The comic has driven Japan mental for almost a decade. The show has ping-ponged around the US cable networks as the comic is published in the nation's most popular anthology, Shonen Jump. But the bizarre saga of the Straw Hat Pirates... well, maybe it should be played to be believed. For those who've somehow avoided the phenomenon, One Piece is a long-running series that takes place in a steampunk-style world of endless oceans. The Age of Piracy is at its peak, and One Piece follows the ...
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1 Aug 2006

The Sims 2: Pets

GC Preview | The Sims 2: Pets

In an announcement that will likely send more than a few Nintendoggies to the pound, EA is letting several different breeds of The Sims 2: Pets off the leash in October. Your addictive sims family won't be complete until you've adopted one of over 40 breeds of dogs and cats that you'll be able to customize, breed, train and dress up. Highly trained pets can even take jobs in the service, show business or security industries as seeing-eye dogs, circus acts or ferocious attack... kittens. But ...
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28 Jul 2006

Super Monkey Ball Adventure hands on

GC Preview | Super Monkey Ball Adventure

Sega hands over its precious balls to Travellers Tales, a British developer you probably know from... well, chances are you probably dont know them. The developer has had success with Sega in the past, creating Sonic R and Sonic 3D Blast. That said, the company has crafted more mediocre games than great ones. Should Super Monkey Ball fans be concerned that someone other than Sega is handling their favorite simians? From what weve seen so far, Super Monkey Ball Adventure contains many of ...
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27 Jul 2006

Madden NFL 07 impressions

GC Preview | Madden NFL 07

The annual evolution of Madden christens "the season" for every would-be athlete, coach, or super fan trapped inside the sweaty cushions of their couches, and Madden NFL 07 is proving no exception. Due to hit stores in August, 07's overhauls to the interface and - more importantly - the running game are just the tip of the proverbial iceberg. In 07, you'll be able to step up as the lead blocker and crush any oncoming attempt to foil your running game, then meld right back into the light feet ...
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27 Jul 2006

Naruto: Clash of Ninja 2 - hands on

GC Preview | Naruto: Clash of Ninja 2

You might think that a story about a group of young ninjas would involve some degree of stealth and subtlety. However, when you're talking about the world of Naruto, things are about a subtle as a baseball bat to the noggin. Now the popular anime series is prepped to hit us again with Naruto: Clash of Ninja 2, a sequel to the popular fighting game for the Nintendo GameCube. If you never played the first Clash of Ninja, don't worry. The game was a fairly basic fighter in the vein of Super Smash ...
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21 Jul 2006

Naruto: Clash of Ninja 2 - hands on

GC Preview | Naruto: Clash of Ninja 2

Right now you'd be hard pressed to find a cartoon, upcoming toy line and series of video games that makes the kiddies salivate more than Naruto. We just saw the first ninja-on-ninja brawler hit in March, and Clash of Ninja 2 isn't even letting us take a breath - it's landing in September with twice as many playable characters and all-new, four-player matches. In our extensive hands-on time, we noticed the overall fighting feels identical to the first game - that's a good thing. Clash of Ninja ...
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18 Jul 2006

Splinter Cell: Double Agent hands-on

GC Preview | Splinter Cell 4

Sam Fisher's heading off in bold new directions in Splinter Cell: Double Agent on Xbox 360 and PC, but the current-gen hardware just isn't strong enough to support his open-ended new adventure. So instead of simply trying to strip down the big, open battlefields and daylight runs of Double Agent for the PS2, Xbox and GameCube, the developers took an unusual route: make a whole new game. The current-gen Splinter Cell: Double Agent shares its next-gen cousin's plot - secret agent Sam Fisher goes ...
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14 Jul 2006

Need For Speed Carbon

GC Preview | Need for Speed Carbon

At EA's recent Studio Showcase 06, we got a glimpse of the future of one of the most popular racing franchises in gaming history (next to Gran Turismo, of course). The tricked-out racing rides of Need For Speed are back and even more customizable than ever - with hyper-tense, high stakes tracks to match. To start, EA has added a new feature called Auto Sculpt that blows the doors off of the term "vehicle customization." Instead of simply strapping on pre-formed after-market parts to your sleek ...
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13 Jul 2006

Lego Star Wars II hands-on

GC Preview | LEGO Star Wars II: The Original Trilogy

A rebel ship disappears from orbit, sucked into the belly of an Imperial Star Destroyer. Rebels hold their breath and take up defensive positions as a door is breached. Stormtroopers flood in. Shots are fired. Cute plastic heads clatter to the floor and slowly blink out of existence. Beginning with the first scene of A New Hope, Lego Star Wars II: The Original Trilogy finally gives fans what they really want: the chance to play through Lego versions of the first three films. We've finally had ...
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7 Jul 2006

Avatar: The Last Airbender - hands on

GC Preview | Avatar: The Last Airbender

Avatar: The Last Airbender is one of the coolest cartoons on Nickelodeon these days. A far cry from the misshapen adventures of the Rugrats, it blends action and magic into a tasty blend of kick-ass Asian action. Just as a show like this can bridge the gap between kids and adults, the game THQ is cooking up brings the series' slick cartoon visuals together with the kind of action RPG gameplay mature gamers have come to love. Think X-Men Legends, and you're getting there. Avatar's world is ...
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