Laser Sharks

EA announced recently that it will discontinue online services for pretty much any game that doesn’t have ‘07 written at the end of the title. The full list of games losing online support are as follows:

September 1, 2007 Online Service Shutdown
Arena Football (PlayStation 2, Xbox)
FIFA Soccer 06 (Xbox 360, PC)FIFA Soccer 06 (PS2, PSP, PC, Xbox)
Fight Night Round 3 (PSP, Xbox)
Madden NFL 06 (Xbox 360, PC, PS2, PSP, Xbox)
Marvel Nemesis: Rise of the Imperfects (PS2, Xbox)
MVP 07 NCAA Baseball (PS2, Xbox)
NASCAR 06 Total Team Control (PS2, Xbox)
NBA Live 06 (Xbox 360, PC, PS2, PSP, Xbox)
NCAA Football 2005 (Xbox)
NCAA Football 2006 (PS2, Xbox)
NCAA March Madness 06 (PS2, Xbox)
NFL Head Coach (PC, Xbox, PS2)
NHL 06 (PC, PS2, Xbox)
Tiger Woods PGA Tour 06 (Xbox 360, Xbox)
November 1, 2007 Online Service Shutdown
Need for Speed Underground 1 (PC, PlayStation 2)
Need for Speed Underground 2 (PC, PlayStation 2)
Burnout Revenge (Xbox, Playstation 2)
Need for Speed Most Wanted (PSP, Xbox)

I highlighted the games that I thought it was most interesting they were canceling service.

Popularity: 37% [?]

Guitar Hero was an experience so unique that it seemed that no rhthym game could ever again be so good.  Then Guitar Hero II came out and arguably topped the original.  Mainstream successes in a niche market will have mainstream publishers (read Activision and MTV) rushing to get in on the action.  Activision may dramatically change the Guitar Hero franchise when it releases Guitar Hero III, but the core gameplay mechanics of Rocks the 80s remains the same as the first two as this is the last Guitar Hero game to be made by the original developer, Harmonix. 

Rocks the 80s plays exactly like Guitar Hero II.  Exactly.  All of the characters and venues are the same, just with an 80s twist.  Rocks the 80s was designed for someone who loves Guitar Hero and just wants some more songs to play.  Guitar Hero Encore: Rocks the 80s is that it is essentially the same game with 30 new songs on which you can rock out.  It is a great expansion pack.  The only problem is that it is not intended to be and expansion pack and is priced at $50.  I thought the game was overall enjoyable but could only recommend it to serious fans of the series; otherwise, your money would be better spent on Guitar Hero III or Rock Band.  If you do not mind paying $50 for 30 songs (it is cheaper than downloading 30 songs for Guitar Hero II on Xbox Live), or love 80s music in all its forms, then go ahead and pick up a copy. 

Popularity: 4% [?]