Well March has just about come and gone for me and sadly I’m not able to play games on the 360. I’ve been hit with the RRoD now. Hopefully some time next month the 360 will be back and running better than ever.

So lets look at the following games that are left in my March Madness Demos. We have three games in the W section with Wanted, Watchmen, and Wheelman. If you haven’t had a chance to download these yet, I recommend you stop and queue them all up right now.

Wanted comes for a movie of the same name pretty much and I think right off the bat the pace an tone has been set to match the film. This is a game that I quickly felt like I was in the role of the main character and much like the movie had to learn quick and get in the role of an Assassin.

If you’ve seen the movie, then your aware of the story line, the language and violence that takes place. This is clearly not a game for younger players. The dialog is adult as is the subject matter. If you wanted to experience a little of the movie, then this is the game for you and you’ll be bending bullets very soon towards your many targets. This is a game I’d really like to see more of for sure.

Another from the movies brings us the Watchmen and this one comes from the Arcade section of Xbox Live. I went and saw this movie a couple weeks back and really enjoyed it. Now I actually played the demo before seeing the movie and only a small portion of the demo was remotely like the movie. Some of the characters were set in a Prison scene. Other than that it didn’t seem to spoil the movie at all.

The Watchmen is an arcade title, but a really well made arcade title. Its a button masher style of game, but I really liked it a lot. I only wonder if this game was meant to be retail and for some reason they felt it would do better as an arcade download. I could see myself purchasing this game for sure, even though is priced well above the normal 800 MS points I’m use to paying for games.

Wheelman is a face paced driving/fighting game and for me it reminds me a lot of the old coin operated games. Its a different style of button masher meets racer game where you find yourself fighting while driving.

The graphics were pretty good, but the play reminded me of some of those old arcade games where you were chasing someone. The only twist is most of the people are chasing you really in Wheelman. I liked this in general, but its not the type of game I would buy for myself pretty much. I still think its worth a look for free.

Well that wraps up the demos for March pretty much… Ok I did grab another arcade title called World Revolution and I’m very interested in giving this game a try. I just have to wait until I can get a working Xbox 360 again. In short this game reminds me of a modern day version of War Games and the part where the WOPR plays Global Thermonuclear War.

Last night my girls wanted to play some Lego Star Wars: The Complete Saga and fired up the Xbox 360. I hear them yell for me from the Entertainment room, "Something is wrong with the Xbox 360!"

Not the words you want to hear. So I head out and take a look, no lights red... that's a relief. But the screen is black and the system is locked up hard.

We try it again and pretty much get the same results. So I decide to switch the game out to Surfs Up and sure enough the same results. They give up and decide to move on to something else.

I let it sit a bit and finish watching a program and think about what might be going on here. Later I fire the box up and start playing some Call of Duty 4 multiplayer. I'm able to play some and then it freezes in the middle of a game. Does this at least twice for me. All in all, none of these produce an error message or a RRoD or three red ring of death as people call it.

Not sure if what I'm experiencing is the signs of what is about to come or not, but I know that I'm covered with MS as well for about a year or so still. I'll have to see what happens, but I have a feeling we are looking at the early signs of an Epic failure to come.

One thing for sure is there is no shortage of the try before you buys around here on the Xbox Live Marketplace. I've downloaded a number demos this month, some I felt would be a pass for me and after playing them I was right in my first thoughts. So lets go with three Up & Out and my first impressions demo reviews.

First up is Afro Samurai and I like a lot in what I saw from this demo, not sure if I'll run out and buy this just the same. Its an Action game and what I call a button masher of sorts. My only hang up is with some of the camera issues and how games like this I find myself facing the wrong way and having a hard time controlling the character. Just the same I really loved the demo and will need to think hard on this one. Visuals are great and I think I'd enjoy the story. Game does have some language, so heed the ratings and decide for yourself.

Chronicles of Riddick: Assault on Dark Athena comes up next of the list of demos I tried out. I didn't do well on my first outing and need to give it another try I think. I never played the other game and I don't think I used all the tools I was suppose to use. Its a shooter and I started with Riddick's blades and lost every time I went up against the AI with guns. Perhaps a little tutorial would be better in the demo or perhaps they expected I should have known what I was doing. More and likely a pass for me just the same, but I'm sure fans of the first game will love it.

Ninja Blade just plain frustrated me and thanks for the look here, but its a flat out No. I already said I'm not a fan of button masher games and this is clearly that. Visual aspects look awesome pretty much, but a flash of the Green A button pops up and if you don't act right away, its game over. I must have restarted 60 times at least during my sample of this demo. Perhaps I'm just a lot older an not as quick here, but this is a clear pass for me and I'm not the attended gamer they are looking for.

Well I think I've finished with at least Afro getting on base and later reaching 2nd. Riddick was tagged out heading for first and then Ninja plain struck out for me. Will just say Afro was tagged latter stealing for 3rd.

My next post I'll discuss the demos for Wanted, Watchmen, and Wheelman and give my thoughts on what I liked of didn't like in these demos.

My favorite drink is Dr Pepper and its been really cool to see their campaign with MLG this year and how it features a gamer on every bottle, clearly holding an Xbox 360 Controller.

I've seen these campaigns in the past and you open the bottle and get some crazy code under the cap or look on the inside of the label, then you enter that code at a web site. I've done some and in most cases they all come back, "you loose... please try again and drink more."

So I was tempted to just pass on this whole campaign, but it clearly states ever bottle wins. I'll win something if I try is what they claim. Now I've had a few Dr Pepper's over the past months and its true, I'm winning something here, every time.

No its not cash or prizes, at least not yet, but every code you enter gets a point and you can claim those points with GameBattles.Com, to be used with their services. GameBattles.Com is working with Major League Gaming and what you can do with your points involves you and your Xbox 360 controller now.

On GameBattles.Com you can form a team of players and take part in what is called Ladder Matches. Then you compete against other teams over a period of time and work at climbing up the ladder. At the end of the season, the team with the most wins is the Ladder Champion so to speak.

This is similar to playing sports for a season and ladders normally run about four times a year. Where the points come into play is it takes points to run things. Just like signing up for a season of Soccer, you pay your entry fee and then you play. Now some Ladders are free, but others cost. In addition to the Ladders is tournaments and those cost as well, but you have a chance at winning prizes.

So thanks to the partnership with Dr Pepper, GameBattles.Com and MLG, you can now have a drink and earn your points to play online for more prizes. Or if you like you can simply buy points from GameBattles.Com and play that way. I for one am enjoying drinking my favorite soda and feel I'm getting a bit extra for my money this way now.

Talk about a cool welcome and introduction for all visitors to the Community. With the launch of their new site, 360Junkies.Com is holding a contest for visitors to win an Xbox 360 Arcade.

Sounds like a perfect way to move into the Gaming Community and get to know everyone if you ask me. Visit the site and while you at it, don't forget your chances at winning.

You can follow them on Twitter and do a re-tweet for a chance, post a blog similar to the one your reading here, or get other community sites to post about the contest as well.

Best of luck to everyone and you can't win if you don't play now. Thanks 360Junkies and welcome to the neighborhood now.

On Any Sunday, a 1971 documentary movie about Motorcycle racing on and off the tracks explains why people who are passionate about motorcycles and racing do it.

Ripping around the track and leaning the bike over and getting your knee down on the tarmac is why they do it. The thrill and rush and being one with the bike is hard to explain to someone that has never rode a motorcycle before.

So why am I talking about all of this on a gamers blog? MotoGP 07 was the one game I had looked at and wanted to really play. The only kicker is I'm not very good at this game. That being said, I've decided the only way to get better is to actually play it and do the races. So these past two Sundays, I've made sure to complete a Career Race and plan to complete a whole season.

I might very well be the worse racer in the end of the season, but I'm going to do this and see what I can do to get better. I can only go up from here, right? The important thing is to try and have fun doing it at the same time. This is a game on my list of games to master and I really want to get better at this game.

So Sundays are my MotoGP racing days now on the Xbox 360 and I might even start playing more Forza Motosport 2 as well. Why not make Sundays my day to just race? I'm not sure if I'll go as far as to get a NASCAR game, but I'll throw in Mad Tracks or GripShift perhaps. I still could even street race in Grand Theft Auto IV in the evenings.

But my focus will be on MotoGP and through out the year. Being a motorcycle rider myself and a fan of Motorcycle Racing, its a mission I'm looking forward to and plan to master. Now I need to get ready and prepare for my Race at Istanbul Park, Turkey, wish me Luck now.

March 5, 2009

New York, NY – March 5, 2008 – Apple Corps, Ltd., Harmonix and MTV Games, a part of Viacom’s MTV Networks (NYSE: VIA, VIA.B), today announced the 9/9/09 worldwide release of The Beatles: Rock Band. The music-based video game, an unprecedented, experiential progression through and celebration of the music and artistry of The Beatles, will be available simultaneously worldwide in North America, Europe, Australia, New Zealand and other territories for the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system and Wii™ home videogame console from Nintendo.

The Beatles: Rock Band will allow fans to pick up the guitar, bass, mic or drums and experience The Beatles extraordinary catalogue of music through gameplay that takes players on a journey through the legacy and evolution of the band’s legendary career.  In addition, The Beatles: Rock Band will offer a limited number of new hardware offerings modeled after instruments used by John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr throughout their career.

The Beatles: Rock Band will be offered as standalone software and hardware as well as a limited edition bundle. The game will be compatible with all Rock Band instrument controllers and other current music-based video game peripherals.

Available on 9/9/09:

• The Beatles: Rock Band Software - Xbox 360, PLAYSTATION 3, Wii: $59.99 MSRP
• The Beatles: Rock Band Standalone Guitars - Xbox 360, PLAYSTATION 3, Wii: $99.99 MSRP
• The Beatles: Rock Band Limited Edition Premium Bundle: Xbox 360, PLAYSTATION 3, Wii: $249.99 MSRP

Please note: Pricing outside of the US to be announced at a later date.

The Beatles: Rock Band marks the first time that Apple Corps, along with EMI Music, Harrisongs Ltd, and Sony/ATV Music Publishing, has agreed to present The Beatles music in an interactive video game format. Published by MTV Games and developed by Harmonix, the world’s premier music video game company and creators of the best-selling Rock Band®, the game was creatively conceived with input and full blessing from Sir Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr, along with Yoko Ono Lennon and Olivia Harrison. Electronic Arts will serve as distribution partner for the game. In addition, Giles Martin, co-producer of The Beatles innovative LOVE album project, is providing his expertise and serving as Music Producer for this groundbreaking Beatles project.

Exclusive content created by Apple Corps, MTV Games and Harmonix will be made available to fans over the next few months who participate in a pre-order campaign through major retailers. More details on The Beatles: Rock Band game and pre-order will be revealed in the coming months.

Please visit http://www.thebeatlesrockband.com.

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