After Magic: The Gathering having its Pro Tournament in late May, fans of the Yu-Gi-Oh! trading card game will have their chance to duel for gold at the Canadian World Championship Qualifier 2010. Konami Digital Entertainment will be holding this event in the International Centre in Mississauga, Ontario, on June 26 and 27. 

Duelists who have travelled from across Canada will join together for two days of intense competition, with each player hoping to go home with the coveted title of Canadian National Champion and the opportunity to compete at the World Championship event in August.

For Duelists looking for more action beyond the head-to-head preliminary rounds and for those players just learning the game, the Canada World Championship Qualifier will also offer exciting Yu-Gi-Oh! public events on Saturday and Sunday, including Win-A-Mat tournaments, Go For the Gold events, and Attack of the Giant Card. The championship is even encouraging our younger Yu-Gi-Oh! Duelists to come and play, with Dragon Duel tournaments for Duelists aged 12 and under.  The event will also showcase the 2011 Regional Qualifier tournaments on Sunday.

Head on up to the International Centre’s Orion Ballroom (900 Airport Road, Mississauga, Ontario, Canada L4V 1E8) on June 26 for the Last Chance Regional Qualifier, and June 27 for the World Championship Qualifier.

Entry into the Yu-Gi-Oh! TCG World Championship Qualifier 2010 is free for Duelists who have qualified for the event through official KDE Regional Qualifiers or with a top finish at a Shonen Jump Championship or Yu-Gi-Oh! Championship Series event.

Head on over to www.yugioh-card.com for more information.

Xbox 360

Happy Birthday to Xbox 360! That’s right the gaming workhorse is four years old today in US and Canada. Only a few weeks ago we celebrated the Xbox Live service, but now it’s time to celebrate the console that we all love and love to hate.

To celebrate let’s talk about what we love about our 360 and what we can’t stand about our 360. Talk about our experiences over the past four years and why it’s the console we just can’t get enough of. I’ll start….

I remember getting my 360 at the launch party in the desert. I had to tell my job that I couldn’t come in because I was going to be in the desert for 24 hours in order to be one of the first people to buy a 360. I remember it being cold, playing all the new first party titles, and they even had musical acts. But at midnight when Best Buy came through and unloaded those first 360s it was love at first sight. I purchased my 360 and a NBA title. That way Matt and I could jump right into co-op. I remember how heavy that thing was and how I struggled to carry that and various swag from the event. Fast forward to a year ago and that 360 red-ringed. Only a matter of time I guess. So I mailed it out and now the fixed 360 is in our den. Probably one day to go in the bedroom. While that 360 was out, Matt bought an Elite which is what we play all the time now.

We own all the consoles, but I have to say I play my 360 more than most. I am excited to see where Microsoft takes their console and what ideas they have for the future (want to get my hands on Project Natal!). Happy Birthday Xbox and to the Xbox team!

Stardust Overdrive consists of cards from all three television shows, from the original, to GX, to the current 5D’s. Most of the monsters from 5D’s are brand-new releases as well. There are 48 Commons, 20 Rares, 14 Super Rares, and 10 Ultra Rares in the entire set.

Both booster packs have an MSRP of $3.99 per pack and are available in most hobby and card game stores.

Newegg.com is giving US and Canadian students the chance to win over $30,000 in prizes, the grand prize being a $5000 shopping spree from the retailer.

The following is the official press release from Newegg.com:

CITY OF INDUSTRY, Calif., September 29, 2009 – With the cost of tuition, books and room and board on the rise, college students are always looking for creative ways to save money. This September, popular online retailer Newegg is celebrating the scholarly drive to save giving students a fun opportunity to compete in its “Newegg Eggstreme Campus Challenge” video contest. The contest asks participants to submit videos that answer the simple question: “What would YOU do with the money you save by shopping at Newegg?”

Submissions in the Newegg Eggstreme Campus Challenge video contest will be judged by a Newegg panel as well as Newegg.com site visitors, who will have a chance to vote for their favorite videos. Open to residents of both the United States and Canada, the entrant who submits the most creative and entertaining video will have his or her pick of close to 40,000 of the latest and greatest tech, gaming and consumer electronics products Newegg.com has to offer. The Grand Prize winner will receive a $5,000 online shopping spree – providing student winners with an opportunity to transform their dorm room or bedroom into a true “high-tech paradise.” The contest, sponsored  by Flip Video, features additional prizes from top tier manufacturers Canon, Microsoft, Onkyo, Lenovo and MadCatz. Entrants will be able to share their videos with friends online through YouTube, Facebook, MySpace or other social media sites, and winning submissions will be posted on the Newegg.com website.

Bernard Luthi, Newegg’s vice president of marketing and merchandising, noted: “Young people and students are among our most loyal and engaged customers at Newegg. We are really looking forward to the fun and creative submissions we expect to receive in this back-to-school contest. Best of all, we hope to call attention to all the great savings and products available on our site, which can be a real asset to parents and students alike!”

Newegg has been a powerful force in community-driven online video competitions. The e-tailer’s Eggstreme Campus Challenge follows its hugely successful 2008 video contest, where fans around the country produced and submitted their own 30-60 second commercials as genuine testimonials of Newegg’s fast shipping, vast product selection and customer satisfaction. The winner, a graduate of California State University, had the opportunity to showcase his talent before hundreds of thousands of viewers in a nationwide TV campaign launched by Newegg.

Newegg.com and Newegg.ca offer a broad and varied selection of products at prices that cater to every budget, with special daily deals and tools that help shoppers make educated buying decisions. Among the site’s many advantages are: useful product suggestions, links to manufacturer websites, over 1.5 million informative customer product reviews, and flexible payment options. Newegg was ranked # 1 in customer satisfaction among online retailers by the 2009 American Customer Satisfaction Index from the University of Michigan and ForeSee Results.

Newegg offers savings that are sure to get students talking about what a difference saving money makes and how Newegg is making online shopping an overall better experience. More details, including contest rules and information, will be available at www.newegg.com/eggstreme, www.newegg.ca/eggstremeand the company’s various social media networks beginning September 25.

About Newegg.com
Newegg.com Inc. is the second-largest online-only retailer in the United States. Founded in 2001, Newegg has more than 12 million registered users and regularly earns industry-leading customer service ratings. The award-winning website, www.newegg.com, offers customers a comprehensive selection of the latest high-tech products, detailed product descriptions and images, as well as how-to information and customer reviews. Using the site’s online tech community, customers have the opportunity to interact with other computer, gaming and consumer electronics enthusiasts. Newegg.com Inc. is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Newegg Inc. and is headquartered in City of Industry, California.

It’s been about a year since the PSN (Playstation Network) cards became available in the US. In that time, I have waited ever so impatiently for them to figure out how to bring the cards to Canada. I don’t like using my credit card to purchase points or Xbox Live time, and I am a huge fan of the pre-paid card.

Well, a little birdy had informed me the PSN cards were finally on their way. And today while I was visiting at EB Games, they arrived! PSN cards are available in either $20 or $50 increments (same as our US neighbours).

I'm so happy!!

The first game I bought today was Q-Bert! Holding off now for Fat Princess because that game looks awesome!

You can find me on the PSN: Yuki-Hime

The 1 vs 100 beta will go live for the US on June 1. The game is already in beta for Canada and will remain in beta for them as well. The first “1 vs 100 Live” show of the U.S. and Canadian Beta will air at 7:30 PM PDT on June 1.

“1 vs 100” on Xbox LIVE puts YOU center stage and features regularly scheduled shows, our live studio host, Chris Cashman who provides comedic commentary, real prizes(1), and always-fresh content written by a team of trivia experts. ”

Of course it goes live during E3. We’ll be busy, but try it out and let us know in the forums what you think of 1 vs 100!

Canadian Xbox gamers don’t get to participate in all the contests and sometimes I’m sure they feel left out. Well Xbox is making them feel special with a beta of 1 vs 100 exclusively for Canada gamers. The beta runs from May 8, 2009 to May 24, 2009.

Every eligible player in the beta will receive entries into the Canadian Beta 1vs 100 Sweepstakes to win actual real prizes. You can read about the prizes here.

1 vs 100 won’t be launched until Spring of 2009 in North America and Europe.You can find the FAQ here and information on how to sign up.