Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock Wireless Guitar Controllers

Activision, Inc. today announced that standalone wireless guitar controllers for Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock will be available at retail stores nationwide by early 2008.

Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock lets fans thrash and burn with new wireless guitar controllers available for each platform, including exclusive Gibson Guitar's Les Paul model for the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, Wii home video game system from Nintendo, and PLAYSTATION 3 computer entertainment system. PlayStation 2 gamers will also get to shred on an exclusive shape, Gibson's Kramer guitar, popularized by hard rockers and known for its body design, pickups, electronics and construction for furious finger fretting.

Wii-kly Update: Three New Classic Games Added To Wii Shop Channel

Let's hope you all survived the long holiday weekend. With all the eating, traveling and family fun, isn't it time to do something just for you? So take a few minutes and do a little shopping from the comfort of your couch, away from the chaos of the malls. This week you can get into a game of hoops, do a little faux gambling or head out to sea with your favorite dolphin friend.

Three new classic games go live at 9 a.m. Pacific time. Nintendo adds new games to the Wii™ Shop Channel every Monday. Wii owners with a high-speed Internet connection can redeem Wii Points™ to download the games. Wii Points can be purchased in the Wii Shop Channel or at retail outlets. This week's new games are:

DOUBLE DRIBBLE™ (NES®, 1-2 players, rated E for Everyone, 500 Wii Points): DOUBLE DRIBBLE, the first 5-on-5, full-court home basketball game, is pure hoops action at its finest. While still a surprisingly accurate basketball game for its time, the frantic action keeps you on your toes as your players run from one end of the court to the other. Choose from a handful of teams and multiple levels of difficulty as you take on the computer alone or challenge a friend and see who has the better skills. Take the ball and sink shots from locations all over the court, or get in your opponent's face and do your best to block the shot. Better yet, drive the lane and rock the rim to see one of the game's trademark slam-dunk cut scenes. He shoots, he scores!

Vegas Stakes™ (Super NES®, 1-4 players, rated E for Everyone – Simulated Gambling, 800 Wii Points): Feel like taking a road trip to Las Vegas? Let your inner high roller go wild as you try your luck at five different games-blackjack, slots, poker, craps and roulette. Start with only $1,000 in your pocket and play your way through five casinos, each with a different theme and varying limits. But no one wants to gamble alone, right? Not a problem, as you'll be able to choose one of four friends to tag along and offer advice when you need it. Further enhancing the experience is the fact that you'll be presented with a slew of interactions with random casino patrons. Best be careful, though-your choices in these situations could either get you closer to the millions of dollars you're after or cost you a pile of that hard-earned cash. Roll the dice, spin the wheel, hit or stand-do whatever it takes to stake your claim in Vegas and beat the house!

Ecco Jr.™ (Sega Genesis, 1 player, rated E for Everyone, 800 Wii Points): The aquatic adventures of Ecco come to life for a younger generation of gamers. Perfect for kids, Ecco Jr. finds our young hero heading out to sea with a variety of tasks he must perform in order to get there. Along with his friends Tara the baby orca and Kitnee the young Atlantic dolphin, Ecco Jr. will interact with sea lions, sea horses and other aquatic life as he makes his journey to the Big Blue. Introduce your kids to the classic series of Ecco the Dolphin titles by downloading Ecco Jr. today.

For more information about Wii, please visit wii.com.

Earn £10 playing football game

United Football is looking for 50 sporty European gamers!

Want to earn £10 playing football? Staggan Interactive, the developer of the multiplayer online game United Football, are looking for 50 European gamers to help in the next phase of development. United Football is a free, fun to play 5-a-side soccer game. It’s the first online multiplayer soccer game where gamers can play in teams consisting entirely of other online human players and boasts a unique control system and viewpoint that puts the gamer right in the action.

If you have a couple of hours to spare, are English speaking and aged over 14 send an email to playtest@staggan.com with the words “Tell Me More” as the subject.

WWII Battle Tanks: T-34 vs. Tiger

Leading Publisher Lighthouse Interactive is proud to announce that it has acquired the PAN European publishing rights to Russian Publisher IDDK and Russian developer G5's highly anticipated simulation game ‘WWII Battle Tanks: T-34 vs Tiger’. Scheduled to release in Q1 2008 on the PC, this highly realistic WW2 Tank simulation game will allow players to experience the power of some of the most advanced weaponry of its time and battle the enemy head on during some of the most critical campaigns of World War 2.

Steve Wall, Vice President Business Development for Lighthouse Interactive said: “We are very excited to be publishing ‘WWII Battle Tanks: T-34 vs. Tiger’ throughout Europe. This is truly the most immersive World War 2 tank simulation available to date.” He went on to say, “The development team has created something special with their attention to detail in all aspects of the game. The combination of gorgeous graphics, realistic physics models, interactive environments and deep and engrossing gameplay is sure to satisfy the most ardent gamer.”

Dmitry Demenchoock Head of Games for IDDK said “Our developer G5 Software, ourselves, our volunteer testers and consultants from around the world have put a tremendous amount of effort and passion into creating ‘WWII Battle Tanks: T-34 vs. Tiger’. A game of this kind requires specialized publishing and promotion abilities from a publisher. Experience, professionalism and real passion for the game are what is required. This describes Lighthouse Interactive perfectly and is why we think that Lighthouse Interactive was the ideal choice for us and we are pleased to be working with them.”

Game summary

The tank simulation ‘WWII Battle Tanks: T-34 vs. Tiger’ takes place in Belarus during the summer of 1944, in which the Soviet Union launched “Operation Bagration”, the Belarusian offensive, against the retreating German Wehrmacht. After Kursk, this was the most significant struggle of the two tank armies and resulted in the complete destruction of the German Army Group Center and the Soviet recapture of all territories within their 1941 borders.

The player can experience the battlefield from within the Russian T-34 and the German “Tiger”, with fully animated 3D interiors and playable Driver, Gunner and Commander positions. The tanks’ dynamics include realistic physics, accurate ballistics and elaborate damage models. Interior models feature historically accurate gun-sight optics.

The vast Belarusian landscape of the early 20th century, with its rolling hills, villages and large forests was carefully recreated from historical reference photos and maps. The rich battlefield environment includes AI controlled Russian and German tanks, infantry, armored-personnel-carriers, anti-tank-guns and airplanes.

Stunning special effects, such as explosions, fires and smoke, the ability to completely destroy vehicles and buildings, all combine to create a lifelike combat environment. The action can be viewed from various camera angles in first or third person view.

‘WWII Battle Tanks: T-34 vs. Tiger’ includes two single-player campaigns and two multiplayer modes (skirmish and team-play) for LAN and Internet play for up to 16 players.

Features

• German and Russian Campaign missions are based on “Operation Bagration”, the codename for the Soviet Belarusian Offensive during World War II.
• Playable tanks: The Russian T-34/85 and the German Sd.Kfz. 181 "Tiger" Ausf. E.
• Control your tank from fully modelled and animated 3D positions. (driver, gunner and commander).
• “Napalm Engine” 3D technology allows for impressive effects, such as dynamic shadows, self shading, bump mapping, specular maps, glow and bloom.
• Stunning graphics and huge realistic landscapes to explore.
• Interactive environment with various levels of destruction: Buildings, trees and vehicles can be damaged or destroyed by cannon, MG fire or ramming attacks.
• AI controlled vehicles include: T-34/85, T-34/76, Tiger, Sk.Kfz.251, M3A1,ZIS-5, Opel Blitz, ZIS-3, Pak. 40, IL-2, FW-190.
• Multiplayer options include: LAN and Internet play for up to 16 players; Two multiplayer modes: Skirmish and TeamPlay.
• The game is GameSpy Arcade ready for online multi-player sessions and uses DirectPlay TM technology for direct IP multi-player connections via LAN and Internet.
• “TrackIR TM” support immerses the player in hands-free first person views for all available crew positions.

Unleash Your Inner Russian Farmer

The hero in the game isn't a warrior who blasts away bad guys with a super powerful arsenal of weapons. Instead, Iv@nich wears a plain apron and relies on his hens instead of a pistol.

Tula, Russia - November 26, 2007: Blagotek today announces the immediate availability of "Farmer Iv@nich - Eggs Lord", a new computer game that lets you unleash your inner farmer.
You assume the role of Iv@nich, a Russian farmer geek who bred a new kind of hens that lay eggs faster than sound. The eggs come so fast that the farmer is having a hard time collecting them! Things would be easier if it were not for the annoying cock. The cock is not pleased at the farmer's success and does everything to stop his progress.

The goal of the game is to help Iv@nich become the eggs lord. Collect the eggs until all the baskets are full. When a basket is full of eggs, it disappears. The faster you collect, the more points you score and the more chances you have to win the level. But if you take too long and do not collect the eggs in time, the level is lost and you have to start all over again.

While collecting eggs may not sound as exciting as blasting away bad guys with a super powerful arsenal of weapons, you'd be surprised at how challenging it is. Advancing in your career, you'll go through 33 difficult levels. Besides, there the angry cock! It'll try to attack you if you do not shake a leg and run away. And do not step on the baskets because if you do step or the cock bites you, the eggs multiple and you are not likely to collect them in time.

"Farmer Iv@nich - Eggs Lord" features outstanding graphics that complement the gameplay.

Try your hand at collecting eggs. It's fresh and fun to play!

Download the trial from http://www.blagotek.com/download/IvanichSetup.exe

Farmer Iv@nich: Eggs Lord – worst game ever or decent hoax?

Russia’s Blagotek provides the answer to violent computer games with a game that makes 3D Monster Maze look like Crysis...

With meat-spraying killfests such as Manhunt 2 being refused classification in the UK, and Clive Barker’s Jericho receiving similar treatment in Germany, violence in computer games is a hot topic at the moment. However, Russia’s Blagotek supposedly has an answer to the latest trend in butcher battles in the form of Farmer Iv@nich – Eggs Lord, a family-friendly game that’s all about collecting eggs, and there’s not an Uzi or a BFG in sight.

The company’s website paints a dismal, but humorously worded, picture of the gaming scene today. ‘Today the video game market is flooded with shooters and monsters,’ says Blagotek, with ‘lots of blood and tons of meat – that’s what many gamers like today. But these games are played by our children!’ The answer, we’re led to believe, is to get your kids playing Farmer Iv@nich – Eggs Lord instead.

We’ve had a play on the demo and we can safely say that the game is one of the worst things we’ve ever seen. For a start, Blagotek says that ‘Farmer Iv@nich - Eggs Lord’ features outstanding graphics that complement the gameplay.’ Now, no one expects a game about collecting eggs to rival Crysis in the graphics stakes, but you might at least expect the game to be fun to play. For example, you don’t expect to have to restart from the beginning of the game if you step on a basket. What’s in these booby-trapped baskets exactly, or are you not allowed to tell us because they might be full of something bad like bombs?

Still, the music is comically bouncy, and there’s also some good fun to be had in the pigeon English. In the game, you have a counter of ‘catched eggs’ rather than ‘caught eggs,’ but the game’s press release is also a good read, particularly the parts about your nemesis - the farm’s cockerel. ‘Besides, there the angry cock!’ says Blagotek, ‘it'll try to attack you if you do not shake a leg and run away. And do not step on the baskets because if you do step or the cock bites you, the eggs multiple and you are not likely to collect them in time.’

The game costs 12.75 Euros, but you can download the free demo, complete with ‘catched eggs’ here. Let’s hope that Blagotek has some better ideas in the works, as we’re sure it wouldn’t want to put all its eggs in one basket. (See what we’ve done there?)

Check out our video of the gameplay below. Is this terrible game for real, or is it just an elaborate wind-up?

Play Dekaron Free

The winning MMORPG is coming to Europe on GameTribe!

GameTribe is proud to announce the acquisition of the European licence for the greatly awaited free to play MMORPG game: Dekaron.

The agreement was signed by GameTribe and GameHi, developers of the game, to offer the localized version of the game to all European players.

Dekaron is a fusion-fantasy 3D MMORPG set in a violent, Middle Ages based scenery. Its realistic environment and explosive adventure make this extraordinary game much like watching a fast-paced action movie. You must journey into this magical world with hundreds of other adventurers and explore perilous dungeons and fantastical cities in the world of Trieste.

No mercy for the weak: Dekaron is pure survival!

The game already has localized versions for the Korean, Japanese, Taiwanese and Chinese markets. The English version dedicated to the North American market by Acclaim is presently in its Open Beta phase under the name of 2Moons.

First details:
European Closed beta: this phase will start in Early 2008
European servers and services will be dedicated to European players in order to deliver the most enjoyable and involving experience.

It’s now time for EU gamers to get ready to play Dekaron: the Closed Beta version will be available on GameTribe.com in a few months, so hurry up to register and do not miss your chance!
Stay tuned on www.gametribe.com for further updates.

FIFA, EA AND PLAYSTATION HEAT UP SEARCH FOR BEST VIRTUAL FOOTBALLER IN FIFA INTERACTIVE WORLD CUP

Ronaldinho invites fans to register and compete in global interactive football competition
Chertsey, UK, 26 Nov 2007 – The virtual football season is heating up as gamers and football fans around the world are getting ready for the next stage of the FIFA Interactive World Cup. Since the launch of FIFA 08 last month, over 10,000 players from 25 countries and five continents have started battling for top position on the leader board in the online part of the competition via PLAYSTATION Network. This month, the first live qualifying events have kicked off in Denmark, the Netherlands, Hungary and will move on to Korea, Portugal and a total of over 20 locations across the world over the next five months in search for the world’s best interactive footballer.

“The FIFA Interactive World Cup is a fantastic opportunity for all football fans to show off their skills and passion for the sport with FIFA 08,” said Ronaldinho. “It is a great tournament in which you have to train and work hard to succeed – just like in real football, so I invite all fans to register and enjoy this party of interactive football.”

On the 24th of May 2008, the 32 finalists will travel to Berlin from the four corners of the world to compete at the Sony Centre for the ultimate title of FIFA Interactive World Player 2008. The winner will receive an invitation to the FIFA World Player Gala 2008 and a cash prize of USD 20,000. The first players to have qualified for the Grand Final are 15 year old Christian Lønhart from Bagsværd in Copenhagen and Roland Császár (17) from Budapest. The Dutch qualifying event was won by last year’s FIFA Interactive World Cup winner Andries Smit (18) from The Hague, Netherlands who secured his spot in the Grand Final for the second time in a row following a tense qualifying match yesterday.

Players who think they have what it takes to become one of the 32 finalists can register for the online qualification modus or find out about a qualifying event near them at www.FIFA.com/FIWC.
The FIFA Interactive World Cup is the world’s only officially FIFA sanctioned global football gaming competition with presenting partners EA and PlayStation. Participants from around the world compete with EA’s FIFA 08 on PLAYSTATION 3 (PS3). This year, players can participate at one of more than 20 physical FIWC 08 Qualifier Events across the globe or online via the PLAYSTATION Network in over 25 countries.

For official terms and conditions of the FIFA Interactive World Cup, visit: http://www.fifa.com/interactiveworldcup/organisation/documents/index.html

Zoë Mode announces Dancing with the Stars for Activision

Zoë Mode is pleased to announce the development of ‘Dancing with the Stars’ for PlayStation 2 and Nintendo Wii to be published by Activision. Released in North America on 23rd October 2007, ‘Dancing with the Stars’ challenges players to take to the dance floor with 18 celebrity and professional dancers from the hit ABC television show. The PlayStation 2 version supports a dance-mat while the Nintendo Wii version utilizes the Wii Remote and Nunchuk.

Zoë Mode Studio Head, Ed Daly comments:

"The studio's strategy is to develop games that appeal to new audiences, music and party games are a key focus for Zoë Mode. ‘Dancing with the Stars™’ is a massive success in the US and the game will appeal to dance game devotees and fans of the show who want to get off the couch. We are delighted to be working with one of the world’s biggest publishers: Activision has proven to be a great partner in our joint vision for creating a refreshing approach to dancing on the PlayStation2 and Wii”

Unique to its genre, ‘Dancing with the Stars™’ features 10 different dancing styles for the player to master, from the Cha Cha, Mambo and Rumba to the Foxtrot and Waltz each dance style provides a unique challenge for the player, and in the two-player game, their partner. Len Goodman, Carrie Ann Inaba and Bruno Tonioli are on hand to dish out the criticism of the players' performance while multiplayer options allow players to dance together as a couple or challenge each other in a head-to-head dance off.

Shopto confirms its position as a leading online retailer

Shopto.com is proud to announce record traffic figures for its online retail store in October 2007, with November expected to bring further growth. As such, the site is benefiting from its most successful period to date.

Between the 1st and 31st of October 2007, Shopto.com received more than 300,000 unique visitors, all searching for the best prices and the biggest deals. Between them, these visitors generated over 9 million page impressions, comparing favourably with videogames portals such as totalvideogames.com, computerandvideogames.com, eurogamer.net and videogamer.com.

November has already seen a dramatic increase, with traffic up over 32%, putting shopto on course to break the 500,000 unique user mark by the end of the month. Complimenting the sharp increase in users, page impressions are also up 40%, with an expected 12 million pages to be served before the end of November.

“The Christmas period is always a busy time of year for retail, and shopto’s market leading prices and renowned customer service is really starting to hit home within the gaming community,” commented Igor Cipolletta, Chief Operating Officer of shopto.com. “We’re geared up for our biggest period yet, and with some of the best deals on hardware and software in the UK, we’re proud to offer our unrivalled service as one of the leading names in online retail.”

www.Shopto.com has hundreds of deals online right now, including a Nintendo Wii console, with Wii Sports, Super Mario Galaxy, Metroid Prime 3: Corruption and Prince of Persia: Rival Swords retailing for an unbeatable price of £279.99. Also on offer is the HDMI enabled Xbox 360 Premium pack, including a copy of Crackdown for just £214.99 and the newly released 40GB PS3 for £279.99. These bundles are not exhaustive, and Shopto.com strives to always offer the best deal for the consumer, offering them the choice and affordability they require.

Warhawk downloadable pack coming to PLAYSTATION Network this December

Announcing Operation: Omega Dawn

Get a brand new map and a new aircraft: the awesome KT-424 Combat Dropship. All this in one download from PLAYSTATION Network

The battle began this August when Warhawk went online on PLAYSTATION Network (PSN). Since then, the fighting has spanned the globe as PLAYSTATION 3 (PS3) gamers of all nationalities battle for supremacy in this world of multiplayer military confrontation. Whether you’re fending for yourself or enlisting in a team of Eucadian or Chernovan forces to wage war on foot, at the controls of a tank or from the cockpit of the fearsome Warhawk, there’s non-stop action ahead in Warhawk – and it’s about to get even better with the PSN release of Operation: Omega Dawn, the first downloadable Warhawk expansion pack exclusively available from PLAYSTATION Store. Operation: Omega Dawn delivers a new gameplay experience that expands the title’s strategic gameplay elements by offering a new world to explore and introducing a unique aircraft to the Warhawk universe: the awesome KT-424 Combat Dropship.

With Operation: Omega Dawn, the war between the Eucadians and the Chernovans forces continues as the two countries fight to control the high-tech facilities of a critical new battlefield – the Omega Factory. The battle takes place in an entirely new world - an industrial night-time setting where players will fight through five new layouts of advanced building complexes and huge industrial towers. The new map supports all existing game modes – including Team Deathmatch, Zone Mode and Capture the Flag – and is the largest combat zone to date for Warhawk!

But that’s not all; no new battlefield would be complete without a new piece of kit, and Operation: Omega Dawn comes complete with a serious toy which will enhance the already intense Warhawk experience: the KT-424 Combat Dropship. You’ll activate the vehicle once you gain control of one of the many weapons factories on the world; once you have it, you’re in charge of an advanced aircraft capable of carrying seven soldiers and a ground vehicle at once. The KT-424 Combat Dropship transports 1 pilot, 6 soldiers and 1 ground vehicle; and features a deadly new weapon – the MBEC-3 Heavy Support Cannon. You’ll have loads of opportunity to take full advantage of the new KT-424 Combat Dropship because the new world is full of vertical gameplay which integrates ship decks, raised platforms, and factory rooftops accessible only by airborne deployment.

Are you ready for Operation: Omega Dawn? Only the fiercest, most visionary and most disciplined teams of soldiers can hope to carry the day. We’ll see you there – locked and loaded - on PSN this December.

Operation: Omega Dawn pack features:

Set at night for added impact and tension, the Operation: Omega Dawn pack for Warhawk™ features an enhanced level of teamwork, tactics and coordinated aerial assaults with the new KT-424 Combat Dropship.

Omega Factory battlefield includes 5 new map layouts featuring advanced building complexes and huge industrial towers.
KT-424 Combat Dropship transports 1 pilot, 6 soldiers and 1 ground vehicle; and features a deadly new weapon – the MBEC-3 Heavy Support Cannon.

The 5 large layouts from the original battlefields have been modified to include the KT-424 Combat Dropship.
All this in one single download from PLAYSTATION Network this December

Universe at War: Earth Assault Breaks Out at iGames

Exclusive Launch Party, Showcase, at Select iGames Member Centers Across North America to Celebrate Release of Combat-Intensive RTS


One-Day Launch Party, December 8th; Two-Week Showcase, December 10th-23rd

WHAT:

Leading game center organization iGames will host a series of special events to celebrate the release of Universe at War™: Earth Assault, SEGA’s eagerly anticipated combat-intensive RTS.

WHEN:

The first event will be a one-day launch party, Saturday, December 8th, complete with informal skirmishes with gamers across North America, followed by an expanded showcase, December 10th-23rd, allowing real-time strategy fans one free hour over a two week period to experience the game first-hand.

WHERE:

• Launch Party: 50 select iGames member centers across the US and Canada.
• Showcase: 100 additional iGames member centers.


ABOUT THE GAME:

Developed by Petroglyph, this combat-intensive Real-Time-Strategy (RTS) game enlists players in an epic struggle to prevent total alien domination of planet Earth. Set in the near-future Universe at War: Earth Assault features three distinct factions that have traveled across the galaxy to wage epic warfare on Earth. With customization options never seen before in the RTS genre, Universe at War: Earth Assault will create an exceptional strategy game experience for PC gamers.

Key amongst Universe at War: Earth Assault innovations is “Tactical Dynamics,” a system that allows players to retrain and customize their units in real-time on the battlefield. During the immense battles, “Tactical Dynamics” will allow your faction to overwhelm enemy forces and exploit tactical situations. Weaponry and defenses can be modified in true real-time to take advantage of the constantly shifting battlefield while fully customizable tech trees will allow players to constantly amend the development of technologies that they deem key to victory.

Battles in Universe at War: Earth Assault will also feature deformable terrain that will bear the scars of the huge clashes taking place. Deadly sci-fi weapons and alien powers will allow players to destroy whole cities and territories on a global scale, while the persistent world of Universe at War: Earth Assault will mean players can revisit previous battlegrounds to find them still smoldering in ruins.

Universe at War: Earth Assault further innovates through offering new multiplayer modes inspired by popular MMOs and other online games. Players will earn achievements, rewards, and medals in a finely balanced environment that leads into a persistent online campaign for ultimate faction supremacy across a virtual representation of the Earth.

Universe at War™: Earth Assault is rated “T” for “Teen” by the ESRB and carries an MSRP of $49.95.

Official website

Angels Online: Game Feature Preview

Angels Online (http://ao.igg.com/), the new MMORPG from IGG (www.igg.com) has been anxiously anticipated by tons of players since it was first announced. Today the AO team is going to give players a sneak preview of some of the game features.

◆Various Skill Combinations and a Flexible Class System
Angels Online will offer players nearly 40 Class Skills and hundreds of spells, which will definitely allow their players to pursue their ideal classes. They will have different class titles if they adopt different special skill combinations. In addition, there are hundreds of thousands of items and weapons, and a complete Paper Moppet System, so players have tons of things to do in game.

◆Creative Robot System
Players will also see cute robots in Angels Online. These special robots can not only benefit their collection, but also can help them to fight against loathsome monsters. The fat cat and the doggie robots are very eye-catching and unique, and, in addition, there are cute penguin robots and teddy bear robots.　If players like cute characters, they shouldn’t miss the special Robot System.　

◆Fight for the Totem
A totem in game is not just a status symbol. A guild which owns a totem is the host of a corresponding territory, and can monopolize the resources there. Those players who have good performance during a battle will be offered various equipment and awarded all kinds of titles, which will give players a strong sense of achievement. Additionally, players can upgrade their totem to make it more powerful, so obtaining a totem will mean a lot to a guild.

◆Mounts, Pets, and Mini-Games Let You Have Fun
Players can ride various cute animals such as turtles, little pigs, horses, and big lizards to wander around the fascinating world. During battle, their pets can not only help them to fight against monsters, but also can level up and become more and more powerful. Additionally, players can play some mini-games in Angels Online such as 5 in a Row!, Bingo and Sikitcha when they are tired of killing monsters.

Gordon Brown Turns To 'Democracy' For Helpful Hints

BRING THE TROOPS HOME FOR CHRISTMAS? INJECT A SPENDING BOOST FOR BIRD FLU PREVENTION?

Following consultation with his ally in the US, the UK’s Prime Minister has turned to Democracy, a political strategy game for PC for some ‘serious’ inspiration.

With mounting pressure from the back benchers to review unpopular policy, the PM needs to carefully assess political strategy to gain the largest share of the vote to stay in power. But you won’t be able to keep everyone happy all of the time, so tread cautiously as popular policy may not be in the best interests of the country.

With an unpopular war being waged in the East and financial meltdown coming from the sub prime markets in the West, the UK government needs to take a firm and steady stance to appeal to the mass vote and win through. Tough political decisions lie ahead…

Do you withdraw British troops from Iraq to gain approval from the masses back home but expose the world to the increasing threat of terrorism? Do you maintain the unpopular increase in interest rates to safe guard from recession or opt for the more popular cut in interest rates and risk increasing the level of consumer debt in the UK? Winter bird flu is back on the agenda – do health services need a boost?

Up for the job?

Democracy is a political strategy game on PC from Ascaron Entertainment. It enables players to take control of countries modelled on real democratic nations such as the UK, USA, France, Germany or Sweden. As Prime Minister or President, players need 50% of the vote at each election in order to remain in power. Think strategically to secure position for as long as possible – implement controversial new policies and solve national crises to placate or rile voters.

Shoot And Shake With Saitek's New Cyborg Rumble Pad

FULLY CUSTOMISABLE PC GAMEPAD OFFERING CYBORG MODULE, PRECISION MODE AND UNIQUE FPS BUTTON

Saitek, a leading designer and manufacturer of consumer gaming products for PC, has announced the launch of its Cyborg Rumble Pad. The Cyborg Rumble Pad is a high end PC gamepad with a number of unique features that allow users to fully personalise and customise the controls to improve their gaming experience.

The Cyborg gamepad features the unique new Cyborg module, which can be unclipped from the pad and turned through 180 degrees to reverse the configuration of the left stick and d-pad. This dual configuration makes the gamepad perfect for both diehard PC gamers and those who’ve only recently come to PC games from consoles.

As well as the Cyborg module, the Cyborg Rumble pad features an FPS button which automatically sets up the pad's controls for typical commands found in most current FPS genre games, and the new Precision mode – a first in PC gamepad design. Precision Mode decreases the sensitivity of the pad’s left or right sticks to make aiming weapons easier and more accurate.

With its unique innovations and stylish design the new Cyborg Rumble pad takes gaming performance to new levels, improving control, heightening the senses and helping gamers realise their true potential.

Saitek’s new Cyborg range is designed specifically for serious gamers who demand the best equipment to help them win. Enthusiastic gamers will play intensely for long periods of time and need peripherals that not only offer outstanding comfort, but high precision and absolute control.

Cyborg Rumble Pad - Fast facts:

· Cyborg Module - A unique adjustable module that can be turned through 180 degrees, reversing the left stick and d-pad to suit gamers who prefer PC- or console-style pad configurations.

· FPS Button - This instantly programmes the pad with the keyboard and mouse commands often used in first person shooter games.

· Precision Button – The gamer can configure any button on the gamepad to engage Precision Mode. Precision Mode allows the gamer to select a button(s) or stick(s) on the pad which, when activated, will decrease the sensitivity of the Cyborg Rumble pad’s left or right sticks - useful when trying to aim a very sensitive rifle with a telescopic sight over long ranges.

· X-Mode – Checking a box in the game controller settings changes the pad’s mode from Classic to X Mode. In the default Classic mode, the two shoulder buttons act as buttons, and the triggers act as buttons or axes. In X mode, the two shoulder buttons continue to act as buttons but the two triggers now function only as analogue axes, allowing the trigger to control a range of movements. This mode emulates the set-up of XBox™ controllers.

The controller setup includes:
2 quick fire triggers
2 analogue triggers
8 way d-pad
6 responsive buttons
2 analogue joysticks

The Cyborg Rumble pad is fully programmable with SST programming software, making it suitable for any game genre.

Limited Edition Squad Command Themed PSP Console to be won

To celebrate the launch of the new handheld strategy game Warhammer 40,000: Squad Command on Sony PSP tomorrow, THQ in conjunction with Games Workshop and a team of professional modelers has created a limited set of six exclusive Squad Command themed PSP consoles.

Only one of these incredible custom PSP’s is bound for the UK – to be in with a chance of winning this awe-inspiring bit of kit, enter our exclusive competition on THQ-Games.com – we’ve got copies of the game for runners up too.

Warhammer 40,000: Squad Command brings intense, strategic combat to handheld consoles.

In the grim darkness of the 41st Millennium, the daemonic forces of Chaos clash with the Imperium’s finest - the Space Marines. Command your elite squad of Ultramarines, equip them with over 20 ranged and close combat weapons, and pit them against the might of the World Bearers in turn-based tactical combat across fully destructible 3D battlefields.

Wage war through 15 single-player missions, or battle your friends and foes over nine brutal multiplayer maps, and engage in epic conflicts between 2-8 players.

Supporting a host of options, including game sharing, local wireless and full online play supported by online leaderboards, Squad Command offers hours of gameplay and one of the most complete multiplayer packages on handheld.

The PSP version of Warhammer 40,000: Squad Command, complete with glorious 3D graphics and hi-res cinematics hits stores tomorrow!

SNOWBALL WARS! - download

Play Snowball Wars, the snowballin' action game, anytime with our free download!

Click and drag kids from your team into position, and practice your snow skills.

Game objectives
You control the three red kids. The game starts out as a three vs three battle, but as you increase in level, the blue kids increase in number. Click and drag one of your kids into position so that you can get a good shot on the other team. Hold down the left mouse button to make your power meter go up. The more you fill up your power meter, the farther and harder your kid will throw. If a kid gets hit, but not too hard, he will be stunned. He'll stand there shaking, and will be temporarily unable to move or throw. If a kid gets hit hard enough, he'll fall down, and won't get up again until the next level. Knock down everyone on the blue team before they get you!

Download it here

Or

Play online here

Crayon Physics Deluxe - PC game

Crayon Physics Deluxe is a sequel to the popular freeware game Crayon Physics. Or you can think of it as the game I would have created if I would have had more than 7 days to do it. Way more than 7 days. More like 7 months or 17 months.

Anyway Crayon Physics Deluxe is a 2D physics puzzle game, in which you get to experience what it would be like if your drawings would be magically transformed into real physical objects. Solve puzzles with your artistic vision and creative use of physics.

The game features:

Greatly improved physics (you can draw what ever you want)
Huge number of new levels
Easy to use level editor
You can read more about the game from my blog. Also you can test the original prototype which is freely available. But please understand that the prototype isn’t a demo version of this game and doesn’t reflect the quality of Crayon Physics Deluxe.

Visit the site here

Painting without numbers on Nintendo DS

Ever dreamed of painting like Picasso? Van Gogh? Michelangelo? Maybe even Da Vinci. Well here's your chance. Introducing Paint by DS, a new "non-game" on the DS by Mercury Games and Ertain's series on the Nintendo DS.

This game explores a very young concept in gaming: non-violent and non-competitive. In fact, it aims to help the gamer relax. Using the stylus, the player mixes oil and water-based paints to emulate the colours and consistencies of real paint, then paints the colors unto the canvas. This game offers a palette of 15 colouring challenges with a dash of mini games based on the works of famous artists.

The developers created this game aimed for the DS owners who need to relax and tone down once in a while. Paint by DS is the first of their Zen series.

Limited editions will be sold with a paint set or a paint book. It will be released in Europe this August 24, priced at £ 19.99 / € 24.99. The US will Paint by DS themselves later this year.

Best Buy Black Friday offers - Resident Evil 4, others for US$ 19.99 each

The United States celebrated Black Friday once again and retail chain Best Buy had something in store for Nintendo Wii owners.

For those who aren't from the States, this is an unofficial shopping event where shops open early and sell items for discounted prices.

Anyway, Best Buy has decided to put a total of four different Nintendo Wii video games in the bargain basket for this event namely Resident Evil 4, Sonic and the Secret Rings, Brunswick Pro Bowling, Rapala Tournament Fishing. Each video game can be purchased for just US$ 19.99.

Take note that while each Best Buy store will carry a minimum number of 10 copies per title, a customer is only entitled to one purchase and no rain checks will be allowed.

Crazy games commercials...

Watch the video here

God Hand

The last title Clover Studio developed before disbanding may have gone past your noses, but a backgrounder isn't necessary to get the kicks out of this God Hand trailer. Some half-naked guy with a fist for a head walks around spanking ladies and breaking cars. Need we say more?