It’s 10:30pm, you’ve got two mates on the way over to play Rock Band, and you’ve nearly snapped your kick pedal in half thanks to the kick fills in Faith No More’s Epic on Expert. If, like me, you’re a little more McGhetto than McGuyver, you’ll scout around the house and find the dregs of a roll of gaffer tape along with a broken chopping board that should have been thrown out months ago. Then you’ll rig up something like this bad boy.

Don’t let the tacky promo material deter you: here is a peripheral that has the potential to deliver a new level of immersion to up-off-the-couch gaming. Digital Imaging company 3DV systems has spent the last two and a half years developing the ZCam - a camera for the PC which tracks motion in three dimensions.

The company claims the device will lend itself to a myriad styles of games. In an eyes-on interview with Reuters, 3DV Chief Executive Zvika Klier controlled an airplane by simply moving his hands from side to side, activating machine-guns and dropping bombs by raising his thumbs . He also demoed a boxing game, swinging in the air to deliver punches and ducking to avoid his opponent’s blows.

The ZCam is said to be ready for mass production in 2008, and should enter the market priced similarly to other gaming peripherals.

via MaxConsole

After two weeks of solid rocking, the yellow drum pad on OXM’s Rock Band drum kit was toast. Despite EA’s generous replacement policy, they decided to take matters into their own hands. If you’ve got the prerequisite skills with a soldering iron, this step-by-step guide looks like a much better solution than waiting for a replacement to arrive (and the only one for importers) - although it won’t help with the issue where multiple rapid hits don’t register on certain pads.

via OXM

If you are sick of your Wii sensor bar being knocked off the top of your TV by your cat, you might be interested in the Blazepro Wireless Sensor Bar. It takes 4 AAA batteries and will work at a distance of 4 metres (13 feet). We aren’t sure how long the batteries will last, but you could just have a rotating set of rechargeables. The Blazepro Wireless Sensor Bar is available from SuccessHK for just US$4.

via Wii News

Both Guitar Hero III and Rock Band are set to receive individually packaged wireless controllers early next year. We have no news on the pricing for the Guitar Hero offering but oddly enough, Rock Band’s PS3 guitar is said to be US$20 more than the 360’s.

via Engadget

Harmonix are keen to keep everyone who bought Rock Band forking over their dough. Their Rock Band Store is chock full of Rock Band merchandise - but the most useful items have to be the cases. The snazzy drum bag will set you back US$49.99 and the guitar bag US$19.99 - but what price can you put on keeping your gear in top working order. Click the above pic for a gallery of the cases, drumsticks and decals.

via Joystiq

The Japanese have gone crazy over the new DS TV tuner. At the mere opportunity to pre-order the tuner, enough people rushed to Nintendo’s site to crash the server. After restarting the server, pre-orders sold out in seconds.

If I worked at Nintendo of Japan, I’d fear for my life if the rumors of a updated DS turn out to be true. I wonder what it would feel like to drown in money?

via Kotaku

We normally wouldn’t report on plastic add-ons for your Wiimote but the Wii Light Sword is just too cool not to. Available now, it makes it just in time for you to get your Lego Star Wars on…and well in advance of Star Wars: The Force Unleashed. The Wii Light Sword is lit by 22 LEDs, takes 3 AA batteries and even has a realistic bottom to top power up. It is currently available from Play.com for £14.99.

via Engadget

Those lucky members of Club Nintendo in Japan could pick up their very own Wii SNES controller come April. Nintendo have no plans to release the controller at retail or outside Japan. Time to do what westerners do best, and kick up a stink on the internet.

via Engadget

Wolfking have must have sent the Warrior Xxtreme off to be raised by pigs - because it sure is ugly. Okay, maybe that’s a bit extreme - but not as extreme as the name. There isn’t really a whole lot more we can say about the device that you can’t tell from looking at the picture. Who knows - maybe it offers the best gaming experience ever achieved, but we will hold our praise till some reviews come in. No word on release date or price yet.

via Engadget