Call of Duty World at War DLC Map Pack 1: Knee Deep - Station - Nightfire demos

Call of Duty World at War DLC Map Pack 1: Knee Deep. Treyarch's COD Community Manager Josh Olin takes us on first of a series of demos. Team Deathmatch on the map Knee Deep!

Videos after link below... (age gate)



Call of Duty World at War DLC Map Pack 1: Station. Treyarch's COD Community Manager Josh Olin takes us on another tour of Map Pack 1. Team Deathmatch on the map Station!



Call of Duty World at War DLC Map Pack 1: Nightfire. Treyarch's COD Community Manager Josh Olin takes us on yet another tour of Map Pack 1. Team Deathmatch on the map Nightfire!

Championship Manager 2009 delayed until at least July 1st

Eidos have announced that Championship Manager 2009 video game has been delayed at least until 1st July (Eidos next financial year).

"Eidos has a total commitment to producing the highest quality games and we believe by moving the release date of Championship Manager we will give the product the additional time needed to deliver a more polished and highly competitive game within the genre," CEO Phil Rogers said.

"We will not compromise on quality and we are confident that this decision is right for consumers and will benefit the continued popularity of this franchise."

The game was due for release on April 24th on PC including the new 3D match engine, scouting and new media option. Looks like Football manager, the game's main rival may get a head start.

Family sporting events video game Farmyard Party on Nintendo Wii

It’s all fun and games down at DDI development studio based in Stourbridge, England. The in-house development team working on DDI’s most bonkers game to date ‘Farmyard Party’ decided to have a day out in the park away from all the number-crunching and play-testing.

It was all going well until a nasty butcher turned up with pork on his mind.........

Data Design Interactive - a successful video games publisher and games developer - today released a video showcasing their forthcoming family sporting events game ‘Farmyard Party’ which will be released on their dedicated Nintendo Wii label Popcorn Arcade.

Farmyard Party brings farmyard fun to the Nintendo Wii. The game has eight sporting events which are divided into four categories: all-round, speed, power, and skill. Game modes include party modes themed around event styles, single event fun and some hilarious bonus games.

The game play revolves around using a combination of the Wii Remote and Nunchuk in various ways to complete each event. The events require a combination of speed, timing and more than a little sweat!

Alongside the challenges of beating the game records and those of your friends, there are a number of new characters, bonus games and a development gallery for players to enjoy.
Based on the cornerstones of sportsmanship and competitiveness of the fun and crazy games, Farmyard Party is an ideal choice for family friendly fun this Easter. Farmyard Party provides an entertaining multiplayer experience (4 player mode), with colourful graphics and physically demanding gameplay.

Release date: Q2 2009
Genre: Sports / Party
No. of players: Up to 4 players
Platform: Nintendo Wii
Developer: Data Design Interactive
Publisher: Data Design Interactive

Gardening Mama - Cooking Mama's First Brand Offshoot Will Launch in Time for Spring

Gardening Mama for Nintendo DS will ship on March 31st. Developed by Cooking Mama Limited, the team that created the award-winning Cooking Mama franchise that has sold 3.7 million units domestically, Gardening Mama stars the iconic culinary cutie in the first ever gardening game.

Gamers anxious to get growing can download a playable demo currently in approximately 10,000 Nintendo kiosks at major retailers nationwide.

Gardening Mama transforms the stylus into a universal gardening tool that players will use to plant, nurture and harvest 37 different varieties of flowers, fruits and vegetables. Gamers can manage their garden through the seeding, blooming and maturation phases, and then produce items from the plants they've grown. A robust multiplayer mode lets up to four friends compete to grow the biggest harvest and Treasure Box mode lets players share items they've grown with online friends. In addition, players can change Mama's outfit to their liking while customizing the screen design to their preference.

Gardening Mama will launch March 31st for a suggested retail price of $29.99.

Go Go Gadget - Inspector Gadget iPhone, iPod Touch Game

Equipped with an amazing array of gadgets, including a mallet-wielding robot arm and spring-loaded shoes, the world’s first bionic detective, Inspector Gadget has crash landed onto Apple iPhone and iPod touch devices and is available from the AppStore for $5.99.

Inspector Gadget makes its iPhone debut with a little help from Namco Bandai Networks Europe, who developed the game in conjunction with Cookie Jar Entertainment, the producer of the hit cartoon series. The game is being published internationally for Apple iPhone and iPod touch devices by Namco Networks America, a publisher and developer of mobile games and entertainment for mass-market casual gamers.

Using various gadgets and gizmos, players help guide the world’s most absent-minded detective battle against the evil Dr. Claw in a classic platform action game. Players guide the Inspector in his mission across six action packed levels and six mini-games. The game features both Story mode and Quick Play mode, which allows players to play previously unlocked levels.

iPhone users are able to play as Inspector Gadget, his niece Penny or his uber intelligent and ever-faithful dog Brain as they progress through the game. To navigate through the game, touch controls sit on either side of the screen making gameplay simple and easy. Some of the detective’s greatest gadgets are also featured in-game for users to pit against his evil nemesis Dr Claw, including his Gadget ’Copter, Gadget Coat and Gadget Umbrella.

Inspector Gadget recently celebrated its 25th anniversary and is broadcast in 24 languages across 55 countries around the globe, gaining fans with its memorable theme tune, “Go Go Gadget” catchphrase and gadget’s helicopter hat and roller skate shoe antics.

“Inspector Gadget is a personal favourite for me, and a character who has gained a loyal global following, making him one of the most lovable icons of the cartoon crime-solving world,” Barry O’Neill, President of Namco Bandai Networks Europe. “Inspector Gadget and the iPhone is a perfect partnership as one of the world’s most famous gadget users meets one of the world’s most famous gadgets.”

The new game gives players the chance to try out many of the Inspector’s awesome gadgets first hand, and is available immediately from the iTunes store.

Gobliiins 4 PC video game game cover released!

Kalypso Media today release the official cover of Gobliiins 4 today. In the weird, wacky and funny adventure about the Goblins Tchoup, Perlius and Stucco, the orycterope Riri, the favourite animal of King Balderon, has runaway and the three detectives are charged to find Riri. Thrilling, challenging and insane riddles and nasty monsters are awaiting you! Will you be able to solve them all, avoid the monsters and find Riri after all?

Gobliiins 4 will be released on 27th March 2009 for a recommended retail price of £19.99.

Mushroom Men – The Spore Wars and Mushroom Men – Rise of the Fungi on Nintendo Wii and DS

An ichorous green meteor plummets through Earth's atmosphere, fracturing and showering the earth with glowing green space dust that affects all forms of life nearby. Some plant life - like mushrooms and cacti -acquire sentience. At the same time, the green glow twists and mutates other life forms like spiders and roaches, transforming them into semi-intelligent, warlike communities.

Wii CORE GAMEPLAY MECHANICS

Camera!
The camera and player perspective played a big role in each of the boss fights. One of the interesting things that the legendary IGA (Koji Igarashi, of Castlevania fame) pointed out in his 2007 GDC lecture was how important perspective is, and how much it changes gameplay between 2D and 3D games. With the typical behind-the-back 3D camera used by many games, depth-perception is very difficult to judge, and even having a shadow grow larger as it approaches is not enough. For the boss fights that were specifically framed as an action/puzzle, we had more control over the user’s experience and could manipulate the camera to provide the best perspective for the battle. In some instances, this was pulling the camera way up, giving more of a three-quarter view. In others, it was locking the camera in place to do some 2D battle.

Dealing with Death
One of the core components of Mushroom Men was that players should be encouraged to explore and experiment in the environment (which could often lead to death), so the player would re-spawn in a nearby area. However, this proved troublesome in boss fights, as the player could simply die, re-spawn, run at the boss again, etc and this was one of the major complaints about Bioshock. So, in order to deal with that, we rewarded a player for not dying during a boss fight. To that end, skilled players will find themselves awarded an item for defeating bosses unscathed. Similarly, we reward players for dealing with bosses with cleverness and panache, and you’ll find a reward for doing so.

Old School Influences
I will gladly admit my love for old SEGA arcade and home titles, and I borrowed a lot from them. The final boss fight, which spans multiple stages, has some “helpers” that were very much inspired by Death Adder’s minions in the original Golden Axe. Where we took a different tack, is that these ones can be killed in fewer than 255 hits. I spent so much time at the arcade trying to kill those darned skeletons. And when I finally did, it wasn’t worth it!

One of my favorite games of all time has to be…well, just about everything in the Wonder Boy series. In particular, I always enjoyed the boss fights in Wonder Boy in Monster Land and those in Wonder Boy III: The Dragon’s Trap (aka Dragon’s Curse on the PC-Engine/Turbografx-16). So one of the boss fights in Mushroom Men is very like that: a 2D boss on a finite-state machine, but with some unpredictability thrown in, and some genuine challenge.

Other games that shaped the look and feel of the boss encounters include the Shinobi series, Cabal, and the obscure-but-wonderful Golvellius. While we never lifted anything directly, I recorded the experiences I had playing through those games and made notes that would affect the final boss designs. The epic multi-stage final boss fight of Mushroom Men draws a lot from these wonderful old games. Simple by today’s standards, but still packing a good iconic punch that can still be harnessed today.

Mushroom Men – The Spore Wars and Mushroom Men – Rise of the Fungi will be available across Europe in March, 2009. For more information about Mushroom Men please visit www.southpeakgames.com. For more information about Red Fly Studio please visit www.redflystudio.com.

TITLE: Mushroom Men – The Spore Wars
PLATFORM: Nintendo Wii
TITLE: Mushroom Men – Rise of the Fungi
PLATFORM: Nintendo DS
DEVELOPER: Red Fly Studio
GENRE: Action Adventure
RELEASE DATE: March 2009
Earlier Developers Diary on gamezplay.org

MMO Three Kingdoms - The Battle Begins official launch 8pm Pacific Standard Time today

The New MMO Launches Today at 8PM PST at http://threekingdoms.uforia.com/intro.aspx

Uforia, a new online game publisher specializing in massively multiplayer online games, today announced that its new MMO Three Kingdoms - The Battle Begins will officially launch with the opening of its cash shop at 8 PM Pacific Standard Time today at http://threekingdoms.uforia.com/intro.aspx.
Three Kingdoms: The Battle Begins is a new free-to-play MMO based on one of the most well-known Asian novels of all-time.

"Three Kingdoms: The Battle Begins has received a great response in just the few short weeks since we announced it and held some beta tests," said Mike Min, Game Operations Producer of Uforia. "Now we are inviting the community and fans and MMO players out there to come and enjoy the full Three Kingdoms: The Battle Begins experience."

Players who created a character during last week's Open Beta will be able to keep and play with that character. Many changes were also made to the PK balance system to make for more even game play.

Starting on Tuesday and available to Three Kingdoms: The Battle Begins players, there will be monsters dropping special items. These items can then be traded to special NPCs available only for the commercial launch for great in-game prizes.

Three Kingdoms: The Battle Begins, developed by G-rex Soft, chronicles the tragic last reign of the Han dynasty (206 B.C.-A.D. 220), when the Chinese empire was divided into three kingdoms at battle. This important period in Chinese history became a subject of extreme and continuing interest to historians, poets, and dramatists. Three
Kingdoms: The Battle Begins narrates this account and provides players the opportunity to choose from 4 gripping and distinctive character classes to help battle through 200 extraordinary levels packed with boss monsters and their relentless followers. As players undergo the world of Three Kingdoms: The Battle Begins, they can reshape the story by carefully planning and executing political assassinations.

Three Kingdoms: The Battle Begins offers a one-of-a-kind quest system that delivers missions to players while they are still in the battlefield, maximizing the player's enjoyment of and involvement in the battle. This unique feature enables the player to continue their travels while having the benefit of receiving items from completing quests. Player vs. Player (PVP) battlegrounds are available on the hour every hour 24/7, allowing the winners of the battle to become Lords who are granted access to exclusive skills and items. Honor points are awarded during these battles and can be used to purchase unique items and equipment from special merchants.

An exciting Player Kill (PK) system is also part of this epic adventure which includes a unique "Death Note" feature. This element exists so if a player is killed by the same opponent multiple times, the opponent is added to the player's death note. The opponent's location will be specified on the player's map as a blinking signal, enabling the player to execute revenge more easily.

For more information about Three Kingdoms; The Battle Begins and to sign up for the Open Beta visit http://threekingdoms.uforia.com/intro.aspx

MLB Dugout Heroes Open Beta Starts this Thursday March 19

Open Beta Starts This Thursday March 19 at 3 PM PST at www.MLBdugoutheroes.com

Gamescampus is holding multiple events from March 19th when the open beta for MLB Dugout Heroes opens, through April 24th. A total of 7 Events will take place throughout the next month. The full details for each event, including prizing can be found on the MLB Dugout Heroes Forums

Just Play and Win Tickets to a Baseball Game!
This contest is for baseball lovers everywhere! Just sign up, create a team on MLB Dugout Heroes, and play your team up to level 3 or higher and you're automatically entered into contest to win 2 tickets to watch your favorite MLB team!

Play MLB Dugout Heroes Everyday
This one is the easiest event of them all! Play MLB Dugout Heroes everyday from March 19th till April 24th, and have an opportunity to win an Authentic Performance 59FIFTY On-Field Cap by New Era! The more you log in, the better your chances are of winning! The top ten players who log in the most will receive the "Batter Slot +1" item which gives you an additional batter slot on your roster!

Level Contest
It's simple and straight forward. The ten highest level players at the end of the open beta will be rewarded with Authentic Jersey by Majestic Athletic as well as Gemini Shoes that will boost your perfomance(in-game item)!

Complete Missions
Complete the most in-game missions and win prizes! 1st place wins an Authentic Therma Base Premier Jacket by Majestic Athletic and 2nd through 5th place will win an Authentic Font Personalized T-shirt by Majestic Athletic.

Video Contest
Capture your best game on video and share it! Add your band's music as a soundtrack or even your own color commentary! Upload your video your favorite site such as YouTube, Facebook, Myspace, etc and send your submission to MLBDugoutHeroes(visit the MLB Dugout Heroes website for details of where to send the submission). Our favorite video will receive a Replica Jersey by Majestic Athletic from MLB.com.
GamesCampus will also offer Gemini Glasses (in-game item) to all three winners as a way of congratulating your great visionary talents.

Screenshot Contest
Take a screenshot of the most memorable moment in the game! Upload your video to your favorite blog, YouTube, Facebook, Myspace or website and send your submission to MLBDugoutHeroes(visit the MLB Dugout Heroes website for details of where to send the submission). Five lucky winners will receive an Authentic Font Personalized T-shirt by Majestic Athletic as well as Gemini Batting Gloves (in-game item).

Reach Level 6 and Earn 400,000 NUTS!
Think you're one of the best out there? Then prove it! Level up your team to Level 6 or higher and we will give you an extra 400,000 NUTS!
(What the heck are NUTS? - NUTS are the in game currency used in MLB Dugout Heroes. It can be earned by playing games and completing missions. You can then purchase better items, players, stat enhancers, or abilities with NUTS!)

Resident Evil 5 Ships Four Million Units

Capcom announces largest launch ever of a Resident Evil title.

Capcom have released details that Resident Evil 5 has shipped four million units worldwide since launch, additionally, the demo available from Xbox Live and the PlayStation Network has itself been downloaded over four million times. All of which equates to the largest launch of a Resident Evil title to date.

We should state that 'units shipped' are those shipped to retailers and not necessarily in the hands of gamers, but given the popularity of the Resident Evil series it shouldn't be too long before they are snapped up.

Capcom must be pretty pleased with themselves regardless of the exact number sold, first Street Fighter IV ships two million units in its first week knocking the mighty Wii Fit from the top of the charts, but now Resident Evil 5 ships twice that much and also jumps to the top of the charts.

Source: Britbox

WiiWare games update Bit Trip Beat and Virtual Console game - Summer Games II

Old-school action is the main attraction at the Nintendo Wii Shop Channel this week. With a wealth of underground buzz already surrounding it, a brand new WiiWare title uses vintage-looking graphics and 8-bit sounds to create a rhythm-based game that's loaded with retro cool.
Find out if you have enough skill to create order from chaos in a game that is as mesmerizing as it is challenging. Meanwhile, the latest addition to the Virtual Console lineup brings a Commodore 64 classic to the Wii console, proving that fans of international sports events needn't wait until 2012 to get their track-and-field fix. Even if you're too young to remember the original days of 8-bit gaming, these awesome titles provide timeless kicks.

Nintendo adds new and classic games to the Wii Shop Channel at 9 a.m. Pacific time 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:

WiiWare

BIT.TRIP BEAT (Aksys Games, 1-4 players, Rated E for Everyone, 600 Wii Points): BIT.TRIP BEAT is a rhythm game that brings retro action into the present, letting you use the motion-sensing Wii Remote controller to bounce beats. Retro visuals, classic game play, four-player multiplayer and an 8-bit soundtrack will get you in the zone and rock your world. The challenges are mighty, but if you can stay cool as the difficulty increases, you'll discover the beginnings of the BIT.TRIP saga.

Virtual Console

Summer Games II (Commodore 64, 1-8 players, Rated E for Everyone, 500 Wii Points): A thousand athletes. A hundred countries. Billions watching around the world as you enter the stadium, marching confidently among your nation's strongest, fastest and boldest young men and women. Your gaze sweeps the crowd as you realize the scope of your achievement. You are about to compete against the world's best athletes in a 3,000-year-old competition. This is the pinnacle of athletic achievement: the Summer Games. Summer Games II challenges your competitive skills with a series of athletic contests for one to eight players. Experience the excitement and realism of eight different events: cycling, equestrian, fencing, high jump, javelin, kayaking, rowing and triple jump. Practice each event to sharpen your skills, then choose from the 18 countries you can represent in the competition.

Remember that Wii features parental controls that let adults manage the content their children can access. For more information about this and other Wii features, visit Wii.com.

Biology Battle a dual stick shooter set in a 3D inner space on Xbox Live

Novaleaf Game Studios today announces the worldwide debut of “Biology Battle” on XBLCG. After 11 months development time and a total budget of more than 100.000$ the studio created one of the most expensive productions for this platform. “Biology Battle” is a dual stick shooter set in a 3D "inner space".
Lead by spectacular gameplay and an excellent balancing, “Biology Battle” appeals to the entire spectrum of player types.

In “Biology Battle” the player controls a medical nano-bot during a mission in a hostile cell. Supported with lots of power-ups and special weapons the player has to eliminate every biological intrusion within the cell. “Biology Battle” has great pick-up-and-play features, and is very accessible for beginners. The beginning ramps up in difficulty based on the players skill, and the advanced stages challenge even the experts.

“Making a game for gamers is only possible by keeping close contact to the community during the whole process. They helped us design a game based on their requirements and contributed critical elements, making this game the success it is. The feedback we received from our concept and all through the developing process was extremely positive and consolidated our decision to bring this game to the market.” says Tidarat Thanapakpawin, Executive Producer at Novaleaf Game Studios.

Glacier 2 - Hell on Ice Nintendo Wii video game

Mamba Games, a new dynamic multi-platform video games publisher today announces the next project in their 2009 line-up with the worldwide publishing of ‘Glacier 2: Hell on Ice’ exclusive for the Nintendo Wii developed by Team 6 Studios.

Due for a September 2009 release ‘Glacier 2: Hell on Ice’ is Mamba Games first Wii project with 2 more due to be announced shortly.

Jason Codd, Commercial Director of Mamba Games quotes “We are thrilled to be working on our first global Wii game and ‘Glacier 2: Hell on Ice’ fits with our strategy perfectly. The visuals are stunning for the Nintendo Wii and the playability is crazy, manic and is a huge amount of fun”
‘Glacier 2: Hell on Ice’ starts at the very top of the Alps: Are you ready to reach insane top speeds by driving down the mountains of death?

While it goes faster and faster downhill, watch out for dangerous cliffs, dodge falling rocks, go aim your rockets, heat up your machineguns and deploy mines to take out your opponents and finish first place!

‘Glacier 2: Hell on Ice’ is an arcade combat racing game which takes you to hell and back. Make sure you are faster than your opponents or you can blow them to bits with an arsenal of weaponry. Make your way across the ice, survive incredible jumps, and eliminate your opponents!!

‘Glacier 2: Hell on Ice’ offers an advanced effect system specially designed for the Nintendo Wii to bring the arcade-action really alive! Various insane vehicles are yours to choose from, all with their own characteristics and weapons. Snipers, shot guns, machine guns, chain guns, everything is possible as long as it does heavy damage and take you to victory!

WARNING: This is not for the faint hearted!!!

Glacier 2

Features:
Selling Points

- Over the top combat racing action.

- Incredible jumps, spins and mass of destruction!

- 7 fully tuned super rides, all equipped with various, deadly weapons

- 18 ice cold levels full of traps, cliffs, mines, falling rocks, canyons and spectacular jumps.
- Full support and designed specifically for Nintendo Wii Remote

Nintendo announce European games - Pokémon Platinum, Pikmin 2, Punch Out! and Donkey Kong Jungle Beat

Nintendo announced its Spring titles for the Nintendo DS and Nintendo Wii last month. It's Europe's turn this month.

Nintendo's German language release confirms Nintendo DSi and Rhythm Heaven release dates.

Highlights...

Pokémon Platinum May 22
Pikmin 2 (Wii Re-release) April 24
Punch Out! May
Donkey Kong Jungle Beat (Wii Re-Release) June

Punch Out! hits May 18 in North America, Jungle Beat is out May 4 and Pikmin 2 happened on March 9. Pokémon Platinum release is the same for North America and Europe.

The European Spring announcement from Nintendo mentions nothing of Nintendo Wii Sports Resort or the Wii MotionPlus Wii Remote add-on. Both are believed to be behind schedule — a claim Nintendo has refuted here.

Also confirmed Wii Points are now called Nintendo Points.

Source: Kotaku here...

Far Cry 2 video game blamed for German school shooting - what a surprise...

Raise your hand if you didn't see this coming after reports surfaced about the recent mass killings in Germany being linked to 'violent videogames'.New details have emerged giving a little insight to why 17 year-old Tim Kretschmer decided to go on a rampage and kill 15 people, before committing suicide. Not only was he the spoiled son of a wealthy business man, but it is also believed that the whole reason he lost his marbles was because he was rejected romantically by a female whom he was friends with. There's more, turns out Kretschmer was a 'gun fanatic' and he was 'obsessed' with guns according to a neighbor.

According to reports Kretschmer was well liked in high school and never bullied. But it is noted by his former Tennis instructor that he was a "poor loser". From here the media (London's Times Online specifically) start playing the scapegoat card, starring media pundits favorite target in tragic shootings: videogames.

In the Times Online article they paint a very clear picture of why Ubisoft's Fry Cry 2 was a staple in Kretschmers road to madness. The article states that he played the game the night before he went on his killing spree, he hijacked a car and wore black - just like you do in the videogame. The similarities between Kretschmer's rampage and Far Cry 2 don't end there. As the Times Online even did some digging and found out the the gun he used, was a Baretta 92; which can be found in Far Cry 2!

Source: TalkXbox

First Metal Gear Solid title for iPhone and iPod Touch on March 19th

Konami confirms March 19th launch date for first Metal Gear Solid title for iPhone and iPod Touch.

Konami Digital Entertainment GmbH has announced further details regarding Metal Gear Solid Touch – a bespoke Metal Gear title for the iPhone and iPod Touch, devised by series creator Hideo Kojima. It will be released across Europe from March 19th for just 4.99 Euro.



Developed by Kojima Productions and designed exclusively for the iPhone and iPod Touch systems, Metal Gear Solid Touch covers the final chapter in the legendary saga of Solid Snake in an intuitive touch-based shooting game. Following the deep and immersive storyline of Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots, players join forces with Old Snake as he battles the money-driven mercenaries of Private Military Companies (PMCs), Haven Troopers, Gekko units, and the beautiful yet terrifying bosses of the Beauty and Beast Corps.

This tale of commercial warfare adventure follows Old Snake across the Middle East, South America, Eastern Europe, and Shadow Moses as he depletes his enemies’ stamina with various short-range and long-range weapons. Featuring twenty levels of gameplay and well-known antagonists from past Metal Gear Solid titles, Metal Gear Solid Touch marks a welcome debut of the stealth-action franchise for the iPhone and iPod.

A special ‘Advance Edition’ of Metal Gear Solid Touch containing the first 12 stages of the game is scheduled for release on the Apple iPhone and iPod Touch in March for just 4.99 Euro. The final release will follow with eight additional stages of gameplay, and will be available to existing players via a free update on the Apple App Store in the second quarter of 2009. The initial edition will be available with English screen text only, while the later update will offer localized version in French, German, Italian and Spanish language.

The hit console franchise with over 26.5* million units sold Worldwide: METAL GEAR SOLID 4: GUNS OF THE PATRIOTS comes to iPhone and iPod touch!

Experience METAL GEAR SOLID 4's story as you fight through 12 action-packed stages in this thrilling shooter. Fierce battles and familiar faces await you around every corner! Control the action with your fingers using the "Multi-touch interface" of the iPhone/iPod Touch: Trace your fingers on the screen to take aim, and shoot by tapping. Pinch out or Pinch in to zoom-in/out on targets and snipe them from a distance.

Earn Drebin Points after clearing each stage and use them to purchase over 40 unique wallpapers exclusive to Metal Gear Solid Touch.

Download the 1st half of METAL GEAR SOLID 4's story now and be the first to "feel" the excitement of METAL GEAR SOLID TOUCH on the iPhone/iPod touch with the special advance release edition!

Explore the deepest and most revealing chapters of MGS4 in the game's electrifying 2nd half. Advance release edition owners can update for free! Your save data will automatically carry over when you update to the final release.

Halo 3, Mass Effect and PGR 4 now Xbox budget priced at under £20

Expanded Classics range brings blockbuster titles at budget prices.

Microsoft today announces the expansion of its Classics collection in EMEA to include three blockbuster titles, as it continues its strategy of offering high quality experiences at outstanding value. On 20th March, Halo 3, Mass Effect and Project Gotham Racing 4 will join the elite selection of Xbox 360 Classics, with each game available at an Estimated Retail Price (ERP) of just £19.99.

The Ultimate Blockbuster

Halo 3 made entertainment history when it launched in 2007, setting sales records that smashed those set by all previous video games and blockbuster movies. It remains the most played game on Xbox LIVE, with over 1,000,000,000 multiplayer games played since launch. The award winning action series has sold more than 25 million units worldwide and its third instalment sees Master Chief, the last known survivor of a secret military project, fight to save humanity and uncover a secret so incredible, it will change the galaxy forever.
 
Lose Yourself in a Living Galaxy

Mass Effect, developed by BioWare, is an immersive, story-driven experience coupled with awe-inspiring visuals, exclusive to Xbox 360. As one of the first human beings to step onto the galactic stage, players must face a grave threat that may destroy all of civilization. Travel across an expansive universe, exploring the uncharted corners of the galaxy, searching for pieces of the truth in order to discover how to defeat the coming destruction.

Racing to the Fore

Project Gotham Racing 4 is the latest instalment of the legendary street racing series. This time motorbikes join the action and the weather elements push you to the limits as you tear up the stunning tracks in the best of racing machines.

“We are delighted to add three of our finest titles to the Classics range, adding to the exceptional entertainment offering available on the Xbox 360 at outstanding prices,” said David Gosen Vice President of Marketing, Xbox Europe. “As we see more and more families looking to save money by staying in, Xbox 360 continues to offer high-quality home entertainment at fantastic value and consumers are clearly recognising this as we sail past 8 million console sales in Europe.”

House of the Dead Overkill breaks Guinness record... for swearing!

Guinness World Records, the global authority on record-breaking, today announced that recently released The House of the Dead: OVERKILL has broken into the Guinness World Records Gamer’s Edition for most swearing in a video game with a whopping 189 uses of the f-word.

Setting a record in this brand new category, the title recognizes The House of the Dead: OVERKILL as the most profane video game in history. During three hours of relatively limited dialogue, the campaign features 189 uses of the f-word, which equates to just over one per minute and three percent of all words spoken in the game.

Video Games Records Manager for Guinness World Records, Gaz Deaves, said: “This record category pre-existed for movies, music and television, but The House of the Dead: OVERKILL is the first video game to be awarded the title in the Gamer’s Edition. It’s a mark of the times.”

The new record will be shortlisted for inclusion in next year’s Guinness World Records Gamer’s Edition. The 2009 Gamer’s Edition, which includes high scores and interesting facts from the world of video gaming, also dedicates a separate section to video game controversy; among the many nations listed in the chapter, Greece stands as the first country to ban all video games for an all-encompassing ban on electronic video gaming lasting two months during 2002. Mexico banned Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter 2 in the state of Chihuahua because the state’s governor was offended by the game’s portrayal of the region and its people. The longest ban in gaming history is awarded New York City, whose mayor imposed a ban on pinball machines, which stood for 34 years from 1942.

Jonathan Burroughs, writer of The House of the Dead: OVERKILL, stated: “It is a dubious honour to receive such an accolade working in an industry where so often the fruits of your labours are derided and dismissed for being puerile or irresponsible, but in the case of The House of the Dead: OVERKILL a little puerility was the order of business. Parodying the profane excess of grindhouse cinema was Headstrong Games’ objective and I am flattered that this record acknowledges that we not only rose to that challenge, but entirely exceeded it.”

Action shoot-em-up Operation - Star Hammer on Xbox Live

Black Lab Games is proud to announce Operation: Star Hammer, coming soon to the Xbox LIVE Community Games portal.

Operation: Star Hammer is an intense action-packed shoot-em-up, set in a war-ravaged galaxy under threat from the evil Nautilid empire. As a raw recruit, gamers will enlist with the Alliance of Planets Defence Force as they join the fight to save the universe from total destruction. Presented via a top-down view, pilots fly a space fighter using full 360 degree freedom of movement as they take on enemy fighters and gunships in a frenzy of space combat.

Featuring 60 missions across three separate campaigns, Operation: Star Hammer boasts both solo and multi-player game modes. Mission objectives range from flying patrols to engage a ruthless enemy, escort missions, covert operations behind enemy lines and more. Operation: Star Hammer offers a multi-player option in which up to three players can take control of enemy ships in an attempt to prevent the main player's mission objective from being reached.

Pilots gain access to improved weapons and promotions as they progress through the game. Completed missions can be replayed at any time.

Featuring high resolution, hand-drawn art and loads of dazzling special effects, Operation: Star Hammer is scheduled to be available in Q2 2009.

Final Fantasy XI - Crystalline Prophecy – Ode of Life Bestowing out March 23rd - Rise of the Zilart A Moogle Kupo d’Etat & A Shantotto Ascension later

The first in a series of three previously announced add-on scenarios for their MMO (Massively Multiplayer Online) game, FINAL FANTASY XI, will be available for purchase on 23rd March, 2009.

This add-on scenario, titled “A Crystalline Prophecy – Ode of Life Bestowing,” will be available exclusively for online purchase through the PlayOnline Viewer, and will be priced at €9.99 and £7.99. After purchase, FINAL FANTASY XI players will have access to this new content after the release of the upcoming version update in early April 2009.

Creation of these three upcoming content packages is led by Masato Kato, who created the stories and scenarios for FINAL FANTASY XI, and its first expansion pack, Rise of the Zilart. Two additional add-ons, “A Moogle Kupo d’Etat – Evil in Small Doses” and “A Shantotto Ascension – The Legend Torn, Her Empire Born”, will be released later this year.

About A Crystalline Prophecy – Ode of Life Bestowing

Story
One day, a giant crystal appeared in the skies above Jeuno, triggering a series of unexplained happenings across the land. Now, adventurers will set forth to unravel the mysteries of this primordial crystal that holds the secret of Vana’diel’s past.

Accommodating players in North America, Europe and Japan, FINAL FANTASY XI is the first massively multiplayer online role-playing game capable of simultaneous multiplayer cooperation across three different platforms. Now in its sixth year of service, FINAL FANTASY XI has a robust community of 500,000 subscribers from around the world. The series continues to evolve and expand, offering newcomers and fans alike an immersive, engrossing and engaging universe to traverse, defend and explore.

Mind, Body & Soul video games on Nintendo Wii and DS

Mind, Body & Soul range exclusively for Nintendo Wii and DS.

The initial launch titles establish a new brand of gaming, enabling users to improve their everyday lives while having fun along the way.

Nutrition Matters for Nintendo Wii and DS offers users the ability to track their net calorific gains and losses through exercise and dieting.

A simple and accessible tracking mechanism monitors both calorific burn through daily activity and food intake through an extensive nutrition database. This allows users to set their own targets over any period of time, with regular data updates to monitor progress. The nutrition reference guide can be used as a calorie fore-planner for events such as dinner parties, birthdays or even just Sunday lunch by providing calorie data, protein and fat contents for hundreds of foods. With the Wii version supporting Nintendo’s balance board as a set of digital scales, Nutrition Matters enables users to set goals and monitor one’s progress towards the perfect beach body.

Big World Puzzle Book for Nintendo DS is an interactive word based puzzle title. Some of the games within are based on traditional word play, while others have been created specifically for the game. Each game type has over 1,000 different levels, offering more puzzle action than you can shake an HB pencil at. Also included is a fully comprehensive help mode for struggling players, multiplayer modes and scalable difficulty levels to maintain a challenge throughout.

Finally, Mind Storm 2, also for Nintendo DS is the sequel to the best selling title from developer Ask Co. Ltd, which exercises all corners of the brain, from logic puzzles to analytical conundrums. 12 games each have five levels of difficulty to offer a thorough and wide-ranging puzzle experience suitable for all age groups.

“We are confident the Mind, Body & Soul. range offers something different to entice those users who perhaps don’t consider themselves ‘gamers’”, commented Alex Price, Senior Global Brand Manager for 505 Games. “The Mind, Body and Soul range is all about life enhancement. It enables people to improve their everyday lives whilst having fun at the same time.”

Mind Storm 2 and Big Word Puzzle Book both on Nintendo DS are scheduled for release in early April followed by Nutrition Matters on Nintendo DS and Wii in mid May. Watch this space for more titles across the range shortly...

HanbitSoft Reveals 1.5 Patch Details of Hellgate: London

1.5 patch details of Hellgate: London, an online action RPG developed by Redbana US Studio, every week through the game’s Korean official website.

HanbitSoft and developers in Redbana has been preparing 1.5 patch since last year, as soon as the developing crew had been formed. It is planned to be an extensive update to reinforce Hellgate’s reputation. HanbitSoft announcing that the company will be posting the patch details in weekly basis suggests that the update date is getting close.

HanbitSoft posted the general introduction of 1.5 patch on March 6th through Hellgate’s official website, and mentioned that there will be Mode Merger, Consignment House, and various kinds of PvP features, etc. On March 13th, the company revealed parts of the patch contents in details: Mode Merger, Achievement Reward System, Instance Swtiching and Item Linking.

After 1.5 patch, all modes will be merged. In current Hellgate, players play either in Normal Mode or Elite Mode, but later on, the two modes will be combined and all players will be playing the game together. Players who are playing in Elite Mode will be able to keep the Elite mark next to their names, and granted with special titles.

Achievement Reward System is a system that rewards the players who accomplish the challenge achievements, with ‘- + To all attributes’, ‘Health injectors’ and etc. Instance Switching will also be added for easier channel shift. Instance Switching is designed with simple User Interface, so that any player can easily transfer to the place where the player he wants to play with is. Ultimately, it will also strengthen the community by providing convenient system for more active interactions between players. With Item Linking, players can link their items to chatting window, and show off their luxury items. It will make the item trade a lot easier.

HanbitSoft will be revealing more details on rest of 1.5 patch contents step by step every week through Hellgate’s Korean official website.

Flight Control highly addictive iPhone game

Firemint today issued a warning to App Store shoppers. Early reports indicate that the company's new game, Flight Control, may be highly addictive. Firemint recommends small doses to be taken as part of a balanced lifestyle.

"My first 5 star app! Can't...stop....playing....!"
"Love it! Simple but incredibly addictive"
"I can't stop trying to break the highscore."
- App Store customers

Within a few days of release, the game has entered the top 10 charts in many countries, including #1 paid game in the Netherlands, #3 in Finland, #4 in Taiwan and rising rapidly in other regions. Purchasers are generous with their praise, and the game currently has an average worldwide review score of 4.63 out of 5 stars.

“Can't stop playing this, perfect controls, simple idea, incredibly addictive, one more go gameplay”
“Great stress reliever, great fun, great mobile gamine experience”
“This is the best game on in the AppStore!”
“This is my new favourite game for the iPhone”
- App Store customers

Professional reviewers agree:

“Incredibly fun... while the game seems incredibly simple on the surface, the company has managed to hit upon the winning balance of easy pick-up gameplay, ramping difficulty and tickling the need to try “just one more time”… we’re big fans of the game”

- Arnold Kim, Touch Arcade

The game delights with broad appeal and quirky humour. Its polished graphics and music evoke the golden era of aviation. “We’ve been really pleased by the wide adoption of the game. People love the simplicity and style, and are on Twitter confessing to their addiction. We’re even hearing stories about married couples competing against each other to get the higher score” said Alexandra Peters, Firemint’s Community Liaison for the game.

Gameplay is easy to learn - just touch and drag planes to their runways - but difficult to master, as more and more aircraft appear and the player is challenged to redirect them to avoid mid-air collisions. The unique control method is only possible on the iPhone and iPod Touch, with the player drawing flight paths directly on the screen. Aircraft can fly in a straight line, an elegant curve or more complex patterns. Players have even been observed performing intricate skywriting manoeuvres. Flight Control is ideal for two minutes or two hours, with extremely fast “two-taps-to-play” startup and "just one more go" gameplay.

"The game is something I refer to as ultra-casual. It is quick to play but extremely addictive," said Robert Murray, CEO of Firemint and the game’s designer. "Games that are typically called casual have become surprisingly complex. I think they have lost their way".

In the spirit of an emerging App Store trend, Murray has promised to announce the first month’s sales figures and document the company's experience with the App Store. "The App Store is an amazing new opportunity for so many smaller developers, but it is difficult to forecast sales and even harder to launch an effective marketing campaign. We hope that sharing our experiences will help, and the more developers do it, the more will follow. I think that will create a stronger ecosystem for everyone".

Flight Control is available now, worldwide, exclusively for iPhone and iPod Touch devices. The game is on sale at US$ 0.99 for a limited time, before rising to the full price of US$ 2.99.

Price: US$ 0.99
Release Date: 6 March 2009
Developer/Publisher: Firemint

Bored Meeting Online - free online update through Xbox Live

Due to Bored Meeting's positive reception both in the press and on the official Xbox popularity list, Bumble.bz announces a free online update under development to bring the smart, fun, and addictive game play into the Xbox Live arena.

"Since this is still the experimental stage of XBLCG," says developer Steven Jones, "we needed to gauge whether the additional development time [for online play] would be worthwhile. I'm happy to say that the initial release of Bored Meeting as a solid local multi-player game has been so well received that we're now developing the Bored Meeting Online update."

Gamers already enjoying Bored Meeting - or who purchase Bored Meeting in the interim - will receive the free online update through Xbox Live in the coming weeks.

Bored Meeting availability
Bored Meeting is available as a free trial and as a 400 Microsoft Point full version on Xbox Community Games.

Solitaire Lovers Love Unique Game PC video games variations

BVS Solitaire Collection 6.6 with 430 multi-featured, very different solitaire card games to play. You'll be able to learn solitaires not found elsewhere: Topsy-Turvy Queens, Twelve Sleeping Maids, Steeplechase, Braid and many others. It also includes all of the most popular solitaire card games such as Spider, Pyramid Solitaire, Klondike, Freecell, Carpet, Forty Thieves, Monte Carlo, Russian Solitaire, Flower Garden, Golf, Cruel, Accordion ...

You can modify rules of almost any of the included games, thus creating your own solitaire variation.

The whole design of the game can be customised, incuding card sets, card backs and backgrounds. BVS Solitaire Collection features attractive smoothly scalable playing cards to fit any game window size and any screen resolution up to 2500 x 2000 pixels and even higher.

The unlimited Undo function and "You are stuck" feature will help you to come back and try another approach. Use the plethora of statistical and scoring screens to track your performance and progress in playing solitaire, and even publish your personal statistics on the BVS Solitaire Collection web site to appear in the top scores list.

If you're tired of Klondike, check out BVS Solitaire Collection. Even if you've played a lot of solitaire, these games will definitely be new to you.

System Requirements
BVS Solitaire Collection 6.6 is available for PC computers running Windows 95/98/ME/NT4/2000/XP/2003/Vista. System requirements include: Pentium II , 64MB of RAM, 15MB HD space, sound card, and 32 MB video card.

BVS Solitaire Collection costs $19.95

Grandmaster Chess - Tournament PC video game

Grandmaster Chess: Tournament, a casual chess sim. The original, Grandmaster Chess Online, was popular with chess fans around the world.

The biggest improvement to Grandmaster Chess: Tournament is the enhanced hints and tips system. For example, the game can now teach a player the rules of chess and then sharpen his skills by displaying the best moves during a game.

Advanced players can also enjoy Grandmaster Chess: Tournament, as users can choose from six difficulty levels and two game modes. The first mode is good for polishing one's skills and finding a decent opponent. The second mode is a single-player tournament played against the computer. Grandmaster Chess: Tournament also allows two users to face off on the same computer.

Flexible configuration options enable players to select a game board, choose a set of chess pieces, change the camera angle, adjust the sound effects and music, and toggle the help system.

"Our developers set out to create a chess game that would appeal to everyone," says Denis Sedovich, producer. "Now everybody can take part in a simulated chess tournament and win. Grandmaster Chess: Tournament can even help novices master this classic game of strategy and prepare children for future challenges."