Yeah, I know. I've ran into it before when I had LBP and Fallout 3 preordered... it was the LAST time I ever preordered anything, because the day of release I go into pick up my games... and they're both opened. Then the guy goes in the back and shrinkwraps the very same copies claiming that's how the companies deliver the games, now. BS, I said, and demanded my money back.

But yeah, I ask this because I saw a new opened copy of Star Wars: TFU Ultimate Sith Edition and really only wanted to try it out for the new levels, but they had no used copies. I wanted to see if the levels were worth another purchase, since I loved TFU. But, as I said, they only had a new opened copy and none used. I'd probably just be better off nabbing up that copy of Okami and Ninja Gaiden Sigma I saw... lol

I'd call up and ask my local GS stores, but they all shut up early. So, here's the deal... I'm familiar with the return policy for buying new sealed games, as well as used ones... but what's the deal with opened new games? If I go in and buy a copy of, I don't know, Tekken 6 and its open, on the shelf, with a big "NEW" price tag on it, for $59.99, then take it home... am I stuck with it? Does the "you opened the product so its labeled used" stipulation kick in automatically upon leaving the store?

If they can guarantee its new, even though the product is opened, am I able to do the same should I want, or need, to return the new, opened product I purchased?

Just curious if anyone has ran into this situation and what their experience.

Figured it'd make it to the States, but it's always nice to see the official nod. Luminous Arc, IMO, definitely trumps the FFTA series alongside it on Nintendo platforms. Sure, LA doesn't do anything to further the gameplay established in the original FFT (FFTA and FFTA2 doesn't, either, and that's worse), but it doesn't screw around with the formula, either. Plus, it has WiFi, definitely a plus (where's that at for your DS titles, Square?).

At any rate, the first LA had a great story, awesome art design and gameplay that worked.. so I'm glad to see another entry in the series make it this way.

[QUOTE="goblaa"][QUOTE="Ninja-Vox"]

It's simple, Mass Effect, Crysis, Halo 3 and Call of Duty 4 are all much better game than Mario Galaxy. They are better-made, more entertaining, off more in terms of gameplay, and provide more bang for your buck. They are, comprehensively, better games.

Ninja-Vox

But they're not.

They're short, repetitve, and all play with the exact same 'run down the hall, shoot some guys, compelete objective rinse repeat seen it a million times already this year' gameplay. None of them are even in the top 10 on GR or meta critic...SMG is at number two and for a while was number one. Mass Effect is the only unique one, but its ridlled with bugs and sloppy parts where the devs obviuosly either ran out of time, ran out of money, or just phoned it in.

Crysis, halo 3, and CoD4 are all great and well made, but at the end of the day, if you played quake, you played these games.

I could adopt the exact same logic and say if you've played any platformer ever, you've played Mario Galaxy. :| To say Crysis and Halo 3 have "run down the hall and shoot" gameplay is to know nothing about either of those games.

That'd be fine and dandy if the majority were saying that, but they're not. So many have said that Galaxy, in so many words, that Galaxy breathes new life into the Platformer genre and brings to it what Super Mario 64 did.

I don't hear any talk of Crysis, HALO 3, Bioshock and/or CoD4 reinventing, breathing new life into and/or redesigning any genre, whatsoever, although they're still good titles in their own right. And, yeah.. like he said, while they may not be in the top 10 (or far from it), they're still great games.. but they just haven't received the critical acclaim that Galaxy has. Nowhere near, in fact.

And here I was hoping Super Mario Galaxy, a Wii game no less, getting GOTY would shut up a few nay sayers.. so much for wishful thinking. Anyway, everyone is entitled to their opinion.. but you just cannot deny the fact that SMG is a very well made and amazing game in every facet that makes it just that.. a game.

There may have been other titles that looked better, (Crysis, CoD4, HALO 3, Bioshock all say hi) but they didn't excel in the way that Super Mario Galaxy did. Like Alex Navarro said, those games that came out before Galaxy had you going "Wow, this is great, but that could have been better.."

And, that was really never the case with Galaxy, the game was just so well crafted.. although I guess you'll get your occasional nit-picker that complains about not being able to see the pores on Mario's face, lol.

At any rate, I'm glad to see SMG get its props.. and more importantly show the Wii is more than just a fad. Even though I was leaning toward Bioshock, still.. that game was very original, great looking and played great. Then, I still need to give recognition toward Ratchet & Clank Future. Easily in my top 5 for being the best in series, having finely turned gameplay and finally attaining that you're playing a Pixar film feel.

All in all, great year in gaming with Galaxy at the top o' the heap in more ways than just a few GOTYs titles (see: highest rated game this generation/year). Although, I've only experienced two thirds of the console.. I only borrowed Bioshock/360 as I don't see the system worth owning, yet, if at all, for just a handful of good games (mainly Shooter).

Yeah, the PSN store updates on thursdays, not when there's new firmware updates.

The firmware update, though, allows you to run any PSone game in your PS3, then play it on your PSP. I don't know if that means you can download the game to your PSP to play outside the house or wherever.. OR you have to have your PS3 on all the time to play it.

It may have been suggested before, but I see this feature on reader reviews.. "1 out 3 users agree" and think its a cool little feature that should be added to GameSpot reviews. Sure, we can rate a game quickly on a little scale of 1 to 10, and see if this number coincides with critics' scores, as well as GameSpot's own, but that only tells of the score.

To be able to put a number up there that would show if people agreed or disagreed with the content of the review, rather than a number, would not only be an interesting value to see, but helpful to others. If gamer A skims over scores and only glances at reviews, they may pass on a game due to GS' quirky review system. But if they see "199 out of 223 gamers" agree with this review and it got an 8.5 (Wii game or something, heh) it may be a bit more helpful at the aforementioned glance.

Just a thought.

[QUOTE="Nick11478"]

[QUOTE="POPEYE1716"]@ Arkthemaniac - This goes to your sig how is the PS3 so different than the XBOX 360. Oh wait the difference is the 360 craps oput on you after a few months of play or when you buy halo 3.samxcor3

Really? The Wii craps out on you the second you take it out of the box.

which wii are you playing buddy? besides if that happens Nintendo would get you a new one ASAP

That happened to my friend! But what he bought a counterfeit Wii.. he's known to be highly dumb in our little group, haha. But yeah, you didn't happen to get a Nintedo We, did you? >_>

At any rate, you got to love how people call the Wii and/or Nintendo tedious, having terrible graphics, poor gaming library, no HD, bad online, etc., etc. Amazing how such a system is owning the gaming market, eh? That must mean the 360 is worse off than I thought! :?

Seriously, though, just because there's no games YOU like, currently for the Wii, doesn't mean the system is automatically terrible. If that were the case, then in my eyes.. the Microsoft has had a terrible system from the start.. what with not having an RPG or Platformer genre to call their own, or any genre outside of FPS/Shooter, anyway.

Yeah, when it comes to Nintendo news.. GameSpot is a little sluggish. Mention one new weapon in a HALO game, though, and they're on it like white on rice.

But anyway, the Nintendo conference announced a lot of great stuff. WiiWare + Virtual Console = most exclusives for any home console this generation and, possibly, any generation before it. Fire Emblem and Advance Wars on the DS. Mario Kart Wii and Brawl (with Sonic) due out early Spring.

DS download channel, with DS demos and Wii/DS trailers off your Wii along with the Check Mii Out channel. Square supporting WiiWare, but also Nintendo appealing to mass game developers, instead of going to JUST those with money a la Sony/Microsoft.

And, quite a few other things like Kirby Superstar on the DS, Mario Baseball on Wii.. although I'm looking forward to Mario Tennis on the Wii, myself.

The best thing to do is go to YouTube and search for a DK Barrel Blast Video Tour. There's one on there by Josh Thomas, from WiiFolder.com, and he gives great insights and information on Wii titles.

A friend picked up the game based on the video and its actually really fun. If I hadn't already got Dewy's Adventure, I would have got DKBB. There's only 16 racers, courses and items.. but there's plenty of challenges, gameplay is actually fun and there's just a lot to do. Multiplayer is a blast, too.. cuz you're going crazy doing weird Wiimote motions alongside a friend and we couldn't help but crack up.

Visuals are Cube quality, of course.. as this is what Donkey Kong Racing, a cancelled Cube title, was going to be, but one thing about Nintendo games.. no matter the console, they have polish and this game looks and plays pretty good. Its nothing like Mario Kart, but like I said.. its still pretty damn good, in my opinion.

Of course, it doesn't play in HD or have online, (oh and its not on the XBOX360 lol jk jk..) so expect many, along with GameSpot, to see it as a mediocre title, at best.