Blog Posts by Mike Smith

(Credit: Microsoft)

Amid growing doubts over its next-generation strategy, Microsoft today told the world’s gamers when they’ll be able to get hold of the latest and greatest Xbox, and how much they’ll have to pay for the privilege: this November, and $499, respectively.

Though the Xbox One’s holiday-season launch timing is standard for new consoles, the price surprised many onlookers. Pundits including Wedbush Securities analyst Michael Pachter had predicted a $399 debut, in line with the Xbox 360’s premium edition at its 2005 launch.

Mr. Gold (Credit: Lego)Individually numbered and mixed in randomly with LEGO’s other collectible minifigs, Mr. Gold is gold-chromed from top hat to toes -- except for his classy white gloves.

And he’s apparently worth his weight in gold to LEGO collectors. Thanks to a flurry of interest, genuine Mr. Gold figures have sold for up to $1,000 on eBay.

Mr. Gold is part of LEGO’s tenth series of collectible minfigures, all of which ship in sealed packets so that buyers don’t know which of the range’s 17 figures they’re getting. Minifig fans have been known to buy them by the case in the hunt for particularly sought-after figures, helping turn the line into one of LEGO’s most successful products.

BioShock Infinite: The Siege of Columbia (Credit: Plaid Hat Games)

Times are tough for video game publishers.

Sales are down. Way down. Even buoyed by a couple of high profile, big-selling hits, March’s numbers were down a full 10% compared to last year. The news is full of closings, layoffs, and downsizing; the year’s already seen the piecemeal sale of one once-proud major publisher. Even Electronic Arts, home to powerhouse brands like The Sims and Madden, has been wracked by a wave of layoffs that have left a reported 1,000 jobless -- and rumor has it more are coming.

The reasons are many -- the floundering economy and the long wait for the next generation of consoles certainly haven’t helped -- but whatever the cause, it’s seen publishers turning to other revenue opportunities.

In recent years that’s meant imaginative toy tie-ins, like Activision’s lucrative Skylanders franchise, or perhaps big-budget movies like 2015’s planned Ratchet & Clank. But one of the year’s most interesting juxtapositions of traditional entertainment and the world of video games isn’t either of those -- it’s a board game.

It's all about retro reboots these days -- and it's no different with board games. Topping Hasbro’s 2013 calendar are streamlined, stripped-down, and simplified versions of three of its most celebrated classics: Yahtzee, Jenga, and Monopoly. But are they really better, or just different? Here’s how the new hotness matches up to the tried-and-true versions.

It isn't faster than a speeding bullet, nor is it more powerful than a locomotive. But it can leap tall buildings in a single bound...if you throw it at the ground hard enough.

No, not Superman, but the Super Ball. Sold by the fantastically named Wham-O corporation (who also brought you Hula Hoops, Hacky Sacks, and Silly String), millions of the surprisingly springy spheres have thrilled countless children and adults with their high-flying antics.

But what on earth makes them so incredibly bouncy? Turns out the answer is all in the rubber.

Ever wonder how your favorite game got its name?

If your favorite game is Monopoly or Candyland, we’re guessing probably not. But many classic names have more interesting origins. Ancient Persian kings, boating, interracial marriages: it’s all here.

A Game for Someone (Credit: Jason Rohrer/Polygon)Video game fans are used to hot games being delayed, sometimes for months or even years at a time.

But a board game that scooped a major award at the recent Game Developer’s Conference in San Francisco presents them with a wait that even the most patient of gamers will have trouble standing: almost three thousand years.

Cross with crosswords? Sick of Sudoku? Say hello to your next airplane addiction.

It's called “KenKen” -- Japanese for “wisdom squared” -- and it’s the smartest pencil-and-paper puzzler since Sudoku itself. It even promises to sharpen up your math skills.

Created in 2004 by Japanese math teacher Tetsuya Miyamoto, KenKen was popularized in the United States by New York Times crossword puzzle editor Will Shortz, who was introduced to the game when agent and toy industry legend Bob Fuhrer called and asked him to try out a new puzzle.