KmartGamer 6.0 - Gears of War 3 $20 coupon + Save $30 on 12 Month XBLA

[SHC-Gamer]

I am very easy to reach on Facebook:

http://www.facebook.com/KmartGamer

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www.KmartGamer.com (Blog is effective in all locations)

To receive gaming coupons you must be a Shop Your Way Rewards member. It's free and only takes a couple of minutes to sign up in store.

September 18th through the 24th:
link to blog post

Buy any version of Gears of War 3, get a $20 gaming coupon.
Deal will work with Limited and Epic Editions.
Coupon valid from September 25 to November 5.

Shadows of the Damned $29.99

Kmart Weekly Ad: (Circulars not effective in all stores, NYC and Offshore in particular - Savings coupon offers effective everywhere)

September 18th through the 24th:

Buy the limited edition Gears of War 320GB Xbox 360 system for $399.99, get Gears of War Triple Pack for free.

Buy any version of Gears of War 3 and a 12-month Xbox Live Gold subscription card, get $30 off the price of the 12-month Gold card.
Deal will work with Limited and Epic Editions.

Turtle Beach Ear Force X12 headset $44.99

Halo ODST $9.99

Brink $19.99

Halo Reach $29.99

Shop Your Way Rewards:

It's a wiki, please update. This portion of the OP is for anyone who notices a SYWR offer. These offers can be very targeted (Geo, User, etc.) so anything placed needs to be validated.

Coming Soon:

All titles listed below I am working on offers for and the dates I think they are coming out.

9-20 Gears of War 3 $20 Gaming coupon + Buy game & 12-month Gold card, get $30 off 12-month Gold card.
9-27 X-Men Destiny $15 Gaming coupon
9-27 FIFA Soccer 12 $20 Gaming coupon
9-27 Ico/Shadow of the Colossus Collection $15 Gaming coupon
10-4 Spiderman: Edge of Time
10-4 Rage
10-4 Dark Souls
10-4 NBA 2k12
10-11 Dead Rising 2: Off the Record
10-11 Forza 4
10-11 Ace Combat: Assault Horizon
10-11 Just Dance 3
10-11 RockSmith
10-16 Skylanders: Spyro's Adventure
10-17 Professor Layton and the Last Specter
10-18 Ratchet and Clank: All 4 One
10-18 Batman Arkham City
10-24 Pokemon Rumble Blast
10-25 Disney Universe
10-25 Battlefield 3
10-25 Silent Hill Downpour
10-25 Dance Central 2
10-25 Kinect Sports 2
11-1 James Bond: Goldeneye 007 Reloaded
11-1 Sonic Generations
11-1 Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception
11-1 Lord of the Rings: War in the North
11-8 Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3
11-8 Metal Gear Solid HD Collection
11-11 Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
11-13 Super Mario 3D Land
11-15 Need for Speed: The Run
11-15 Silent Hill HD Collection
11-15 Halo Anniversary
11-15 Mario and Sonic London 2012
11-15 Shinobi
11-15 Saint's Row: The Third
11-15 Assassin's Creed: Revelations
11-15 Rayman Origins
11-20 Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword
11-22 Tekken Hybrid
11-22 WWE 12
12-11 Mario Kart 7
2012 TBA Kid Icarus

 

[Virtua]

there's so much wrong with that post.

Spoiler

Nintendo was smart to release at $250 and get the most out of the most hardcore and then drop the price before holidays to capture the mainstream market. I'm sure that was their plan all along, but they misjudged how popular the 3D would be and how many they could sell at launch.

"too little too late" is such hyperbole. The stuff that's coming out for it this xmas along with the price drop is going to work out great for them, I think.

Or do you think that suddenly Mario Kart isn't going to sell systems like it has done for the past 10 years?

It's silly to say that the 3gs has more advanced hardware than the 3DS - it's running a much larger and multi-purpose operating system - like the difference between a gaming PC and a console. Maybe it does (I have no idea) but compare Resident Evil 4(which was released after the 3GS) on ios and Resident Evil Mercenaries 3D and they are not even close.

I don't understand this obsession with "connected devices" - does that mean we all should now be paying for $20 3G plans for every device in the house? Should nintendo start doing that? no. They are not a cell phone company. They are not a online movie/tv show/music company. They make games. And if the insinuation in that post is that a company that only makes games can no longer exist, then that's really sad.

App store is crap with a few good games sprinked among the wasteland of junk. The prices can be as low as they want but so few of the games on there are worth even the smallest amount of time. Plus any kind of traditional non-touch centric gaming is IMPOSSIBLE on the platform because using a virtual d-pad and buttons is an abomination. So what you're left with is games that are simplified by nature of their control - not enough to satisfy the market.

There will always be a demand for deeper, longer lasting games and the app store has shown that they are not receptive to those kinds of experiences. How many games have been successful at more than $10? at more than $5? It just doesn't work, because the market wants only the cheapest and most popular.

I think if anything it's driven dedicated handhelds to be focused on higher quality to earn their dollar. And made it difficult to support two devices. I think vita will be the one that's squeezed out purely on the "home console in your hand" and price. the 3DS will do fine, but nothing will do DS or GBA numbers ever again. There's no reason Nintendo can't plan for that and exist and be profitable within those expectations.

Basically what i'm saying is you're a ing idiot if you think dedicated handhelds have to go away.

 

[Virtua]

there's so much wrong with that post.

Spoiler

Nintendo was smart to release at $250 and get the most out of the most hardcore and then drop the price before holidays to capture the mainstream market. I'm sure that was their plan all along, but they misjudged how popular the 3D would be and how many they could sell at launch. It's also smart of them to realize the reduced demand and drop the price quickly before the holiday.

"too little too late" is such hyperbole. The stuff that's coming out for it this xmas along with the price drop is going to work out great for them, I think.

Or do you think that suddenly Mario Kart isn't going to sell systems like it has done for the past 10 years?

It's silly to say that the 3gs has more advanced hardware than the 3DS - it's running a much larger and multi-purpose operating system - like the difference between a gaming PC and a console. Maybe it does (I have no idea) but compare Resident Evil 4(which was released after the 3GS) on ios and Resident Evil Mercenaries 3D and they are not even close.

ios- (should really photoshop two thumbs covering half the screen on this)

and 3DS -

I don't understand this obsession with "connected devices" - does that mean we all should now be paying for $20 3G plans for every device in the house? Should nintendo start doing that? no. They are not a cell phone company. They are not a online movie/tv show/music company. They make games. And if the insinuation in that post is that a company that only makes games can no longer exist, then that's really sad.

App store is crap with a few good games sprinked among the wasteland of junk. The prices can be as low as they want but so few of the games on there are worth even the smallest amount of time. Plus any kind of traditional non-touch centric gaming is IMPOSSIBLE on the platform because using a virtual d-pad and buttons is an abomination. So what you're left with is games that are simplified by nature of their control - not enough to satisfy the market.

There will always be a demand for deeper, longer lasting games and the app store has shown that they are not receptive to those kinds of experiences. How many games have been successful at more than $10? at more than $5? It just doesn't work, because the market wants only the cheapest and most popular.

I think if anything it's driven dedicated handhelds to be focused on higher quality to earn their dollar. And made it difficult to support two devices. I think vita will be the one that's squeezed out purely on the "home console in your hand" and price. the 3DS will do fine, but nothing will do DS or GBA numbers ever again. There's no reason Nintendo can't plan for that and exist and be profitable within those expectations.

Basically what i'm saying is you're a ing idiot if you think dedicated handhelds have to go away.

 

[gettinmoney662]

Why do people put spoilers in their posts? If you're gonna be off topic, be off topic and proud. If I wasn't interested in your post, I'd have to skip it whether you put the spoiler tag or not.

 

[DPsycho]

It's considerate for people viewing on mobile devices.

 

[grap3fruitman]

Welp, I was near a K-Mart and bought a 1600 point card just to get rid of my $15 Zelda coupon before it expires next week. I don't see myself going nearby again and I'm not interested in next week's offer. I'm done with these coupons for a while. I think I would be a little less dissatisfied if the coupon matched the expiration date of the item I purchased so I wouldn't be put in such a bind. Granted, I got a $15 off coupon for buying a new game so I shouldn't really be complaining too much but I'm a cheap ass so I won't be happy unless I'm paying pennies to dollars for my items. C'est la vie.

 

[RealDeals]

[quote name='jer7583']there's so much wrong with that post.

Spoiler

Nintendo was smart to release at $250 and get the most out of the most hardcore and then drop the price before holidays to capture the mainstream market. I'm sure that was their plan all along, but they misjudged how popular the 3D would be and how many they could sell at launch. It's also smart of them to realize the reduced demand and drop the price quickly before the holiday.

"too little too late" is such hyperbole. The stuff that's coming out for it this xmas along with the price drop is going to work out great for them, I think.

Or do you think that suddenly Mario Kart isn't going to sell systems like it has done for the past 10 years?

It's silly to say that the 3gs has more advanced hardware than the 3DS - it's running a much larger and multi-purpose operating system - like the difference between a gaming PC and a console. Maybe it does (I have no idea) but compare Resident Evil 4(which was released after the 3GS) on ios and Resident Evil Mercenaries 3D and they are not even close.

ios- (should really photoshop two thumbs covering half the screen on this)

and 3DS -

I don't understand this obsession with "connected devices" - does that mean we all should now be paying for $20 3G plans for every device in the house? Should nintendo start doing that? no. They are not a cell phone company. They are not a online movie/tv show/music company. They make games. And if the insinuation in that post is that a company that only makes games can no longer exist, then that's really sad.

App store is crap with a few good games sprinked among the wasteland of junk. The prices can be as low as they want but so few of the games on there are worth even the smallest amount of time. Plus any kind of traditional non-touch centric gaming is IMPOSSIBLE on the platform because using a virtual d-pad and buttons is an abomination. So what you're left with is games that are simplified by nature of their control - not enough to satisfy the market.

There will always be a demand for deeper, longer lasting games and the app store has shown that they are not receptive to those kinds of experiences. How many games have been successful at more than $10? at more than $5? It just doesn't work, because the market wants only the cheapest and most popular.

I think if anything it's driven dedicated handhelds to be focused on higher quality to earn their dollar. And made it difficult to support two devices. I think vita will be the one that's squeezed out purely on the "home console in your hand" and price. the 3DS will do fine, but nothing will do DS or GBA numbers ever again. There's no reason Nintendo can't plan for that and exist and be profitable within those expectations.

Basically what i'm saying is you're a ing idiot if you think dedicated handhelds have to go away.

[/QUOTE]

Dedicated handhelds aren't going away in the sense that they'll be GONE. They'll be gone in the sense that we will never see them as prevalent as they once were. Imagine you are a parent and you have the choice between buying an iTouch and, say, a 3DS. Upfront the iTouch may cost more, depending on the hardware size. But the difference between paying $40 a game and $5 is undeniable. Kids are fickle creatures, soon they'll want more games and want past the titles they already have. Granted, they will get a more immersive and full-fledged experience on a dedicated gaming rig, but the crap is there on the other systems too, not exclusively the iOS and app store. # Would it be better to be out $5 or $40 bucks? Not to mention the line of iDevices are bought for a plethora of reasons. Many buy simply to have the most standard and popular media device, the iPod, built in. Some want the camera as a portable way of having constant, visual contact with friends and family. Perhaps most prominent of all, some people don't WANT a whole nine-yard experience. When my uncle is on business trips, he can have short, spontaneous bursts of "cheap" entertainment with Angry Birds or Papertoss. To some people, fun is fun, regardless of whether we view it as "hardcore" or not. Don't get me wrong, I'm NOT an Apple fanboy and I personally don't care for such forms of entertainment, but the amount of impact they'll have on our style of dedicated gaming, saying it'll "kill" them isn't THAT much of an overstatement.

 

[KSS181920]

[quote name='jer7583']
Basically what i'm saying is you're a ing idiot if you think dedicated handhelds have to go away.
[/QUOTE]

Please don’t resort to calling names, it only serves to make you look bad. I’m just trying to have a small, back and forth, intelligent conversation. Just forget it I guess.​

Anyways, in reference to dedicated handhelds going away…I said nothing of the sort. I plan on buying the 3DS is what I believe I wrote. However, I do stand by the fact that this is a desperate looking move on their part. The financial report that just came out a day or two ago states that with the price cut, Nintendo is now selling the 3DS at a loss. That comes right from Nintendo’s CEO Satoru Iwata. When in recent memory has Nintendo ever sold a console or handheld at a loss before?​

I do agree that with more competition breathing down their neck that they will, and have to, really push the quality of games released up a notch. I think that is great. Competition benefits the consumer.​

 

[DPsycho]

Dedicated gaming devices still retain the edge when it comes to multiplayer games as well. If one kid has a copy of New Super Mario Bros., all that another needs is his or her own DS and the download play feature lets them play together on that single cart.

Also, the $40 vs. $5 game comparison doesn't reflect the reality of parents buying a gaming device for their kids, not so long as Game Stop exists. Buying any entry from the DS system line grants access to hundreds of used games that are designed to appeal to children with a comparatively low price of admission, and these could potentially be returned for store credit later on. For a parent who isn't very tech savvy, having something tangible with a purchase is more comforting. For the grandmother who wants to give Timmy a fun toy for his birthday, picking up a discount Hot Wheels game at Kohl's will potentially evoke an unwrapping-moment smile that she wouldn't expect from a download service gift card.

When it comes to buying for young children, I just don't see shopping habits favoring a digitally distributed system just yet.

 

[gettinmoney662]

[quote name='KSS181920']

Please don’t resort to calling names, it only serves to make you look bad. I’m just trying to have a small, back and forth, intelligent conversation. Just forget it I guess.​

Anyways, in reference to dedicated handhelds going away…I said nothing of the sort. I plan on buying the 3DS is what I believe I wrote. However, I do stand by the fact that this is a desperate looking move on their part. The financial report that just came out a day or two ago states that with the price cut, Nintendo is now selling the 3DS at a loss. That comes right from Nintendo’s CEO Satoru Iwata. When in recent memory has Nintendo ever sold a console or handheld at a loss before?​

I do agree that with more competition breathing down their neck that they will, and have to, really push the quality of games released up a notch. I think that is great. Competition benefits the consumer.​

[/QUOTE]

No, it makes you look bad when you get so hurt by some guy you don't know calling you an idiot. Man up.

 

[affa]

[quote name='gettinmoney662']Why would PSN cards be considered points cards? You're not buying points with PSN cards.[/QUOTE]

Because some people use the term inclusively, regardless of it being a bit inaccurate. I wasn't the only person to read it as likely meaning PSN cards too. Normally, when kmart does anything relating to xbla or psn cards, the same basic deal exists on the other platform.

 

[affa]

[quote name='KSS181920']And frankly, it gets a little tiring hearing people put down the games on the App Store as utter casual crap. Yes, there is a lot of that in there, but there is an abundance of crap on consoles and handhelds too.
[/QUOTE]

You're the one inserting 'crap' into people calling something a casual game. There is a fundamental difference between casual and core gaming, and just because you don't like people pointing it out doesn't make it not so.

It's a different genre of game, a completely different development process, a different end goal, a different economic model, and ultimately and most importantly, a different type of player demographic.

And as more game developers jump ship from core gaming to casual gaming, less games get made for core gamers. And that's why people get aggravated -- they want their Uncharted, or their FPS of choice, or Disgaea, or whatever. Not Angry Birds, even if it's good.

Obviously, there is some overlap. You can make a rouge-like for ipad if you want. But in general, there is a movement towards casual. And that's worrisome for those who still want something more involved.

 

[affa]

[quote name='KSS181920']

I do agree that with more competition breathing down their neck that they will, and have to, really push the quality of games released up a notch. I think that is great. Competition benefits the consumer.​

[/QUOTE]

Competition does not always benefit the consumer. That's just propaganda. Competition often drives prices down, which does benefit the consumer, but often as a result pushes quality down as well, which does not. Things are never simple.

In the case of gaming, quality isn't quite the correct word. A simple game can be great. A complex game can suck. But the market that drives the itunes gaming market is one geared towards simple, low development cycle, cheap games. Some of them will be great. But almost all will be casual.

 

[GBAstar]

[quote name='affa']You're the one inserting 'crap' into people calling something a casual game. There is a fundamental difference between casual and core gaming, and just because you don't like people pointing it out doesn't make it not so.

It's a different genre of game, a completely different development process, a different end goal, a different economic model, and ultimately and most importantly, a different type of player demographic.

And as more game developers jump ship from core gaming to casual gaming, less games get made for core gamers. And that's why people get aggravated -- they want their Uncharted, or their FPS of choice, or Disgaea, or whatever. Not Angry Birds, even if it's good.

Obviously, there is some overlap. You can make a rouge-like for ipad if you want. But in general, there is a movement towards casual. And that's worrisome for those who still want something more involved.[/QUOTE]


^This. It is fairly obvious that the uproar in this debate is over hardcore gamers wanting to ensure that the next installment in Dragon Quest gets released for the nintendo handheld "flavor of the month".

I'm worried too about the future of handheld games because publishers aren't going to sink millions of dollars into developing games for specialized hand held gaming hardware when joe schmoe software engineer can make millions of an iphone game/app that took him three days to design.

Publishers will go where the money is. I think the future of the 3DS and the Vita is secure but eventually convience is going to overrun a designated gaming device. Either nintendo and Sony will adapt and team up with a mobile carrier and make Gaming Devices that also double as data/voice tech or they will get beat out buy companies that make data/tech electronics that also do casual games.

If you've grown up on portable devices (Game Boy, Game Gear, Nomad, DS, Etc.) this isn't what you want to hear because it means that your favorite handheld franchises are at risk; or at the very least are in risk of being dumbed down for the newest tablets / cell phones.

Let's be honest with ourselves; The target demographics for the current handhelds isn't 20+ year old Adults that grew up gaming on the Game Boy. It's for much younger kids and teenagers; most of whom don't have the attention span to sit and play through well developed games that cost a lot of money to produce and retail for $34.99.

 

[Halo05]

Ooh, I'll buy a points card tomorrow.

Nothing on a touch screen will ever be as good as something with an actual control pad. Even Shining Force on my ipod touch is a chore thanks to me having adult sized hands. ios games and the horse they rode in on.

 

[JustYourAverageJoe]

I just don't get why people are screaming bloody murder as the market expands. Sure, what has been traditionally core is losing some focus, but, well, so what? It's not going to be as though enthusiast, core games and gamers will suddenly drop off the earth now that other people have discovered that games can be fun. The thing is that casual games are big money, but the market for them will implode sooner or later. It's a perfect example of a bubble, and Zynga is the perfect example of a company that will be ruined when that bubble bursts. God help them when Facebook dies off.

My point is that anyone who seriously think that the App Store or Farmville are the end of core games are deliriously short-sighted. Wasn't the Wii's casual focus supposed to kill off core games too? This year, we've got Deus Ex 3, Batman: AC, Uncharted 3, Gears of War 3, Skyrim... really, the core gamer market is only getting stronger.

 

[affa]

[quote name='JustYourAverageJoe']
My point is that anyone who seriously think that the App Store or Farmville are the end of core games are deliriously short-sighted. Wasn't the Wii's casual focus supposed to kill off core games too? This year, we've got Deus Ex 3, Batman: AC, Uncharted 3, Gears of War 3, Skyrim... really, the core gamer market is only getting stronger.[/QUOTE]

No, it's not short sighted. First off, you're overstating the position of people that are concerned about the influence of casual gaming. It's not that they think it'll 'kill off' their games, but rather that it will forever change them, subtly, then eventually, seriously. A slow poison, if you will.

Want examples? I remember when there were articles written about the dangers of auto-mapping in RPGs. It will destroy dungeon design! And guess what? It did. There are still good RPGs, of course, but with the death of grid paper came the death of teleport traps, spinner traps, mazes, and more. How can you get lost with a auto-map and a 'next objective' arrow on your compass?

When checkpoints and 'health recovery over time' began, people were concerned it would make games too easy. And guess what? They were right. It's now nearly impossible to lose most games. A game like Demon's Souls, which kinda-sorta penalizes you for dying, and kills you for being stupid, is lauded for being 'ridiculously hard'! No, it wasn't. Not really. It just didn't hold our hands.

These examples, and many more, are what we are talking about. Because there are tons of people that will say checkpoints are good, and auto-mapping is great, and this is better, and that's better... and in some cases, they're right. Absolutely. But it changes gaming. It's made gaming easier, it's made gaming more simplistic. Infinite lives, checkpoints every 5 seconds, automaps, objective arrows, health recovery... it's hasn't killed core gaming, but it changed it, and for those that preferred a challenge, this change has been bad. Very bad.

And I'm not even getting into how the popularity of certain genres (such as FPS) has affected other genres (say, RPGS). Turn based gaming is harder and harder to find. Just ask Fallout Boy. Does this mean the new games are bad? No. But for fans of the old way, there are no (or few) new releases. Old favorites get 're-imagined'. It's easy to call this progress until your favorite genre or franchise gets the treatment (say hello to an FPS X-com, for example).

And so, now, we have the meteoric rise of 'casual gaming'. And it's a billion dollar industry. And you wonder why people are concerned how it's going to affect core gaming? A little bit of history goes a long way. It's not about killing something, it's about distorting it till it's unrecognizable to those who remember what it used to mean.

Sorry if this sounds like a rant -- it's not meant to be. It's just a reminder that gaming getting somewhat popular changed gaming for all, and by the same token, so will games getting mega-popular. Especially when that mega-popularity is for what would normally be considered mini-games in old parlance.

 

[Virtua]

I'm just sick and tired of how not a day can go by without some blogger or forum poster talking about how ios games are going to kill nintendo.

Spoiler

I suppose the inflammatory and exaggerated thing is the cool and attention-getting thing to say.

The reality is more like people who don't really play games, but own ios or android devices for reasons like having a phone or music player or internet browser are less likely to buy a dedicated handheld (Nintendo OR Sony) then they would have been when games didn't exist on those devices.

Which is more reasonable and more accurate to how this thing actually is. It's impossible to tell how many people who are actually satisfied by the app store offerings would even have considered buying a handheld game console in the first place, so the effect on those devices is there, but not dramatic.

And it's certainly too early to tell as far as the new generation of handhelds are concerned, because other, internal problems like lack of software and high prices are bigger reasons for slow sales than any external problems like the app store games.

If ios and android are really going to kill the portable game console market, why haven't facebook and steam killed the home gaming console market? Many times more people have access to those and their free/cheap gaming than those who own smartphones.

But then, it's just easier to say "Apple killed nintendo they can't compete with the app store" than actually understand what's going on and pay attention to a changing market.

And as for casual gaming half the games you mentioned are very causal in design, if not exactly casual in theme or tone.. Every game is being made easier and more simple and meant to lead you through and pat you on the back the whole way.

 

[JustYourAverageJoe]

Spoilered for length.

Spoiler

[quote name='jer7583']I'm just sick and tired of how not a day can go by without some blogger or forum poster talking about how ios games are going to kill nintendo.[/QUOTE]
Who's said that though? I know I personally have only argued a diminishing and changing of the handheld landscape, one that Nintendo seems to not have been prepared for. They'll hardly ever die off, but I think they've got a more challenging road ahead of themselves than they did this last generation.

[quote name='jer7583']It's impossible to tell how many people who are actually satisfied by the app store offerings would even have considered buying a handheld game console in the first place, so the effect on those devices is there, but not dramatic.[/QUOTE]
This sounds pretty close to the argument made in support of piracy, if not in semantics then in tone. "It's impossible to say how many people who pirate a game would have bought it in the first place, so the effect is there, if minimal."

[quote name='jer7583']If ios and android are really going to kill the portable game console market, why haven't facebook and steam killed the home gaming console market? Many times more people have access to those and their free/cheap gaming than those who own smartphones.[/QUOTE]
Again, not kill, but change. Facebook is driving a push towards more connected and "social" experiences in games, and that's why you're seeing things like Battlelog/Autolog and COD: Elite. It an extension of the social push coming from Facebook/Twitter.

[quote name='jer7583']And as for casual gaming half the games you mentioned are very causal in design, if not exactly casual in theme or tone.. Every game is being made easier and more simple and meant to lead you through and pat you on the back the whole way.[/QUOTE]
Here is where we'll just have to agree to disagree, because I don't see those as inherently bad design decisions at all. I'd rather enjoy myself the entire way through a game than be frustrated by a "challenging" and "hardcore" game that punishes me for every failure. Would we really want to restart from the beginning of COD after every time we run out of three lives? Does that make it more fun? Extreme challenge is fun for some people, but not for everyone, so I'm not sure why that's inherently better.

Look, I'll wrap this up by saying that I think you pretty passionately disagree with me, and that's fine. But please don't think that I'm trying to be an ass. Perhaps I'm reading too much into it, but your posts seem to be more and more aggressive, and I'm not trying to provoke that from you, I'm just disagreeing and trying to explain why. There's no reason we can't disagree and still be genial. I don't intend to antagonize, but I apologize if I have. I'd rather be on good terms with people here.

[quote name='affa']No, it's not short sighted. First off, you're overstating the position of people that are concerned about the influence of casual gaming. It's not that they think it'll 'kill off' their games, but rather that it will forever change them, subtly, then eventually, seriously. A slow poison, if you will.
[snip]
Sorry if this sounds like a rant -- it's not meant to be. It's just a reminder that gaming getting somewhat popular changed gaming for all, and by the same token, so will games getting mega-popular. Especially when that mega-popularity is for what would normally be considered mini-games in old parlance.[/QUOTE]
You've got me there, I'd failed to think of it in that way. But I'm still not confident that what you've listed are necessarily bad things. They're only bad when used incorrectly.

I don't know, this all smacks of the kind attitude I've seen around that real gamers should hate anything that doesn't kick you in the balls. That attitude bothers me because it ignores that games are supposed to be fun, and fun is different to different people. If you love the challenge of inventory management, med paks, keys/keycards and no saving then great. More power to you, seriously. But that's not fun to me. So why is one way bad but the other good? Can't they both be good? Change isn't bad, it's just change. Just because it's not what you're used to doesn't make it worse. But since that boils down to a matter of taste, it's something we may never agree on. Where people see streamlining as "dumbing down," I see it as trimming the fat. But to each their own.

Let me just wrap by saying I could be totally wrong and that's fine by me. I'm not an analyst, just an average guy making idle speculation. Take it for no more than that. I sure don't.

 

[anotherpoorgamer]

Amazon is doing a preorder for those Sony wireless headsets for $65. Will Kmart do a better deal than this?

I'd rather give Kmart $70 for a $100 headset than to Amazon just to support my local Kmart. I mean $100 plus a $30 or better gaming coupon/rewards points would be fine.

Yeah, Child of Eden is $40. Thought that was the current price before the sale.

 

[Virtua]

[quote name='anotherpoorgamer']Amazon is doing a preorder for those Sony wireless headsets for $65. Will Kmart do a better deal than this?

I'd rather give Kmart $65 for a $100 headset than to Amazon just to support my local Kmart. I mean $100 plus a $30 or better gaming coupon/rewards points would be fine.

Yeah, Child of Eden is $40. Thought that was the current price before the sale.[/QUOTE]

josh mentioned those headsets so i'd have to assume he's interested in them. No mention of a coupon deal yet. I'd say put in the pre-order at amazon now and you can cancel if something better comes up here before it ships.

Spoiler

I think we basically agree on the ios stuff, dude. People just like to blow things out of proportion.

on the other topic - It's not that I or others want games just simply to be more difficult, we want a move away from the easy solutions of big hud indicators of where to go and regenerating health and such. It's hard to point out specifically but it's a watered down feeling of many modern games. Call of Duty is the front and center of this - it's aggressively linear, the yearly iterations of it don't deviate much from one another in gameplay, they're loaded with non-interactive scripted sequences that "look cool" but don't actually ask any participation of the player, there's always an arrow pointing you in the right direction, and the game basically aims for you.

That's the #1 franchise and the model that almost every popular franchise is shooting for. It's really a bad thing.

One of my favorite experiences of the generation is playing the fallout games at an earlier level with the hud off and just wandering the world, seeing what you could find. Sometimes that meant running into a pack of cazadores who quickly had my ass, but it was still fun. Not enough games let you go the wrong way so organically like that anymore.

 

[anotherpoorgamer]

[quote name='jer7583']josh mentioned those headsets so i'd have to assume he's interested in them. No mention of a coupon deal yet. I'd say put in the pre-order at amazon now and you can cancel if something better comes up here before it ships.[/QUOTE]

Yeah, I'll probably end up doing something like that. Figured Josh and Stockboy would say if they could match the deal or give a better offer. They have been honest in the past about whether or not their deal is better than competitors.

I kind of would rather have a buy points card/get another points card 1/2 price than Live. I'm alright being a silver account member with my Xbox 360.

 

[Virtua]

[quote name='anotherpoorgamer']Yeah, I'll probably end up doing something like that. Figured Josh and Stockboy would say if they could match the deal or give a better offer. They have been honest in the past about whether or not their deal is better than competitors.

I kind of would rather have a buy points card/get another points card 1/2 price than Live. I'm alright being a silver account member with my Xbox 360.[/QUOTE]

you could always save the card until a multiplayer game you want comes out

If you play any multiplayer? i dunno.

 

[synnarc]

The advertised XBL points and Gold card deal wouldn't work at the Horseheads NY store. I stood around for almost an hour as the manager tried to get it to work but no luck. Anyone else have any troubles with it not ringing up as advertised and the computer rejecting an override?

Didn't try it but do the gamer coupons work on XBL cards?
*edit* found my answer in the FAQ: "Gaming coupons are valid on Points/Live/PSN Cards unless otherwise stated in the promotion"

 

[CoronaKingSnake]

Went to my local store #4725 and as I thought walked away without any Xbox live cards. They had a ton of the 3 mo subscription cards but no others. Its been like this for 8 months + now... with 0 new stock comming in. Guy even told me today that he was sold out of every controller for all systems with nothing inbound to replace it. Gaming section is soo barren... good if you want out of date titles from 07-08 but thats about it.

 

[atc250es]

[quote name='CoronaKingSnake']Went to my local store #4725 and as I thought walked away without any Xbox live cards. They had a ton of the 3 mo subscription cards but no others. Its been like this for 8 months + now... with 0 new stock comming in. Guy even told me today that he was sold out of every controller for all systems with nothing inbound to replace it. Gaming section is soo barren... good if you want out of date titles from 07-08 but thats about it.[/QUOTE]

This is exactly why the $25 coupon option is better than the $15 plus the points cards. Kmart can't ing stock them!

 

[DPsycho]

Dropped by KMart 4214 today to use my $15 Zelda coupon. Between it and my nearer location in Bloomingdale, 4214 is still far less organized. I had to tell the cashier what the prompts on the register screen meant, and I'd never even seen one of them myself. But it went through just fine.

Narrowed down my choices between a $20 PSN card and the one $29.99 copy of Final Fantasy IV Complete for PSP. Since it seems likely I'll be getting a PSN card or two with fall gaming promotions and since I probably wouldn't find a copy of FFIV next time it's on sale or whetnot, I just went with the game.

 

[hebrewhammer587]

Is it just me, but do mods completely ignore the off topic posts in this thread?

 

[Virtua]

[quote name='atc250es']This is exactly why the $25 coupon option is better than the $15 plus the points cards. Kmart can't ing stock them![/QUOTE]

If your store doesn't stock them email josh and he can hopefully forward it on to the right department to get your store in order.

All 4 stores around my area stock plenty of all types of pre-paid game cards.

 

[BobbyTastic]

[quote name='hebrewhammer587']Is it just me, but do mods completely ignore the off topic posts in this thread?[/QUOTE]

This thread generally goes off the rails sometimes because most of the time the same people post here are we're all friendly with each other, Josh and Stockboy. We also like to give suggestions and it's a long-running topic that gets updates. Also, there's been a massive sales drought for K-mart, so there hasn't been much else to talk about.

On-topic: As much as I generally hate the 3 month Gold cards, it was nice to see purchases of a 1600 MSP card get SOMETHING. So kudos on that. This buy X points (since points rarely are discounted anyways) get X amount of Live for half-off is a nice way to start off the resurgence of K-mart's gaming sales. I just don't have $80 to shell out for Live stuff this week. I would have jumped all over it had it been get ANY points card, get Live for 50% off, but I suppose you'd lose more money that way.

 

[DarkRider23]

[quote name='hebrewhammer587']Is it just me, but do mods completely ignore the off topic posts in this thread?[/QUOTE]

This thread goes off topic every other page. A lot of shit gets deleted. You just don't see it.

 

[yahoosale14]

[quote name='hebrewhammer587']Is it just me, but do mods completely ignore the off topic posts in this thread?[/QUOTE]

its completely on topic because its relevant to the discussion of $25 coupon vs $15 + $20 points card with multiple comments checking back in on their local store's stock of the points cards.

not sure why you needed to make your comment.

 

[GBAstar]

Omg. Plz delete ot comentz

save us modz!!!

 

[hebrewhammer587]

Whatever I was just asking, though I do enjoy the OT banter that gets thrown around here. The forums go dead for periods of time and its nice to talk to people, instead of myself haha.

 

[SPVietBoy]

anybody know if kmarts gonna be gettin the new LotR games? been hearing some good things about the game (from previews obviously) and ugh. i still regret missing the xbox deal from amazon wit the 100 gc... blah, at least kmart's beatin the others even if tis only 10 more. i'd rather the 250 w/o kinect but sears only and i dont think i'd make the trip to sears to use the gift card. at least nyko's making a lens for the kinect. considering pickin it up...

 

[gettinmoney662]

Hey guys, reading is really tough so I try to limit how much I read at any given time, so please post your OT posts somewhere else.

 

[ShockandAww]

[quote name='SPVietBoy']anybody know if kmarts gonna be gettin the new LotR games? been hearing some good things about the game (from previews obviously) and ugh. i still regret missing the xbox deal from amazon wit the 100 gc... blah, at least kmart's beatin the others even if tis only 10 more. i'd rather the 250 w/o kinect but sears only and i dont think i'd make the trip to sears to use the gift card. at least nyko's making a lens for the kinect. considering pickin it up...[/QUOTE]
If you mean War In The North I'm sure they will. It doesn't seem like it's coming out until November now though. It's also got a Collectors Edition listed at gamestop.com for $140 but I don't see why it's so expensive. It must be one well made quiver case...for all your quivers...?

 

[Virtua]

I try to spoiler post the OT stuff and make it fairly obvious when i'm going OT so you can just scroll past without reading wall of text. It's slow time for deals, people gonna talk about other stuff.

I'm surprised to hear so many people have trouble getting points cards or psn cards at their stores.. i've never been to one where there werent loads of them on hand.

I wonder if you could like go to best buy and grab a PSN card and then have it activated at kmart? they're probably all the same, right?

 

[affa]

[quote name='JustYourAverageJoe']You've got me there, I'd failed to think of it in that way. But I'm still not confident that what you've listed are necessarily bad things. They're only bad when used incorrectly.

I don't know, this all smacks of the kind attitude I've seen around that real gamers should hate anything that doesn't kick you in the balls. That attitude bothers me because it ignores that games are supposed to be fun, and fun is different to different people. If you love the challenge of inventory management, med paks, keys/keycards and no saving then great. More power to you, seriously. But that's not fun to me. So why is one way bad but the other good? Can't they both be good? Change isn't bad, it's just change. Just because it's not what you're used to doesn't make it worse. But since that boils down to a matter of taste, it's something we may never agree on. Where people see streamlining as "dumbing down," I see it as trimming the fat. But to each their own.

Let me just wrap by saying I could be totally wrong and that's fine by me. I'm not an analyst, just an average guy making idle speculation. Take it for no more than that. I sure don't. [/QUOTE]

You are absolutely correct that both ways are fine, and I agree 'both can be good'. I like casual games too. The problem is, we rarely get both.

The market pushes everything towards 'casual', because that can sell to a bigger demographic. Anything else is niche (and in many cases, just goes extinct) and doesn't get carried by stores. There are exceptions of course, but they become rarer and rarer over time.

Seriously, most games nowadays (any FPS, for example) can't be lost. They just can't. A blind monkey could beat them, given time.

 

[ShockandAww]

[quote name='affa']You are absolutely correct that both ways are fine, and I agree 'both can be good'. I like casual games too. The problem is, we rarely get both.

The market pushes everything towards 'casual', because that can sell to a bigger demographic. Anything else is niche (and in many cases, just goes extinct) and doesn't get carried by stores. There are exceptions of course, but they become rarer and rarer over time.

Seriously, most games nowadays (any FPS, for example) can't be lost. They just can't. A blind monkey could beat them, given time.[/QUOTE]
One thing you can do if you want a challenge is challenge yourself if the devs don't do it for you. Just an example Bioshock was too easy so I just didn't use the vita chambers.

Also I've been gaming for quite awhile and maybe my memories just going but I don't remember too many games being too difficult even back in the day. I remember many games would give you a certain number of lives and if you used them up, that's it...but again you can put that challenge on yourself if you want to in todays games. I dont know maybe I'd just need specific examples to see it.

 

[sTaTIx]

Gaming coupons from Kmart last 45 days, right? So would that mean that if I buy Dead Island (coming out Sept. 6), the coupon would expire before I can use it on Battlefield 3 (coming out Oct. 25) since they release 49 days apart?

I've never taken part in a Kmart gaming deal before, so I would appreciate someone giving me the particulars on this.

 

[SPVietBoy]

[quote name='ShockandAww']If you mean War In The North I'm sure they will. It doesn't seem like it's coming out until November now though. It's also got a Collectors Edition listed at gamestop.com for $140 but I don't see why it's so expensive. It must be one well made quiver case...for all your quivers...?[/QUOTE]

lmao, u mean quiver for all ur arrows? haha. i kinda hope they r. not sure if i wanna preorder first tho. hmm...

[quote name='sTaTIx']Gaming coupons from Kmart last 45 days, right? So would that mean that if I buy Dead Island (coming out Sept. 6), the coupon would expire before I can use it on Battlefield 3 (coming out Oct. 25) since they release 49 days apart?

I've never taken part in a Kmart gaming deal before, so I would appreciate someone giving me the particulars on this.[/QUOTE]

yea, its 45 days. however, coupons start working the week after the launch date. so sep 6. it starts working, sep 11. thats when u add on 45 days. so it should work on bf3 but u have like. two days to get it (expires, the 26th?)

 

[DPsycho]

A coupon gained by purchasing Dead Island wouldn't become active until the following Sunday, so if it releases on the 6th, its 45 days will start on the 11th. That puts day 45 on Oct. 25th. You juuuuuust might be able to pull it off.

 

[Miro]

Hey Josh. Seeing that it just turned August, can we expect some price drops soon on older games?

 

[grap3fruitman]

[quote name='Miro']Hey Josh. Seeing that it just turned August, can we expect some price drops soon on older games? [/QUOTE]
I believe Josh said something about no more clearance until the fall due to budget or some such concerns.

 

[Vigilante]

[quote name='DPsycho']A coupon gained by purchasing Dead Island wouldn't become active until the following Sunday, so if it releases on the 6th, its 45 days will start on the 11th. That puts day 45 on Oct. 25th. You juuuuuust might be able to pull it off.[/QUOTE]Actually, coupons are technically active for 41 days (one day short of 6 weeks and expiring on the Saturday of the sixth week after the game's release), so Dead Island's coupon would run 9/11 - 10/22.

I've never seen a coupon that expires on a Tuesday, so unfortunately, I don't think he'll be able to use the coupon on Battlefield 3.

 

[martinez91]

All of my coupons add up date wise, Rocksmith will be eligible for MW3, MW3 deal will be eligible for MK7, and Kid Icarus somewhere in there if it ever comes out... I will probably hold off on the Halo Anniversary until there is a great deal on it, since COD takes up so much time, especially with whatever subscription service there will be that adds to it this year...

 

[Troutyogurt]

I was at kmart yesterday and found Dragon Quest V for $20 when I was looking in a pile of $5 DVDs near the register lol.

 

[BobbyTastic]

[quote name='jer7583'] I wonder if you could like go to best buy and grab a PSN card and then have it activated at kmart? they're probably all the same, right?[/QUOTE]

I'm pretty sure we had some sort of morality debate regarding this in either this thread or KmartGamer 5.0.

Shall we start it up again?

Whatever I was just asking, though I do enjoy the OT banter that gets thrown around here. The forums go dead for periods of time and its nice to talk to people, instead of myself haha.

Also, this. ^ OT stuff is the best.

 

[caponesgun]

I can't preorder that headset as I have amazon credit that automatically applies itself to my next order. It's not a giftcard so I can't cancel it applying.

I'm tempted to order madden to take the credit, preorder the headset and just cancel madden. But I'm not sold on either order yet, I dunno if I buy Madden even with a $20 preorder bonus.

 

[SHC-Gamer]

[quote name='ShockandAww']If you mean War In The North I'm sure they will. It doesn't seem like it's coming out until November now though. It's also got a Collectors Edition listed at gamestop.com for $140 but I don't see why it's so expensive. It must be one well made quiver case...for all your quivers...?[/QUOTE]
My gut is that it doesn't come out this year.