Hi there, you seem to be new here! Here at Dark Diamond we frequently update with news about video games, anime, Japan and other cool stuff. Head on over to our homepage or go ahead and subscribe to get updates! Enjoy!

We here at Dark Diamond (I say that like we have a central office) know that times are tough. With home foreclosures on the rise, stocks hitting an all-time low, companies conducting massive layoffs and soaring gas prices, which are finally receding after reaching an all-time high (averaging over $4.00 a gallon), one would be foolish not to see these as tumultuous times. And now that the holidays are upon us, shoppers must think wisely and spend frugally when shopping for gifts for the perfect gifts their family, friends and loved ones. But fear not consumer, for we are here to help you save some time and some green with Dark Diamond’s Holiday Gift Guide – 2008 Edition.

Now before you hit the jump get comfortable: grab a cup of Egg Nog or hot apple cider, put on Christmas With the Rat Pack and let the 1080P Virtual Fireplace blaze away.

Read more!

It’s Halloween and its an awesome time for geeks gamers and otaku, we get to go all out with our friends, dressing up as obscure characters, going to parties and maybe even getting so intoxicated Mario Party starts to seem like a challenge. But not all of us are so lucky. For the lonely guy (or girl), Halloween can be an unpleasant experience. For you, lonely brother, there’s at least 5 things I can think up that would make your crippling loneliness more bearable today.

Read more!

Well, as most of you probably know the holidays are fast approaching. Still wondering what to get your favorite person? Afraid they have everything? Simply too lazy to decide for yourself? Have no fear, here at Dark Diamond our literal think-tank is always operating beyond capacity, usually resulting in fused brains and/or spontaneous cranial ejection from the tank itself.(If I had a dollar for every editor we lost that way…)

We’ve�come�up�with�a�handy�list�of�gift suggestions,�every�gift�$50�USD or less and all guaranteed to make the Otaku in your life happy or he has awful taste.

Click on through for the full riveting list that is sure to make any anime fan or gamer very happy these holidays!

Read more!

Why this guide, of all times? Because there are other games worth playing apart from Halo 3.

Nine months just fly by so fast. For the gamers, who may have stumbled upon this page by chance, by now you have already “finished The fight” with the Master Chief and tried to pull off an aerial loop 8 out of 10 times on your PS3 Sixaxis controller. For the rest of you, you’re probably bored with Wii Sports and the Greek pantheon-sized library of portable puzzle games and brain trainers on your DSs and PSPs. Regardless, your consoles are gathering the proverbial dust until the next year when the next Final Fantasy, Grand Theft Auto or Metal Gear Solid will come out. Three months of nothing is indeed a long wait.

Fret not, dear wanderers of the world wide web, as I have compiled a list of future must-own titles for all the major consoles the average joe (and the hardcores) would be using in 2007. Yes, the PS2 does count, you next-gen elitist snob. These games will be released in between the month of October up until the Yuletide grasp of December, minus the snow and the occasional fat guy miraculously sliding down chimneys without fear of getting stuck. Not convinced? Here’s a few potential hits to keep you salivating to your mouth’s content:

Mass Effect (Xbox 360)

Release Date: November 28

This hyped-up coming attraction needs no introduction, but just as a refresher: you control a lieutenant in charge of a rag-tag group of humans and aliens as you attempt to save the world from mass planetary genocide from the Geth. With Bioware’s well-known reputation for creating immersive and epic storylines, evident in their take of the Star Wars and Dungeons & Dragons franchise, the space-opera that is Mass Effect boasts a way to change a direction of a conversation with a flick of a thumbstick, meaning you can go from seducing that blue alien hottie, to “kowtowing” her beliefs the next instance. Coupled with life-like graphics and the elements of a tactical first person shooter (FPS) into the combat system, and you will not be disappointed by Bioware’s latest.

Super Mario Galaxy (Nintendo Wii)

Release Date: November 12

Even with the recent E3 announcement on Nintendo making their stand on casual games, they still do care for their hardcore audience in a form of Mario’s latest platforming antics. Our plump and proper plumber now jumps across from planets to planets, which could mean a breakthrough from the medium’s norm. Just like his previous games, you have a plethora of powerups at your disposal, ranging from a Bee Suit which makes him float and fly, to the Ice Suit which lets you tread water easily as well as create blocks of frosty platforms ala Bobby Drake from the X-Men movies. I’m guessing everyone who owns a Wii probably had their calendars marked for this “second coming”.

Rock Band (Xbox 360, PS3, PS2, Wii)

Release Date: November 20

Remember Guitar Freaks and the Taiko Drum series that were abundant in the local and international arcades? Well, Rock Band for both PS3 and Xbox 360 is a combination of the tools used in those games, except you also have a bass guitar and a microphone peripheral in the mix. And instead of playing alone, you can grab three of your friends and jam together to legendary tunes like Black Sabbath’s “Paranoid” and Radiohead’s “Creep”. No actual guitar, bass, drum or mike skills required; anyone and everyone can join in, because this game can make you unleash your inner rock star.

Jump for more titles you need reminding of.
Read more!

Want your grandma to buy you a Wii this next holiday season? We sure do! But what if old granny cant pick apart an ipod from a calculator? Well the wire has come up with a guide to pre-ordering the Wii covering all of the basics in the simplest way possible.

Really quickly, what’s a Wii?

(Pronounced “Wee” not “Why”) For family and friends not familiar with video games, the Wii (pronounced ‘we’) is Nintendo’s next big system coming…

It doesn’t get much more basic than this folks. So head up to The Wiire so you can teach grandma what those thingamajigs are, and why you desperately MUST have one.

[The Wiire]