Surrounding the initial excitement for this newly released artwork based on the new title in 'The Legend of Zelda' series, many have been speculating over a number of interesting features within the image.
Firstly is the addition of a new character, which is highly resemblant of the 'Fairy Queen' from Wind Waker. Whether there is any real connection between the two has yet to be announced, although their similar appearance is a bit much to be considered a coincidence.
Then there's the noticeable absence of the Master Sword, or any other sword for that matter. Link is also gripping his shield with his left hand; usually used for sword-fighting in previous games. This could imply that Link has taken a back-seat role for this particular title, although a much more interesting theory points to the fairy-like creature being an organic equivalent of the Master Sword, containing numerous aesthetic elements as well as being situated back to back with Link where he would typically sheath his sword.
Even this wouldn't explain Link's use of his right hand, but it's an interesting assumption nonetheless.
If you wanted to play the hottest games at E3, there was plenty of queuing to be done.
On the Nintendo stand, the only line was for The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks, and despite there being eight DSi running the demo, there was a line until the final hours of Thursday. I hate queuing so that was when I jumped on.
The demo featured three separate elements of the game.
The first was the standard dungeon experience, which as with Phantom Hourglass had you controlling Link with your stylus - his movement and attacks following where you tapped on the screen. This time though he had a phantom buddy to help out.
These big, chunky, walking suits of armour armed with a mighty sword previously featured in Phantom Hourglass's multiplayer modes, but in Spirit Tracks you get to control your own phantom - useful both in terms of his battling skills, as well as dealing with traps and puzzles.
Alan Wake This game arrived burdened by the weight of expectation that only a lengthy development period can bring.
New Super Mario Bros Wii The latest outing for Mario and Luigi was one of few stand-out moments.
Uncharted 2 Among Thieves Uncharted 2 boasts a breakneck narrative and enough plot twists and turns to tie you in knots.
Modern Warfare 2 Undoubtedly one of the stars of the show, Infinity Ward’s latest creation deserves all the accolades bestowed on it.
Tony Hawks - Ride After a few lacklustre games in recent years, the skateboarding king is back on top form with Ride.
DJ Hero A welcome re-boot for the increasingly samey rythym-action genre, DJ Hero somehow manages to make the idea of spinning a turntable incredibly compelling.
Assassin's Creed II The action shifts to renaissance Italy in this visually stunning and surprisingly brutal sprawling sandbox adventure.
The Beatles - Rock Band From the sumptuous opening credits to the library of top-notch songs, the Beatles version of Rock Band will be an undoubted best seller.
Talk about being user-friendly. Nintendo's Wii, already the most accessible system, confirmed an unannounced new feature will be built into future titles. Beginning with New Super Mario Bros. Wii this fall, players will be able to pause during a difficult level, let the game take over to complete the level, and press a button to resume playing.
Legendary game designer Shigeru Miyamoto says the feature is tentatively called "demo play."
"In New Super Mario Bros. Wii, if a player is experiencing an area of difficulty, this will allow them to clear troubled areas and take over when they're ready. And yes, we're looking into this for future games." - Shigeru Miyamoto
Nokia will start shipping its new flagship mobile computer, the N97, to more than 75 countries on June 09.
Carphone Warehouse, the UK's largest mobile phone retailer, will be stocking it from 26 June, kicking off with 18-month contracts with Orange and followed by T-Mobile and O2, a company spokesman said.
Along with a tilting 3.5in touch screen, qwerty keyboard and a fully customisable home screen, the Nokia N97 will offer instant access to a range of applications via Nokia's Ovi store.
"The N97 is an important step towards our vision of delivering a highly personalised internet experience," said Jonas Geust, vice-president and head of Nokia Nseries.
Intended to recapture ground lost to Apple's iPhone, the N97 is Nokia's first device to feature a home screen that users can customise with a range of widgets to bring live information directly to the device. These widgets include social networking destinations like Facebook and Hi5, news services from Associated Press, Bloomberg and Reuters, as well as shopping and weather information.
The Ovi Store, which emulates Apple's App Store, regarded as the key to the iPhone's popularity, offers easy access to applications, games, videos, podcasts, productivity tools, web and location-based services, and more. Users can access paid and free content from content providers and developers, including Paramount Pictures, Facebook and Qik, as well as a Twitter applications.
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Send to a friend Print Mobile Computing Video: Nokia to ship N97 'iPhone killer' this month N97
Author: Ian Grant Posted: 08:00 05 Jun 2009 Topics: Smartphones AddThis
Nokia will start shipping its new flagship mobile computer, the N97, to more than 75 countries later this month (June 09).
Carphone Warehouse, the UK's largest mobile phone retailer, will be stocking it from 26 June, kicking off with 18-month contracts with Orange and followed by T-Mobile and O2, a company spokesman said.
Along with a tilting 3.5in touch screen, qwerty keyboard and a fully customisable home screen, the Nokia N97 will offer instant access to a range of applications via Nokia's Ovi store.
"The N97 is an important step towards our vision of delivering a highly personalised internet experience," said Jonas Geust, vice-president and head of Nokia Nseries.
Intended to recapture ground lost to Apple's iPhone, the N97 is Nokia's first device to feature a home screen that users can customise with a range of widgets to bring live information directly to the device. These widgets include social networking destinations like Facebook and Hi5, news services from Associated Press, Bloomberg and Reuters, as well as shopping and weather information.
The Ovi Store, which emulates Apple's App Store, regarded as the key to the iPhone's popularity, offers easy access to applications, games, videos, podcasts, productivity tools, web and location-based services, and more. Users can access paid and free content from content providers and developers, including Paramount Pictures, Facebook and Qik, as well as a Twitter applications.
The N97 supports multiple high-speed connections and has 32GB of storage (up to 48GB using a microSD card), enough to store tens of thousands of songs.
Nokia also launched a noise-cancelling Bluetooth stereo headset as a companion piece to the N97 as well as being compatible with a diverse range of other mobile and music devices.
For still and 30 frames per second video images it uses the five megapixel camera with integrated Carl Zeiss optics from the N95. Users can geo-tag image to specific locations and share them via Ovi Share, Twitter or Flickr, if the local networks support these services.
With Big Surf Island you not only get an expansive new area to speed, spin, and smash through, you also get 9 new vehicles.
We've already shown you the Dust Storm, a vehicle designed specifically for all the massive jumps and stunt opportunities that Big Surf Island brings. For the first time we can now officially reveal 2 more...
Hunter Olympus Governor
Introducing the military spec - Hunter Olympus Governor - with its camoflage paint scheme and Stunt Boost system other players won't know what hit them!
This is Sarge Sullivan's very own modified Olympus, he has even personalised the number plate, but don't wory about scratching the paint as this vehicle is almost impossible to wreck.
Carson Annihilator Street Rod
With a Speed Boost system and a maxed out Boost speed there's a definite speed theme going on with the Carson Annihilator Street Rod.
Carson have yet again added their compulsory oversized engine to what was already a very mean machine. With their signature two wheel vehicular salute when boosting off the line, the Annihilator Street Rod will surely be tearing up the streets very soon.
Remember there will be 9 new vehicles included with the release of Big Surf Island on June 11th. We have shown you 3 and if you like the look of those you are going to love the other 6.
Get ready for even more blox-busting action with BOOM BLOX Bash Party for Nintendo Wii, the sequel to the critically-acclaimed BOOM BLOX game for Nintendo Wii. Developed by EA in collaboration with director and producer Steven Spielberg, BOOM BLOX Bash Party takes destruction to new heights, providing the ultimate social gaming experience! BOOM BLOX Bash Party will get your party started with new Versus, Co-Op and Team Play challenges - twice as many multiplayer challenges as the original BOOM BLOX.
From the depths of the sea to the far reaches of outer space, BOOM BLOX Bash Party features more than 400 completely new levels! Explore exciting new themed worlds with unique physics and dramatic visuals. Create chaos, watching puzzles and explosions unfold, while drifting under water, or floating in zero gravity!
For even more strategic destruction, BOOM BLOX Bash Party also features all-new Blox, tools and characters! Experiment with the explosive and infectious Virus Blox, or the ever-moving Conveyor Blox. Experiment with new shapes like Cylinders and Wedges, or use the new Cannon and Slingshot toys to sling and launch blox! Even the new cast of characters is in on the action! Grab hold of the characters and send them flying! They are just like Blox now, so you can topple, bash and sling them like never before.
And the fun continues online! Enhanced capabilities let you download new levels with the press of a button. Simply connect your Wii to the Internet to grab, play and rate new levels from EA and members of the BOOM BLOX Bash Party community. Build your own levels using the game’s easy-to-use Create Mode – the same tool which the BOOM BLOX team used to create the game itself!
Key features
• More than 400 new blox-busting levels – All-new explosive puzzle action builds upon your BOOM BLOX favorites while delivering tons of levels to explore, conquer and remix! • The Ultimate Party Experience – More multiplayer action than ever before! Play crazy new levels with or against friends in cooperative, competitive and the all-new team-based action! • Spectacular New Worlds – Beautiful themed worlds take you from mysterious planets to pirate coves and beyond! Battle giant squids or bash alien spaceships as you explore these stunning new environments. • New Blox! New Shapes! New Tools! – From Cylinders and Paint Blox to the Virus Ball and the Slingshot, you won’t believe all the new ways to create chaos! • Wacky New Characters – Now the all-new cast of characters are part of the destruction! Throw, grab and launch characters for fun, or use them as part of your strategy! • New Rewards System – Collect Boom Bux throughout the game as you complete levels, then spend them jump ahead unlocking new levels and features you can’t wait to play! • Content Available Online – Connect your Wii to the Internet and download new levels quickly and easily. Design your own levels with the expanded Create Mode and share them with friends or submit them to be shared with the world!
Borderlands combines the best in first-person action with player customization and vehicular combat to deliver an exciting Role-Playing Shooter experience. The game features a groundbreaking content generation system allowing for near-endless variety in weapons and item drops. Borderlands allows for multiple players to share the same game experience simultaneously online in co-op gameplay. Players can freely join or leave each other's games at anytime, or choose to play in the full single-player mode. These features, along with a rich and deep fiction that touches upon the mysteries buried beneath the surface of a danger-filled planet, combine to form a breakthrough experience that challenges the conventions of modern shooters.
Features:
* FPS Action Meets RPG Character Progression: Players can choose from one of four distinct characters and earn experience and gain proficiency in a number of specialties as they do battle with enemies. Upgrades can be invested in a wide variety of special abilities, allowing players to create a fully customized character that is tailored to their playing style * Co-op Engineered Game Design: Borderlands is built from the ground-up to be an exciting and intuitive co-operative multiplayer experience that rewards players for investing in specific co-op skills * Radical New Art Style: Fresh and exciting new visual style combines traditional rendering techniques with hand-drawn textures to paint a unique and eye-catching spin on the First Person Shooter genre * Gun Lust: Choose from an arsenal of hundreds of thousands of weapons, each with their unique manufacturers, specifications and advantages. A revolutionary new content generation system produces almost infinite tools of destruction * Intense Vehicular Combat: Get behind the wheel of and engage in intense vehicle-to-vehicle combat, complete with extensive damage modeling and spectacular explosions * Next Big Original IP From Gearbox Software: Experience the action and creativity derived from the pedigree of one of gaming’s most consistent and respected developers
Title: Borderlands Publisher: 2K Games Developer: Gearbox Software Platform: PLAYSTATION 3 computer entertainment system, Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, Games for Windows ESRB Rating: Not Yet Rated Release Date: Fall 2009
From the developers of the award-winning Mafia comes Mafia II, a beautifully crafted look into the dark and unforgiving world of the Mafia. Expanding upon the original hit that captivated more than 2 million gamers around the world, 2K Czech takes players deeper into the Mafia with a mature and exciting experience that will immerse players like never before.
Powered by 2K Czech’s next-generation engine built specifically for Mafia II, players will experience the true evolution of the Mafia game that defined a genre. Gunfights, hand-to-hand combat and vehicular exploration feature new depth and dimension that allow players to experience the world of Mafia II in a way that will keep them coming back for more.
Storyline:
Born the son of a poor immigrant, Vito is a beaten down Italian American who is trying to escape the life of poverty that consumed his childhood. It was on the streets that Vito learns that joining the Mafia is the only route to wealth and respect for people of his standing. Wanting to escape the life of hardship that his father led, he dreams about becoming a “Made Man.”
A petty criminal his whole life, Vito, along with his childhood friend, Joe, will descend into the world of organized crime. Together, they will work to prove themselves to the Mafia as they try to make their names on the streets. Starting with low-level jobs like robbery and stealing cars, Vito and Joe escalate quickly up the Mafia family ladder…but the life as a wise guy isn’t quite as glamorous as it seems.
Features:
* Immersive Gangster Experience: Through strong, authentic characterization, compelling narrative and stunning presentation, the mature storyline will make players understand the pull and impossible escape of life in the Mafia * Action-Packed Gameplay: Take part in heart-stopping car-to-car chases, visceral hand-to-hand combat and intense gunplay, all of which come together to form a deep and engrossing gameplay experience Illusion Engine™: 2K Czech’s proprietary Illusion Engine, allows gamers to explore Empire Bay’s 10 square miles while transitioning from beautifully rendered outdoor environments to intricately designed interiors seamlessly without the need for loading times * Authentic Portrayal of Mid-20th Century America: Experience an epic story set across two decades where the clothing, cars and advertising are meticulously created to replicate the feel of a ‘40s and ‘50s American city; as players progress through the eras the city and its elements will change to reflect the time period. * Soundtrack Reflects the Mood of the Era: Players will be immersed in the Golden Era of America as Mafia II features tracks from some of the era’s most influential artists
Title: Mafia II Publisher: 2K Games Developer: 2K Czech Platform: PLAYSTATION 3 computer entertainment system, Xbox 360 videogame and entertainment system from Microsoft, Windows-based PC ESRB Rating: Not Yet Rated Release Date: Early 2010
Bulkypix and Motion Twin announce the release of MyBrute on iPhone and iPod Touch. Available now at the Appstore for 3.99€ or 4.99$ here MyBrute iPhone and iPod Touch is based on what has now become a cult online game
MyBrute is a raging community and viral phenomenon, with over 1.7 million visits per day throughout the world and over 70 million Brutes created.
COME AND JOIN US AND RUB SHOULDERS WITH THE CHAMPIONS OF THE ARENA!
My Brute is a crazy, off-the-wall game of combat that gives you the chance to challenge fighters from all over the world.
You simply take on a series of challenges, gain experience, unlock new skills and crush your enemies with ever-greater speed.
My Brute is easy to access and allows you to: - Create and personalise up to 8 brutes. - Invite other players to become your pupils. - Open your own dojo and find yourself a master worthy of this title. - Fight up to 5 opponents a day. - Discover and master more than 70 skills and weapons. - Unlock up to 8 battle arenas - Have discussions with other players from around the world via Open Feint - Challenge your friends on Facebook Connect
THROW PLENTY OF BLOWS, KICKS AND PUNCHES TO BECOME THE MOST FEARED BRUTE OF ALL!
The Bulkypix and Motion Twin team has been working for several months to adapt MyBrute to the iPhone and iPod Touch, to create a new competition and offer regular and exclusive content for this version.
Players start from scratch (the game is not connected to the online version) and try to become the strongest Brute in the world.
MyBrute offers discussion forums included in the game to exchange ideas and challenge other players, and also so that the community can suggest improvements to the game (service provided by OpenFeint 2.0).
Players can also share their feats and challenge friends on Facebook. (Facebook Connect)
Bulkypix will listen to players' suggestions and regularly provide new content and game modes, to continually renew the game experience. MyBrute is a community game with long-term appeal. Future buyers will not be disappointed!
Nintendo, Activision, Red Octane, Bethesda, Blizzard & Microsoft make their way into the Guinness World Records 2010 Gamers Edition. On the heels of February’s launch of the annual Guinness World Records 2009 Gamer’s Edition, representatives were on hand at the E3 Expo this week to honor gaming publishers with brand new records.
Guinness World Record recipients included Shigeru Miyamoto, the creator of Wii Sports, who received the record for the Best Selling Video Game with sales of 45.7 million to date.
Major Nelson and Mark Whitten from XBOX LIVE received the award for the Most Popular Online Console Gaming Service during Monday night’s Microsoft party. Xbox Live serves 20 million active subscribers to date, representing 67% of the total install base as of May 2009.
Blizzard Entertainment’s Mike Morhaime and Paul Sams accepted the records for World of Warcraft for the Most Popular MMORPG with a total of 11.6 million subscribers and Starcraft for being the Best Selling Strategy Game for a PC, selling 9.5 million copies worldwide.
Bethesda Softworks’ Lead Designer Todd Howard was awarded with the record for the Fastest-selling Multi Platform RPG after Fallout 3 sold over 4.7 million copies in its first week on sale from October 28th to November 4th 2008.
The entire Infinity Ward team were officially presented with the record for the Most Played Online Video Game as Call of Duty 4 has an excess of 15 million minutes played daily and the up and coming US band The Dares performed the First concert to Take Place Simultaneously in the Real and Virtual Worlds in SOE’s new massively multiplayer game Free Realms
In addition Charles and Kai Huang of Red Octane received the accolade for the Best-selling Rhythm Game Series for Guitar Hero’s sales of in excess of 25 million copies.
An honorable mention goes out to Steve Wiebe who unsuccessfully tried to win back his Donkey Kong crown from Billy Mitchell. Guinness World Records and Twin Galaxies were on hand to witness the potential new record. Wiebe’s final score of 989, 400 points fell short of the 1,050,200 score achieved by Mitchell in 2007.
All of the publishers validated at this year’s show will make their mark on history and will be featured in the Guinness World Records 2010 Gamers Edition which will launch early next year. The book itself contains a comprehensive guide to gaming and will feature the latest gaming records, the history behind gaming, and interviews with key figures in the industry.
About Guinness World Records Guinness World Records is the universally recognized authority on record-breaking achievement. First published in 1955, the annual Guinness World Records book is published in more than 100 countries and 25 languages and is one of the highest-selling books under copyright of all time with more than 3 million copies sold annually across the globe. Guinness World Records celebrated its 50th anniversary edition in 2004, a year after the sale of its 100 millionth copy. Guinness World Records also annually publishes the Gamer’s Edition; a records book devoted solely to the world of computer gaming and high score record achievements. The Guinness World Records website (www.guinnessworldrecords.com) receives more than 11 million visitors a year. Guinness World Records is part of the Jim Pattison Group, one of Canada’s largest privately owned companies which is a conglomerate of interests, including advertising, broadcasting, grocery stores and automotive retailing.
