eligibility:
- UK students
- Criteria:
- Based on both academic merit and financial need
Summer Scholarship in Condensed Matter Physics
- Value:
- Variable (1 year)
- Eligibility:
- UK, EU, Overseas students
- Criteria:
- Based on academic merit
More scholarships are listed on the Scholarships and Funding website
Physics-based careers embrace a broad band of areas e.g. information technology, engineering, finance, research and development, medicine, nanotechnology and photonics. A graduate of science MSc programmes at UCL go on to engage in a variety of careers, for example: Research Associate (UCL), Carl Sagan Postdoctoral Fellow (Harvard), Consultant (Deltica), Systems Test Engineer (Elekta), and Scientist (UK Met Office).
A MAster's degree in Science from UCL is highly regarded by employers. Students engage in a variety of learning activities, including undertaking their own research projects, which encourages the development of problem-solving skills, technical and quantitative analysis, independent critical thinking and good scientific practice. In addition, team work, vision and enthusiasm make physics graduates highly desirable members of all dynamic companies.
Why study this degree at UCL?
UCL Physics and Astronomy is among the leading departments in the UK for graduate study.
The department's participation in many international collaborations means we provide exceptional opportunities to work as part of an international team.Examples include work with the teams who manage scientific instruments aboard the Cassini spacecraft, and teams who are involved in planning the next generation of deep space planetary missions. These activities may also provide opportunities for networking with scientists involved in these missions.
For students whose interests tend towards the theoretical, activities may involve access to national supercomputer facilities, such as the Legion. In some cases, opportunities may exist for students to broaden their experience by spending part of their time overseas.
Student / staff ratios › 230 staff › 30 taught students › 200 research students
Department: Physics & Astronomy
Degree reviews
"At UCL I took part in four different international summer schools/field schools, and enjoyed UCL hosting the 2013 European Planetary Science Congress, which brought all the top international researchers to London. I also visited UCL's Mullard Space Science Laboratory, the largest university space research group in the UK. Since graduating I am now a PhD research student at the Space Research Centre, University of Leicester, studying martian meteorites."
Jane MacArthurPlanetary Science
Application and next steps
Students are advised to apply as early as possible due to competition for places. Those applying for scholarship funding (particularly overseas applicants) should take note of application deadlines.
Who can apply?
This MSc is particularly suitable for students with an undergraduate degree in physics, astronomy, astrophysics or a related discipline, who wish to develop a career in planetary science, space science and related fields. The programme provides an ideal foundation for further research and entry onto the PhD programme.
Application deadlines
- All applicants
- 29 July 2016
For more information see our Applications page.Apply now
What are we looking for?When we assess your application we would like to learn:
- why you want to study Planetary Science at graduate level
- why you want to study Planetary Science at UCL
- what particularly attracts you to the chosen programme
- how your academic and professional background meets the demands of this challenging programme
- where you would like to go professionally with your degree
Together with essential academic requirements, the personal statement is your opportunity to illustrate whether your reasons for applying to this programme match what the programme will deliver.
Contact Information
- Dr Nicholas Achilleos
- Reader in Physics and Astronomy
- firstname.lastname@example.com
- +44 (0)20 7679 7030


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Complimented names
-Cardigan wearing member of the Grandma Club-
Me(30) & DH(32)
*Angel Babies 2-14-04, 6-1-10, 5-31-13, 2-9-14*
My daughter Evangeline's name would be ooohed and aaaahed over all the time when we lived in Louisiana, since it's a traditional Cajun name and we used the Louisiana pronunciation (eh-VAN-juh-linn). It's more of an "old lady" name in Louisiana though -- people would say, "Oh, that was my great aunt's name, I love it." And everyone pronounced it right! Now we live in Appalachia and no one pronounces it right (eh-van-juh-LYNE, eh-van-juh-LEEN), and people seem generally mystified by her name. Oh well.
People have fallen over themselves to compliment Iris's name since her birth, however. The medical assistant at the pediatrician's office told me that she loves it so much she's going to name her daughter Iris!
Big Girl E, 8/24/10 Little I, 10/22/12
"You know what? Bitches get stuff done." - Tina Fey
I get many compliments when I verbally tell people my son's name: Kristian Luke. I get a few comments on the spelling; he is named for my great-grandfather. My family is of Norwegian heritage and my son has a Dutch last name. We retained that spelling despite the fact we've been lumped in with you-neek spellers. When I've explained the spelling, it has been universally commented that we made the right decision to keep the tradition.
The youngest (Lillah) has gotten the most compliments, and also the most "huh?" faces, because her name is so uncommon.
McElliesyn is not a name precioussss...
Brooke aka "The One" mom to 4 hobbitses:
American Mom to 2 Foreign Exchange Students "G" and "G!"
Lots of people seem to like DS's name "Ian". So hopefully they're being truthful when they say that it's a nice name.
We get a LOT of compliments on Bridget. Everyone seems to love her name. Lorraine, people either love it or hate it. Most younger people look at me cross eyed. Older people say "oh you don't hear that on a little person anymore."
Old member, New name.
Yeah both mine get complimented.
Miles Roderick and Helena Billie Jean. Not so much on the Billie Jean though. haha I like it though. Helena gets more attention over her blonde ringlets all over her head. The lady at the convenient store asked her if she could touch her hair today! lol I'm just used to it by now.
I'm 19 weeks pregnant now and we don't really have a name yet, but the names we like Im guessing most don't really care for them.
M. 11/06 H. 04/10 B. due 04/13

subset: commoncrawl


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Natural Resources Minister Gary Lunn and Minister of Environment John Baird have announced the Canadian Government's ecoEnergy Technology Initiative, which is a $230 million investment in the research, development and demonstration of clean energy technologies.
According to the government officials, the initiative will accelerate the development of clean energy solutions. The approach is built on priorities that include carbon dioxide sequestration, clean coal, clean oil sands production and renewable energy.
'As part of our environmental agenda, Canada's new government is introducing this important initiative to protect Canadians' top priority – the environment – while building a competitive and sustainable economy,' says Baird.


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Top Definition
A standardized unit designed for the measurment of a persons overall dignity and/or social status
Wow, he lost at least 10 dignits for fornicating with that girl closet style last night.
by Nathaniel February 08, 2004
Type your email address below to get our free Urban Word of the Day every morning!
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This paper presents a new VLSI architecture of the motion estimation in MPEG-2. Previously various full search block matching algorithms (BMA) and architectures using systolic array have been proposed for motion estimation. However, the architectures have inefficiently a large number of external memory access. Our new architecture efficiently reuses data to decrease external memory accesses and saves the computational time by using a parallel algorithm
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Jeff Bridges as Rooster "Call me 'Cock' and it will be the end of you" Rogburn in True Grit.
The Dinner: a cup of homemade cole slaw, a caprese platter and a schooner of Pumpkin Death ale from Ellensburg's Iron Horse brewery at Ballard's Old Town Alehouse.
Jeff Bridges as Rooster "Call me 'Cock' and it will be the end of you" Rogburn in True Grit.
The Movie: True Grit at the Majestic Bay Theatre, also in Ballard.
The Screenplate: Sometimes the thematic string that ties together these Dinner & a Movies is as sturdy as piano wire. Sometimes it's so threadbare it's liable to snap at any moment.
Such was the case for the yarn I'd planned on using to bind a meal at Ballard institution Hattie's Hat to the Coen brothers adaptation of western revenge flick True Grit. Under the misguided belief that the 14-year-old pistol of a protagonist in Charles Portis' cult novel was named Hattie, and not, as it were, Mattie, I thought the choice had some symmetry. It wasn't until my girlfriend and I were almost to the Hat's brim that I realized my mistake.
Fortunately, on Ballard Avenue there's always another option. And that option happened to be the Alehouse, which, with its twin towering Spanish Red Oak cabinets, is not only as close to a saloon as you'll find within a ten-block radius but also operates in a building that's housed bars since the time period Portis was writing about with his story of a 19th-century Arkansas girl who hires a bounty hunter to avenge her father's murder.
Jeff Bridges depiction of ruthless marshal Rooster Cogburn is different from that of John Wayne's in the 1969 original in that Bridges wears his eye patch on his right eye rather than his left and grunts out words from somewhere below his spleen. But both Roosters would agree that what I ordered was the least manly thing on the menu.
Even though you get to eat it with your hands, which is in of itself a manly pursuit, there's no order more fey than the caprese platter. But that's the beauty of living in a world where men are no longer measured by the length of their kill count: it's OK to eat your body weight in tomatoes, mozzarella and a pleasingly salty tapenade.
(My only gripe about Alehouse: the waiter failed to discount my appetizer, which was supposed to be half-off on Wednesdays, and I failed to notice in time for it to make a difference.)
As my movie critic crush so helpfully points out, the most marked characteristic of True Grit is its dialogue. In Portis' world of outlaws and the men who chase them, it seems the worst breach of etiquette is using a contraction; there's nary an "it's" or "they're" to be heard throughout the entire film.
The byproduct of this quirk, itself a result of a very faithful adaptation, is humor. Because you don't expect such formal language to come out of such unhygienic mouths, there are more laugh lines per scene (at least in the film's talky first half) than in any other Coen brothers movie since The Big Lebowski.
What this also means is that for the first time in what feels like a long time, the Coen brothers don't treat their characters with contempt. There's no violence for violence's sake as there was in Burn After Reading, or carefully rationed sadism as in A Serious Man.
In fact, minus some equine abuse which had my girlfriend more disturbed than anything that happened to an actual human being on screen, this may be one of the few Coen brothers movies you can leave feeling altogether untroubled about the world. Just remember: Mattie, not Hattie.


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- 9 total posts
- 2 reviews
- 7 comments
Reviews by kerry
Cellfina on my Buttocks and Back of Thighs - Marina Del Rey, CA
I wanted to get the newest procedure "Cellfina for my cellulite on my buttocks and back of my thighs so I could look better in swimsuits and shorts. Dr. Luis Macias performed this easy procedure on me. This was done in his surgical room, all I needed was lidocaine shots. It was pretty much... READ MORE
Botox to Correct Uneven Eye Brows and Crows Feet - Marina Del Rey, CA
Cory has been correcting my eye brows and softening my crows feet for 12 years now. I highly recommend her as she is highly trained on where to inject the different muscle groups to attain my even look. I have never had any droopiness with her injections ever. I only trust Cory and highly... READ MORE
Recent comments from kerry
I think if they are closer they count as one with the cellfina instrument being able to cover them as one. The Dr can give you an actual count and estimate of cost. I just looked in the mirror and don't see any dimples left. :) Next... READ COMMENT
No incision marks There is some leaking of fluids after the procedure so you need to wear padding home. ( essentially an adult diaper ) You will need to bring a tight undergarment like spanx to the appointment and wear home. I think I... READ COMMENT
I was part of his study, he had not priced it as of two weeks ago. I think they have prices now depending on how much needs to be done. I had 13 areas. READ COMMENT
I was part of his study, I don't know what the cost is yet. I had I believe 13 areas. It all depends on how close the dimples are together. I believe they now have it priced. I would suggest setting up an appointment to get a price. READ COMMENT
13 areas, no rest at all. It was so easy. Just shots of lidocaine, listening to great music in his surgical room while he preformed it. Easy and instant results, it's close to the month mark for new photos. I will try to get them done.... READ COMMENT


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Update for Friends of Covent Garden: November 2015
16 November 2015
Christmas gift ideas and a look ahead to Liam Scarlett's Frankenstein.
Get closer to Royal Opera House productions as a Friend of Covent Garden during 2015/16
1 June 2015
Membership offers priority booking, access to dress rehearsals and invitations to exclusive events.
Supporter's Tale: Louise Sheaves
27 February 2014
Ballet fan Louise on her highlights of being a Friend of Covent Garden.
Supporter's Tale: Following the birth of a ballet
25 July 2013
Helen Webb, who this Season supported our New Works Ballet Syndicate, on demanding set designs, intricate costumes and creating new characters.
Watch: What does it mean to be a Friend of Covent Garden?
13 May 2013
We asked some of our members why they choose to support the ROH.
Advance Booking Packages for Spring 2013 offer savings of up to 33%
20 November 2012
Opera, Ballet and Family packages on offer across Spring Season.


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What's something you lady's think WIC gives a lot of?
Its alot.
What's something you lady's think WIC gives a lot of?
It is a lot, no baby eats that much baby food. I don't get that anymore but I thought it was too much . I wish I could have got more juice or something else instead.
They didn't give baby food when dd was on WIC, except dry cereal. And I made her baby food from scratch, so I never would have given it to her anyway. Just so you know, you don't HAVE to get it all. If you have a ton at home, just skip it for this week/month.
They gave us WAY too much milk. Dd is the only one that drinks it, and I think we got 6 gallons a month. She didn't even make it through 1 gallon a week on her own.
We also got a TON of dry cereal. Dd didn't like dry cereal. I'd make rice krispy bars or use the corn flakes as a breading for chicken. Most of the time, I'd either just not get it or I'd give it away.
Fiance' to E, Mommy to K (7/07), and paying for our wedding one Etsy sale at a time.....� www.etsy.com/shop/LoobieLabels�for unique custom party favors, gifts, birth announcements, and more!
My oldest and youngest sons ate more then 65 containers of baby food a month.
They ate at least a container for lunch and dinner, sometimes more.
my son didnt like baby food. so i put 1-2 oz of it in his bottles. thats how i got it in with his formula. i also ate the yummy ones for snacks. and i did not get the rice cereal since he did not eat it.
I get at least half of the baby food from Target or Walmart, in the little plastic containers. Once you take the label off, it looks like those applesauce cups. My preschooler eats it becuase he thinks its 'applesauce'.
Meat, I only get beechnut (no cornstarch!) and I'll add some jars to ground beef dishes, like tacos, or chili, etc. since the baby is nearly on all table food now.
The cereal, I use for a flour substitute/addition to strech pancakes, etc. Also, uses the baby food jars to make 'flavored' pancakes, or flavor plain yogurt.
Me (38) + DH (37) = A 4/16/08 and K 7/12/11.
I have a TON of te meats left. Once my son is on tablefood I will donate what we have not used, except the fruits. He loves those.
I have soooooo much babyfood left from WIC. I think I am going to donate it to a church or battered womens shelter.
Quintin jr. 11/29/11
Troy Xavier. C-section date 12/16/14!


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In October of 2011 Björk released Biophilia the world's first "app album" in collaboration with a vast, multi-disciplinary team of designers and developers that included Scott Snibbe and Max Weisel. Conceived as a suite of 10 song-specific apps, the apps feature a song mode and instrument mode, traditional score, and an animated graphic score by Stephen Malinowski. Each app links music composition and scientific concepts in a set of hands-on, immersive audiovisual experiences. The ambitious project is nothing short of revolutionary in its approach to presenting and engaging a public with a body of music, ideas concerning nature and living systems, and the study of musicology.
As the music industry tries to find its footing in the digital era and re-evaluates previous business models and means of distribution, the app format presents exciting new opportunities for music-making, sharing and discovery. We'll explore the Biophilia app in detail with two of its creators and discuss the new possibilities for music the app format affords.
7:00pm - Doors
7:30pm - Presentations
8:30-10:00pm - Drinks and mingling
Scott Snibbe is a media artist, filmmaker, and researcher in interactivity. Whether on mobile devices or in large public spaces, his interactive art spurs people to participate socially, emotionally, and physically. His works are strongly influenced by cinema: particularly animation, silent, and surrealist film; and often mix live and filmed performances with real-time interaction. Snibbe's artwork is in the permanent collections of the Whitney Museum of American Art (New York) and The Museum of Modern Art (New York); and has been shown in several hundred solo and group exhibitions worldwide, including a solo retrospective at the Institute of Contemporary Arts in London. His large-scale interactive projects have been incorporated into concert tours, Olympics, science museums, airports, and other major public spaces and events, and he has collaborated on interactive projects with musicians and filmmakers including Björk and James Cameron.
Max Weisel is a software engineer and digital artist. He is one of the few developers to release an iOS app that predates the release of Apple's App Store. He's collaborated with Björk to produce Biophilia, the first full-length app album. In addition, his work has been featured in museums such as the MoMA.
This meetup is part of The Creators Project's role in co-presenting Björk's month-long Biophilia residency in New York City, in collaboration with the New York Hall of Science. Find out more about the performances here.
Meetup members, Log in
By clicking "Sign up" or "Sign up using Facebook", you confirm that you accept our Terms of Service & Privacy Policy


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tag:http://www.destructoid.com/,2016:blogdestructoidhttp://bulk2.destructoid.com/ele2/images/destructoid/favicon.ico2015-08-07T05:00:00Ztag:http://www.destructoid.com/,2016:/post.phtml?pk=297399Vikki Blakehttp://www.destructoid.com/blogs/Vikki+BlakeEA moves UK release dates to align with mainland Europe2015-08-07T05:00:00Z2015-08-07T05:00:00Z
Electronics Arts will align its UK release dates with the rest of Europe.

This means that rather having to wait for the industry-standard of a Friday here on old Blighty, we'll be able to snag our PAL UK copies a whole day earlier. Woot!

"Until now, players in the UK have had to wait until Friday for new EA games to release, one day after the rest of Europe," said EA. "We realised that players wanted to be able to get in the game the same time as their friends across Europe and we're happy to make this change."

Consequently, this means we'll get our grubby paws on Need for Speed, Star Wars Battlefront, Madden and FIFA 16 earlier than originally publicised - here are the revised release dates:

EA Sports Madden NFL 16 (August 27)

EA Sports FIFA 16 (September 24)

Need for Speed (November 5)

Star Wars Battlefront (November 19)

While that aligns us with our European cousins, our pals in the US still snag most of their games on the Tuesday before we do. Bastards. *shakes fist*

Tell me - is this something that you honestly couldn't give a rat's ass about, or are you delighted to hear that EA are taking steps to make release dates more equitable in each territory?

For more on EA and all the news coming out of gamescom, hit the link.

 Read more...tag:http://www.destructoid.com/,2016:/post.phtml?pk=279069Brett Makedonskihttp://www.destructoid.com/blogs/Brett+MakedonskiThe Last of Us: Remastered shoots to the top of the UK sales charts2014-08-04T11:45:00Z2014-08-04T11:45:00Z
In the weeks leading up to the release of The Last of Us: Remastered, Sony said that "a huge portion" of PS4 owners hadn't previously played the original version on PS3. It seems that's certainly the case in the UK, or at the very least, people don't mind double-dipping.

For the week ending on August 2, Naughty Dog's The Last of Us: Remastered was the best-selling title across all platforms in the UK according to Chart-Track. Not only did it usurp the throne from Watch Dogs, but it was the fourth largest PS4 release in the console's history. Not a bad showing for a remake.

In general, videogame sales are up in the UK, a trend that Chart-Track attributes to the summer school break. Although sales figures weren't released, these were the top ten games in order of performance: The Last of Us: Remastered, Watch Dogs, FIFA 14, The Lego Movie Videogame, Minecraft (Xbox 360), Minecraft (PS3), Sniper Elite 3, Call of Duty: Ghosts, Battlefield 4, Grand Theft Auto V.

Remastered Return [Chart-Track via Joystiq]

 tag:http://www.destructoid.com/,2016:/post.phtml?pk=272497Hamza CTZ Azizhttp://www.destructoid.com/blogs/Hamza+CTZ+AzizEvolution founder reveals new studio, Starship2014-03-26T21:00:00Z2014-03-26T21:00:00Z
This week we learned that Evolution Studios, Guerrilla Cambridge, and SCE London Studio were all hit with layoffs. Following the layoffs came the reveal of Starship studio, a new outfit by Martin Kenwright, founder of Evolution Studios and Digital Image Design. The studio was founded back in 2013, so while not necessarily related to the layoffs, a reveal now helps to show that the UK can still foster gaming.

Kenwright plans to go beyond just games, and his studio will be working in areas like entertainment and health.

"The name Starship hints at the height of our ambitions," Kenwright stated to Games Industry. "Evolution and D.I.D paved the way for what we're doing now, we're aiming to disrupt the market with revolutionary products that fulfill a genuine use and need for consumers."

Martin Kenwright reveals Starship studio [Games Industry]

 tag:http://www.destructoid.com/,2016:/post.phtml?pk=271740Hamza CTZ Azizhttp://www.destructoid.com/blogs/Hamza+CTZ+AzizIt's the inevitable Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag collection2014-03-11T03:00:00Z2014-03-11T03:00:00Z
You knew this would happen, come on, it's always inevitable. So here it is, Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag Jackdaw Edition. Yet interestingly this has only been revealed for the UK, and as just an Amazon exclusive too.

So the collection includes three packs (Death Vessel Pack, Kraken Ship Pack, Crusader & Florentine Pack) that go to customizing your ship, two multiplayer packs that adds new playable characters and other multiplayer specific things, and the Illustrious Pirates Pack which adds three new islands to explore among other content.

The biggest inclusion here is the Freedom Cry downloadable content, starring Adewale in nine self-contained story missions. All this can be yours on March 28 for the Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and PC.

 tag:http://www.destructoid.com/,2016:/post.phtml?pk=266219Hamza CTZ Azizhttp://www.destructoid.com/blogs/Hamza+CTZ+AzizUK only Wii U bundle is the ultimate Mario collection2013-11-22T15:30:00Z2013-11-22T15:30:00Z
Okay all you people in the United Kingdom, if you've been holding off on a Wii U NOW is the time to finally get it. This Mario Mega Bundle from the Nintendo UK Online Store is the ultimate deal for all the Mario lovers out there.

For £299.99 you get the black 32GB Wii U, New Super Mario Bros. U, New Super Luigi U, Super Mario 3D World, a limited edition Mario Wii Remote Plus, and a Mario hat. This is about £50 more than some of the other Wii U bundles from the store, but note that it comes with one of the best games of the year, a rare Wiimote, and most important of all, that hat!

 tag:http://www.destructoid.com/,2016:/post.phtml?pk=260468Hamza CTZ Azizhttp://www.destructoid.com/blogs/Hamza+CTZ+AzizThese are the 32 countries the PS4 will be launching in2013-08-20T21:00:00Z2013-08-20T21:00:00Z
Today Sony announced at their gamescom conference that the PlayStation 4 will be launching in 32 different countries by the end of the year. Those countries are: United States, Canada, Mexico, Brazil, Australia, New Zealand, United Kingdom, France, Germany, Spain, Italy, Ireland, Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Russia, Sweden, Switzerland, Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Panama, and Peru.

The PlayStation 4 will be out in North America on November 15 for $399, and in Europe on November 29 for €399, and £349 in the United Kingdom. No exact timing or pricing was given for the other countries, but it's only a matter of time before all that is announced.

Also worth noting that Sony didn't mention a release date for Japan. I suspect they're saving any announcements for their home country at the Tokyo Game Show. In fact, their TGS press conference is slated to be held next month, on September 9.

 tag:http://www.destructoid.com/,2016:/post.phtml?pk=259594Hamza CTZ Azizhttp://www.destructoid.com/blogs/Hamza+CTZ+AzizBatman: Arkham Origins Collector's Edition looks awesome2013-08-07T22:00:00Z2013-08-07T22:00:00Z
So I'm pretty sick of Collector's Editions for the most part, but I have to admit I want this one for Batman: Arkham Origins. Largely because the Batman and Joker statue looks pretty awesome.

The package also contains an 80-page hardcover artbook, files on the eight assassins plus Black Mask's contract, the first appearance Batman skin, Deathstroke challenge pack that includes two challenge maps and two Deathstroke skins, and a 3D metal pack. That's for the both the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 versions, while the PS3 version will also include the Knightfall pack as an exclusive.

This will be available on October 25, 2013 in the United Kingdom, and will retail for £79.99. The North American Collector's Edition will be announced next week.

 tag:http://www.destructoid.com/,2016:/post.phtml?pk=258243Jim Sterlinghttp://www.destructoid.com/blogs/Jim+SterlingDaily Mail claims Sonic made a boy have a heart attack2013-07-17T08:00:00Z2013-07-17T08:00:00Z
A 16-year-old boy with Asperger's syndrome and Sudden Arrhythmic Death Syndrome had a heart attack after getting overexcited by Sonic the Hedgehog. The Daily Mail's take on the story? He was, of course, killed by a videogame.

Britain's favorite home of right-wing xenophobia and jubilant misogyny had a lot of fun using the death of a boy with a heart condition to make videogames look bad -- part of its long running obsession with taking craven secondhand swipes at the game industry. Writer Kerry McDermott exploits the personal tragedy with surgical precision.

"Killed by a video game," reports the Mail. "Excitement 'triggered fatal heart attack of teenager who died while playing his Xbox'."

The 16-year-old's mother is calling for more measures to be taken in screening young people for heart conditions, something that warrants little more than a footnote in the Mail's story of death-by-Xbox. Rather than a focus on the heart condition, we instead get rent-a-doc Sanjay Sharma saying, "There is a definite risk in predisposed young people playing video games that causes surges of adrenalin in the blood."

Perhaps one day, the Mail will find a new witch to burn. Then again, it still needs to get over its hatred of women, immigrants, and anybody who isn't an upper-middle class bitter white man, so I guess we'll be waiting a while.

Derpty Derpy Derp [The Mail]

 tag:http://www.destructoid.com/,2016:/post.phtml?pk=257677Tony Poncehttp://www.destructoid.com/blogs/Tony+PonceHow a sneaky UK studio wound up making Star Fox2013-07-07T12:00:00Z2013-07-07T12:00:00Z
As much as we see Nintendo as a very insular company these days, it was much more so way back during the NES and SNES eras. If you tried to challenge Nintendo's power, you were met with intense scorn at the very least or litigation at the very worst. That's why the story of small British studio Argonaut Software is so bizarre -- Argonaut broke the copyright protection on Game Boy and was rewarded with a three-game Nintendo-publishing contract.

This past week, Eurogamer posted a write-up about Argonaut's time with Nintendo and the fruits of the team's labor. The first thing Argonaut's technical wizards did was develop a 3D prototype for the NES called "NESglider," a spiritual successor to an Argonaut Amiga / Atari ST game, Starglider. They then ported the demo to SNES and promised the Kyoto higher-ups that they could improve the 3D effect more than ten-fold if they designed a radical new 3D microprocessor. The microprocessor became known as the Super FX chip, and the first game to use it was none other than Star Fox -- renamed Starwing in Europe to avoid a trademark dispute with the German company StarVox.

Argonaut later made Stunt Race FX and Star Fox 2 for Nintendo, although the latter wound up getting canceled despite being essentially finished. Key members from the Argonaut team actually became full-time Nintendo employees: Dylan Cuthbert, today the head of PixelJunk studio Q-Games; Giles Goddard, today the head of Steel Diver studio Vitei; and programmer Krister Wombell. Unfortunately, relations between the two companies ended after Argonaut pitched a 3D platformer starring Yoshi, upsetting Nintendo which had yet to allow an outside studio to use its own IP. So Argonaut retooled and published it through Fox Interactive as Croc: Legend of the Gobbos, the company's biggest game in terms of both sales and royalties.

I urge you to give the full article a read. I was especially surprised by Argonaut's idea for a virtual reality system that could have beat the pants off the Virtual Boy and then some!

Born slippy: the making of Star Fox [Eurogamer]

 tag:http://www.destructoid.com/,2016:/post.phtml?pk=255809Jim Sterlinghttp://www.destructoid.com/blogs/Jim+SterlingXbox One preorders beating PS4 on Amazon UK by 2.3%2013-06-10T08:30:00Z2013-06-10T08:30:00Z
Despite massive negative attention from press and consumer alike, Microsoft's DRM-delivery machine (known to some as the Xbox One) is enjoying healthy preorders on Amazon UK, beating even the PlayStation 4. It's only a slight lead, however.

The Xbox One apparently has 20% more preorders than the Xbox 360 had in 2005, just prior to the system's launch. It's edging out the PlayStation 4 by a mere 2.3%, a neck-and-neck situation that could see either system trump the other at any moment.

"It's not clear yet which of the two will have the edge when they launch later this year," claimed Amazon EU's Xavier Garambois. "What's certain, though, is that fans are already excited about how the next generation of consoles will change the world of gaming and home entertainment."

Some of the more zealous gamers among us are already furious at this news, angry at the United Kingdom for caving, and worrying that Microsoft's vile little anti-consumer box will gain more traction than it should. However, if you're among those hoping the Xbox One will get the kicking it almost certainly deserves, I wouldn't freak out too much.

 Read more...tag:http://www.destructoid.com/,2016:/post.phtml?pk=255495Jim Sterlinghttp://www.destructoid.com/blogs/Jim+SterlingThe Daily Mail's review of The Last of Us is incredible 2013-06-06T10:15:00Z2013-06-06T10:15:00Z
British tabloid The Daily Mail has a review for The Last of Us, a game enjoying perhaps the most unanimous critical acclaim in videogame history. The Mail, ever a bastion of wisdom and judicious thinking, feels it doesn't need to add to the praise, instead posting this amazing review:

There are not enough words or pages on the internet to describe just how good The Last of Us is. All I am going to say is this: why waste time reading about The Last Of Us when you could be playing it.

That, by the way, is the entirety of the review. Two whole sentences, the latter of which isn't even relevant since the game's not been officially released yet. However, while it may seem I'm mocking the paper for its terse review, I must stress this is probably the best written, most honest, least irresponsible thing the Daily Mail has ever published.

Now let us look forward to the Mail blaming this five-star game for violence on London's streets in a few weeks' time.

 tag:http://www.destructoid.com/,2016:/post.phtml?pk=254394Tony Poncehttp://www.destructoid.com/blogs/Tony+PonceWhy is EarthBound for Wii U listed on Amazon UK?2013-05-23T13:45:00Z2013-05-23T13:45:00Z
After years of waiting, the SNES underdog classic EarthBound is finally coming to the Wii U eShop in America and Europe. EarthBound is the second game in the Mother trilogy, though the other two have never officially made the journey out West. Perhaps if we're lucky, Nintendo will present us with localized versions of the remaining installments as well.

Are we about to get lucky? A mysterious listing has appeared on Amazon UK for EarthBound on Wii U. You might be thinking, it's probably something dumb like a download card for the game's eventual digital release, but with a tentative price tag of £44.99, it looks more like a boxed retail release to me.

Waitaminute... that can't be right! Nintendo wouldn't charge so much for a single 20-year-old game, especially one that's appearing digitally at a much lesser price. What if -- and I'm just spitballing here -- this is a collection that includes all three Mother games? If that's true, the celebrations would be thunderous.

This is all speculation for now, and this listing could turn out to be an error. But do remember that the boxed version of New Super Luigi U was leaked in exactly the same manner. Make of that what you will.

Earthbound (Nintendo Wii U) [Amazon UK via NeoGAF]

 Read more...tag:http://www.destructoid.com/,2016:/post.phtml?pk=253601Jim Sterlinghttp://www.destructoid.com/blogs/Jim+SterlingHypocrisy: The Sun calls 3DS the greatest console ever2013-05-13T08:00:00Z2013-05-13T08:00:00Z
British tabloid The Sun came out strong against the 3DS when it first launched several years ago, going above and beyond the call of sleazy duty to try and prove it was harmful, disorienting, and unpleasant to use. Today? Today, it's the best console ever.

"In the space of a few months, the U's little brother, the handheld 3DS, has become my favorite gaming console," writes Derek Brown. "Derided for the best part of its first year as a gimmicky cash-in, it is now emerging as an essential piece of gaming hardware."

The rag particularly praises Nintendo's eShop, bigging up the ability to buy full-price retail games as well as cheaper titles.

"Full-price titles such as Fire Emblem (my 2013 game of the year), Luigi's Mansion (excellent) and Monster Hunter sit beside brilliant budget games like Fallblox (best game ever for a fiver), Mario Minis On The Move, VVVVVV and HarmoKnight -- starting at a fiver."

 Read more...tag:http://www.destructoid.com/,2016:/post.phtml?pk=253005Alasdair Duncanhttp://www.destructoid.com/blogs/Alasdair+DuncanWii U gets another price drop in the UK2013-05-03T14:30:00Z2013-05-03T14:30:00Z
The Wii U has been reduced in price in the UK for the second time in less than two months. Yesterday, supermarket giant ASDA started selling the Wii U 8GB Basic bundle for £149.99, a reduction of £50. Other online retailers have followed ASDA's lead, such as Play.com and Amazon.co.uk.

The price cuts only seem to be matched by a few retailers this time, instead of the range of price cuts that happened in the UK in March. PC World has the same Wii U Basic bundle for £224.99 and the Wii U Premium bundles appear to have retained their price. Nintendo Direct has reported the Premium Bundle was reduced in price too but ASDA's online store shows no listings for that bundle.

Given that it's just the Basic bundle that's been cut in price, I'm assuming this is a way of making the Wii U more appealing to a casual audience that's so far not shown a great interest in the console. That's a fair amount of money knocked off the price of the console since launch, so I'm wondering if we're going to hear retailers change their tune on the Wii U.

Wii U price falls to £149 in UK [Nintendo Direct]

 tag:http://www.destructoid.com/,2016:/post.phtml?pk=252757Chris Carterhttp://www.destructoid.com/blogs/Chris+CarterA rundown of everything on the Wii U Virtual Console2013-04-30T07:30:00Z2013-04-30T07:30:00Z

Nintendo UK just announced some new Wii U Virtual Console games, set to hit the system soon with all of the usual GamePad upgrades in tow. In the near future, UK gamers will be getting Super Ghouls 'n Ghosts, Super Mario Bros., Pac-Man, The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past, Mega Man, Xevious, Balloon Fight, and Street Fighter II.

My guess is everything will drop in the next few weeks or so, at which point Nintendo will start to tease more titles. While I wish the rate of distribution could be a lot faster, I guess this is better than nothing. Keep at it, Nintendo!

 Read more...tag:http://www.destructoid.com/,2016:/post.phtml?pk=252468Alasdair Duncanhttp://www.destructoid.com/blogs/Alasdair+DuncanDeath Inc. maker Ambient Studios to close2013-04-25T17:15:00Z2013-04-25T17:15:00Z
Defence Grid 2 being picked up shows that there can be life after a failed Kickstarter project but it seems that's a rare situation. GamesIndustry International is reporting that is the case with Ambient Studios, developer of Death Inc, who has been forced to close its doors.

Death Inc. was an offbeat and charming-looking strategy game that was announced as being one of the recent titles to graduate from Steam's Greenlight service. When the Kickstarter campaign to fund the title only raised just under half its goal, Ambient launched a paid-alpha program but it appears that wasn't enough to save the studio.

In a blog post, the folks at Ambient Studios have confirmed that they will be refunding the people who had paid for the alpha program. I was interested in seeing more of the game but with the studio's closure, it seems like Death Inc. may really be six feet under.

 tag:http://www.destructoid.com/,2016:/post.phtml?pk=250649Jim Sterlinghttp://www.destructoid.com/blogs/Jim+SterlingSEGA admits Colonial Marines trailers are unreflective2013-04-03T08:00:00Z2013-04-03T08:00:00Z
Following an upheld complaint with the UK's Advertising Standards Authority, SEGA Europe has admitted that trailers for Aliens: Colonial Marines do not reflect the game's final (shoddy) content.

The complaint was upheld by a Reddit user, who got a reply back from the ASA. The organization said it spoke with SEGA, and the company confessed its sins once under scrutiny.

"SEGA Europe acknowledged your objection that the trailers did not accurately reflect the final content of the game," wrote the ASA. "They agreed to add a disclaimer, both on their website and in all relevant YouTube videos, which explains that the trailers depict footage of the demo versions of the game. The disclaimer will be visible when each online trailer is played."

A small victory, especially since demos aren't supposed to look better than the finished product, but the ASA is satisfied SEGA won't be "materially" misleading anybody with the disclaimer in place. It's pretty sad that, only in April, only in Europe, and only after an upheld complaint, will one wing of the publisher actually take a minor effort to stop selling Colonial Marines under false pretenses.

 tag:http://www.destructoid.com/,2016:/post.phtml?pk=249678Jim Sterlinghttp://www.destructoid.com/blogs/Jim+SterlingPrice cut not enough for Wii U, claims retailer 2013-03-26T08:00:00Z2013-03-26T08:00:00Z
UK retailer ShopTo has claimed that, even after initiating its own price cut for the Wii U, it isn't seeing the kind of sales it hopes for. The company spilled the beans to MCV recently.

The company decided to drop the price of the basic unit to see how well it would perform, but revealed the plan "has resulted in a smaller than desired increase in sales at this stage." The system is currently on sale for  £189.95, as opposed to Nintendo's £249.99 MSRP.

Other UK retailers are apparently fed up with Nintendo's lack of communication, with stores wanting a price drop across the board but finding that the Wii U maker's silence is "deafening." According to one unnamed store, "They've got to do something otherwise it is GameCube all over again."

The Wii U has struggled to find a foothold since it launched late last year, with Nintendo itself admitting it needs to do better with its promotion of the system. Whether a price drop will help remains to be seen, but it certainly worked wonders for the 3DS.

Wii U price cut hasn't improved sales enough, says retailer [Videogamer]

 tag:http://www.destructoid.com/,2016:/post.phtml?pk=244631Jim Sterlinghttp://www.destructoid.com/blogs/Jim+SterlingPachter: UK retail scene is a joke 2013-02-11T15:45:00Z2013-02-11T15:45:00Z
Industry analyst Michael "Glowing Tooth" Pachter has criticized UK retailers for their constant attempts to undermine each other in videogame price cuts. The situation is nothing more than a joke at this point, according to the silver fox.

"The UK games retail market is a joke, with retailers pricing below cost to drive traffic," he told Digital Spy. "That's great for consumers, but retailers can't make any money on games, hence the bankruptcies of Game, HMV and Blockbuster, and the refusal of GameStop to expand into the market.

"If all retailers go broke, or if games are dominated by mass merchants like Dixons, gamers are ultimately going to get fewer selections. The absence of GameStop and the demise of GAME limits the ability of consumers to trade in used games, depriving many of credits that can be used to purchase new games. Retail needs to make money to exist, and games retail in the UK doesn't make money."

This has been an issue in the UK for a few years, and Pachter ain't wrong in his assessment. Big supermarket chains are happy to take a hit by marking down videogames to ludicrous degrees, forcing specialized retailers to match or lose. It's definitely gotten crazy, but like Pachter says, it's pretty great for consumers ... at least for as long as the competition exists.

HMV, Blockbuster fall: The beginning of the end for games retail? [Digital Spy]

 tag:http://www.destructoid.com/,2016:/post.phtml?pk=244594Jim Sterlinghttp://www.destructoid.com/blogs/Jim+SterlingWii U software accounts for 1.6% of sales in UK2013-02-11T09:00:00Z2013-02-11T09:00:00Z
The Wii U isn't having the hottest of times right now, and while Nintendo's clearly aware that it needs to demonstrate its value, it looks like it'll have to work hardest in the United Kingdom. According to the data, Wii U games only make up 1.6% of software sales.

34,000 Wii U games were sold in the UK last month, compared to the Xbox 360's 810,000 (38.4%) and PS3's 545,000 (25.8%). To really add perspective, the console's currently doing worse than the PlayStation Vita, which enjoyed a 2.2% share of the market.

The bad news surrounding the Wii U is a real shame, because it's a great little system in my estimation. Then again, this wouldn't be the first time Nintendo's had a faltered start before snatching victory from defeat's jaws, so the console could still experience a turnaround in the future.

It'll have to do it quickly though -- the console market's more volatile than ever and we're expecting the "Next Xbox" and "PS4" to dominate everybody's attention very soon. I'm thinking Nintendo may need to pull another drastic price drop sometime soon, much as it may not want to.

34,000 pieces of Wii U software were sold in the UK in January [NeoGAF, via CVG]

 tag:http://www.destructoid.com/,2016:/post.phtml?pk=243102Alasdair Duncanhttp://www.destructoid.com/blogs/Alasdair+DuncanEx-Sony Liverpool devs form new studio2013-01-24T18:00:00Z2013-01-24T18:00:00Z
It was a sad day for many when Sony closed its Sony Liverpool studio in 2012; more than 100 jobs went at one of the UK's oldest developers, chiefly known as the studio behind the Wipeout franchise. Thankfully, some of the former staff have founded a new company called Sawfly Studios and they're looking to release their first game within the next few months.

Managing director Mike Humphrey is one of four ex-Sony Liverpool employees who are now working on an untitled project for publisher Ripstone which will be released on smartphones and tablets in the next few months. They're also in talks with other publishers and are looking to create their own intellectual properties.

Despite only numbering four people, the studio hopes to recruit more people after its first game launches -- but don't expect another Wipeout-esque title. Writing on the studio website, art director Jon Eggleton says titles like Limbo and Journey have provided inspiration.

Ex-Sony Wipeout veterans create new video game studio [BBC]

 tag:http://www.destructoid.com/,2016:/post.phtml?pk=243076Jim Sterlinghttp://www.destructoid.com/blogs/Jim+SterlingSony fined £250,000 in UK over PlayStation Network hack2013-01-24T10:30:00Z2013-01-24T10:30:00Z
The infamous PlayStation Network hack may be a fading memory in the minds of games, but authorities have not forgotten, and they've claimed their pound of flesh. Claiming the hack could have been prevented, United Kingdom officials have fined Sony £250,000.

The Information Commissioner's Office (ironically abbreviated to ICO), slapped the $396,000 fee on Sony after declaring there was "no disguising that Sony is a business that should have known better."

The PS3 platform holder has issued a statement to CVG on the matter, saying it "strongly disagrees" with ICO's ruling and is preparing to appeal. That kind of money is a drop in the ocean compared to the value of PSN, but Sony's not just going to take it lying down.

 Read more...tag:http://www.destructoid.com/,2016:/post.phtml?pk=241979Jim Sterlinghttp://www.destructoid.com/blogs/Jim+SterlingVideogames now accused of giving children cancer2013-01-08T09:00:00Z2013-01-08T09:00:00Z
British tabloid the Mirror has decided to try something a little different. With its peers implicating videogames in school shootings, this particular rag has a new approach -- blaming games for giving kids cancer.

Interestingly, none of the experts cited in the article actually say games give us cancer -- they simply talk about the commonly known problems associated with a sedentary lifestyle. That didn't stop the Mirror from running the headline, "TV & COMPUTER CRAZE IS GIVING CHILDREN CANCER."

The "exclusive" article, penned by real-life journalist Andrew Gregory, goes on to claim, "Children who are hooked on TV, computer games and the web are at a greater risk of getting cancer in later life." Those people quoted in the rest of the story, however, make no specific mention of such activities.

In fact, a spokesperson for the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health explicitly told CVG that, despite what the Mirror claimed, it had made no mention of videogames at all, claiming that was a subject it was "not commenting on."

 Read more...tag:http://www.destructoid.com/,2016:/post.phtml?pk=240775Jim Sterlinghttp://www.destructoid.com/blogs/Jim+SterlingDynasty Warriors implicated in school shooting2012-12-17T16:45:00Z2012-12-17T16:45:00Z
As if the circular blame game surrounding violent crime wasn't bad enough, one particular British tabloid has decided to implicate Dynasty Warriors in the Adam Lanza school shooting. Yes, we've moved on from Mass Effect and are onto a game that doesn't even feature guns.

"Chillingly, his favourite video game was said to be a shockingly violent fantasy war game called Dynasty Warriors," writes The Express, "which is thought to have given him inspiration to act on his darkest thoughts."

Yes, that's right -- the camp, kung fu B-movie stylings of Dynasty Warriors has transformed, through the power of journalism, into a "violent fantasy war game" with "chilling" implications and the power to feed one's "darkest thoughts." A game with no blood, that refers to defeated opponents as "KO'd," and isn't even rated 18 -- the series is that friggin' tame.

I already ranted about the cowardly buck-passing of the violence-friendly news media, so I won't go into it again. I will, however, provide video footage of the game thought to encourage the darkest thoughts of a killer, just to highlight what a fucking ridiculous bunch of shitting idiots they have writing for the Express. Enjoy!

 Read more...tag:http://www.destructoid.com/,2016:/post.phtml?pk=240089Jim Sterlinghttp://www.destructoid.com/blogs/Jim+SterlingRayman Legends out March 1 in UK, demo next week (Update)2012-12-07T11:00:00Z2012-12-07T11:00:00Z
[Update: North American release date is February 26!]

After beating around the bush for a while, Ubisoft has finally given up a release date for Rayman Legends. The Wii U platformer is slated for March 1 -- at least in the UK. Presumably, the worldwide dates all over around that time too.

For a while, Rayman Legends' release has been obscure, with only rumors to go on, and a demo that was supposed to accompany the Wii U's launch but never arrived. That demo has been given a brand new date, and is coming to the eShop on December 13.

Glad to get something more solid on this, as I'm really looking forward to it. Anybody else itching to pick this one up?

Rayman Legends UK release date confirmed [ONM]

 tag:http://www.destructoid.com/,2016:/post.phtml?pk=238750Jim Sterlinghttp://www.destructoid.com/blogs/Jim+SterlingHorde 4 Charity doing the Borderlands thing for good!2012-11-16T08:00:00Z2012-11-16T08:00:00Z
Last year, Neil Castle and his Scottish buddies did Horde 4 Charity, a 48-hour Insane Mode Gears of War challenge to raise money for the Skylight Miscarriage Organization. Today, they're back again with Horde 4 Charity 2: Borderlands Boogaloo.

This year, the fellas have decided to try and max out their characters and beat Borderlands 2 twice within the two-day period. They're streaming their endeavors now on Twitch, so maybe have a look and even give them a bag of doubloons to help people out? You can do that if you like!

Go have a look of it!

 tag:http://www.destructoid.com/,2016:/post.phtml?pk=238024Jim Sterlinghttp://www.destructoid.com/blogs/Jim+SterlingDmC: Devil May Cry Son of Sparda Edition revealed2012-11-05T08:00:00Z2012-11-05T08:00:00Z
The ever-wise All Games Beta has discovered an image of the limited edition for DmC: Devil May Cry, known more impressively as the Son of Sparda Edition.

As well as flashy packaging, the special edition features the Samurai Pack, a piece of in-game content that turns Dante's weaponry into "Samurai Devastators." You also get an upgrade points boost to gain an early edge in the game.

If you're a fan of physical tat, the offerings a bit less lavish than other special editions. You may have a replica of Dante's necklace. I hope you like necklaces.

So far, the Son of Sparda edition has only been revealed for Europe. It's going to be a GameStop exclusive in the United Kingdom, where it'll retail for £59.99.

 Read more...tag:http://www.destructoid.com/,2016:/post.phtml?pk=236195Tony Poncehttp://www.destructoid.com/blogs/Tony+PonceHelp UK's gamer bar Loading open a venue in London2012-10-06T16:00:00Z2012-10-06T16:00:00Z

I mentioned this fundraiser in a post earlier this week about the Solid Snake made out of shot glasses, but I felt it deserved to be broken off into its own separate article.

Loading, owned and operated by one James Dance, is a coffee shop / bar / gamers' hangout located in Falmouth, Cornwall. We've gushed about the place on Dtoid in the past because we respect what it offers the gamer community. There really aren't many hot spots in the world tailored to the adult gamer, so when such a place appears, we gotta show our love and appreciation.

James has his sights set on opening a second Loading in the heart of London, but he needs your help to make it a reality. Over on Indiegogo, he's asking for $50,000 in donations, which will be used to secure the rest of the funds needed to lease a venue and satisfy other planning obligations. Should he not meet his goal by the time the fundraiser ends on November 3, he's still committed to opening the new bar, though it'll take him a while longer to build up the funds.

Currently, just over $8,500 have been chipped in. For your generosity, you'll receive perks ranging from drink vouchers, T-shirts, headsets, to having an entire drink menu made based on a game you suggest. But you shouldn't be thinking solely about what gifts you can scamper off with. This is a chance to help build a place where gamers can share good times over good drinks. That's gift enough.

Gaming Bar For London [Indiegogo]

 tag:http://www.destructoid.com/,2016:/post.phtml?pk=232975Jim Sterlinghttp://www.destructoid.com/blogs/Jim+SterlingNSMB2 costs more on eShop than retail in UK2012-08-13T09:00:00Z2012-08-13T09:00:00Z
As if determined to prove that it can't make digital distribution work, Nintendo has decided to make its eShop purchases less attractive than ever by charging more for the downloadable version of New Super Mario Bros. 2 than it'd cost at retail. Looks like Nintendo's the one out to get a million coins, right guys?

In the United Kingdom, retailers like GAME will sell NSMB2 for £29.99. Meanwhile, those directly supporting Nintendo will pay a premium for the honor of doing so, stumping up £39.99. Other games also cost more than they will at retail, with New Art Academy costing £5 more on the eShop, and Freakyforms Deluxe charging an extra £10.

It's honestly just pathetic at this stage. Publishers are so desperate to move away from those evil retailers who sell used games, yet they don't have the balls to ever piss them off, so they put their digital stores in positions where they can be constantly undercut. How, exactly, do platform holders like Nintendo think this is going to work?

Right now, only an idiot would buy a download alternative of a console game at launch. That's not exactly making digital distribution attractive.

Digital New Super Mario Bros. 2 is £10 more expensive than retail version [CVG]

 tag:http://www.destructoid.com/,2016:/post.phtml?pk=231640Jim Sterlinghttp://www.destructoid.com/blogs/Jim+SterlingJudge orders Apple to say Samsung didn't copy the iPad2012-07-19T10:15:00Z2012-07-19T10:15:00Z
For those not up on their corporate legal dickery, Apple has been trying to stop Samsung from selling its Galaxy tablet, claiming that the device is a direct rip-off of the iPad. In a rather amusing backfire, a UK judge has ordered Apple to publish an ad claiming that Samsung did not copy anything.

Apple was attempting to stop the Galaxy Tab in the United Kingdom, but a London court ruled in Samsung's favor on July 9. Judge Colin Birss interestingly summarized that the iPad was too "cool" to be confused with a Tab -- a compliment in any other circumstance, but not when Apple's trying to impose its jealousy in the courtroom. Still, the iPad can now claim to be legally cool.

As a result of this coolness, Apple is expected to put a notice on its official homepage for six months, and pay to take out advertisements in the Financial Times, Daily Mail, Guardian Mobile, and T3, admitting that Samsung's Tab is not stealing anything.

Naturally, Apple is appealing the decision, so it'll be a while if we see any of these ads -- should we see them at all. If the company is forced to go through with it, though, it'll be quite the humiliation.

Apple Must Publish Notice Samsung Didn't Copy IPad In U.K. [Bloomberg]