Donkey Kong Barrel Blast

Format: Wii
Launch Date: 10/08/07
ESRB: E (Everyone): Mild Cartoon Violence, Mild Suggestive Themes
Game Type: Racing
Players: 1-4
Developer: Paon

Game Information

KEY INFORMATION

Race to victory with the DK Crew! Donkey Kong and friends have located high-powered barrel rockets, and now the battle for king of the jungle is on.

Donkey Kong is Back! One of Nintendo's most popular characters, Donkey Kong, is back with all of his friends … and a few enemies as well. Diddy Kong, Dixie Kong, King K. Rool and the whole gang appear as playable characters in this fast-paced racing adventure.

Shake, Rattle, and Roll! Simple Wii controls make racing a snap. Shake the Wii Remote and Nunchuk to accelerate, then shake one or the other to turn. Press a single button or shake the controller to jump, attack or use items.

Rocket to Victory! Target enemies with a Pineapple Cannon, skillfully chain together Wild Moves or use the Wii Remote to blast out of a Style Barrel. Multiple game-play modes, 16 awesome courses and a rollicking four-player multiplayer game will keep players coming back for more.

How to progress through the game:

• Grand Prix: Race solo in 12 different cups across a variety of courses and difficulty levels.
  
  
• Time Trial: Pick the course and try to set a new record. Players can even save their best times in the form of ghost data.
  Practice: Race across any track without the pressure of time limits or other racers.
  
  
• Candy's Challenges: Help out Candy Kong by taking on 32 unique challenges, such as grabbing 1,000 bananas, beating a course in a certain time or staying in first place wire-to-wire.
  
  
• Cranky's Flight School: Learn how to play from Cranky Kong himself.
  
  
• Multiplayer: Players take on up to three friends in a high-flying free-for-all as they bash, smash and rocket their way to victory. Multiplayer is not a separate mode; players can simply choose to play the other modes with additional people.
  
  
• Characters: Donkey Kong, Diddy Kong, Dixie Kong, Lanky Kong, Tiny Kong, Funky Kong, Wrinkly Kong, Cranky Kong, Kritter, Kopter, Klump, King K. Rool, Kludge, Kalypso, Kip and Kass.

Special powers/weapons/moves/features:

• Wild Moves: Each course is littered with bananas. If players grab 50 of them, they can perform a Wild Move by pushing down on the control stick and then releasing it. Wild Moves propel racers forward at an insane rate of speed for a short period of time – they also allow them to run over enemies, other racers and most obstacles. Skilled players can extend the lives of their Wild Moves by hitting objects to create combos.
  
  
• Style Barrels: If players fly into a red Style Barrel, it will fire them high over the course. While in flight, an animation of the Wii Remote will appear on-screen and ask players to shake it in a certain direction. Each time players do so successfully, the rider will pose and get showered with bananas!

* Items: There are 15 crazy items that players can use – everything from offensive weapons like Backward Barrels and Pineapple Launchers to helpful power-ups like Banana Fairies and Crystal Coconuts. Using items effectively can turn the tide of a race.

BAFTA NEEDS YOUR VOTE!

The British Academy and PC World Invite Gamers To Vote For Best Game

The British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) in association with headline sponsor PC World today invites the public to vote for their favourite game in the PC World Gamers’ Award at this year’s British Academy Video Games Awards.

The inaugural PC World Gamers’ Award, at BAFTA’s 2007 Video Games Awards, is the only game to be voted for by the public at this year’s ceremony which takes place on Tuesday 23 October at Battersea Evolution in Battersea Park, London. Gamers can vote for the award at www.obsessedwithgames.co.uk. The list of finalists is as follows:

• DR KAWASHIMA'S BRAIN TRAINING (DS) (Nintendo/Nintendo)
  
• FIFA 07 (PS2) (EA Canada/Electronic Arts)
  
• FOOTBALL MANAGER 2007 (PC) (Sports Interactive/SEGA)
  
• GEARS OF WAR (Xbox 360) (Epic Games/Microsoft)
  
• GRAND THEFT AUTO: VICE CITY STORIES (PSP) (Rockstar Leeds/Take Two)
  
• RESISTANCE: FALL OF MAN (PS3) (Insomniac/Sony Computer Entertainment Europe)
  
• WII PLAY (Wii) (Nintendo/Nintendo)
  

Hilary Bevan Jones, Chairman of the Academy said “The great thing about the PC World Gamers’ Award shortlist is that it reflects the real diversity of games being played by the public, and I am sure everyone will look forward to tuning in to watch the ceremony on Nov 4 at 11pm on E4 to see which one is victorious.”

Prizes include 4 pairs of tickets to the Awards show, a day at EA’s development studios, a PS3, an Xbox 360, a DS lite, the top 10 chart games and 3 Pyramat wireless gaming chairs.

The BAFTA Awards ceremony will reward the individuals behind the very best in artistic, creative and technical innovation in video games.

Chris McShane, Head of Trading, PC World said “We are extremely proud to be once again associated with these great awards, and this year as headline sponsor. Working within the gaming industry is extremely exciting and this year’s awards will show the best of the industry’s talent – may the best games win”.

This year’s nominations show the real breadth of today’s video games’ appeal to both sexes and all ages, exemplified by the fact that the forty three different games nominated are rated 3+, 7, 12, 15, 16 & 18. This year’s categories have been fine-tuned to encapsulate the ingredients which contribute to making the video game one of the most exciting and engaging moving image art forms of today’s popular culture. The Academy will recognise excellence in Artistic Achievement, Technical Achievement, Gameplay, Innovation, Original Score, Use of Audio, and Story and Character as well as achievements in the genres of Action & Adventure, Casual, Multiplayer, Sports, Strategy & Simulation plus Best Game.

This year’s Awards will also include a new BAFTA Ones To Watch Award in association with Dare to be Digital.
A full list of all nominations can be found at www.bafta.org/games

Stream Music, Movies And Digital Photos From PC To Wii

X-OOM MEDIA CENTRE FOR Wii PROMISES ALL ROUND ENTERTAINMENT

X-OOM Media Centre for Wii will turn your Nintendo Wii into your own multimedia centre allowing you to watch movies, listen to music and view digital photos by streaming files directly from your PC onto the Wii using Wi-Fi.

X-OOM Software, a leading publisher of digital media software for mobile devices, will be releasing X-OOM Media Centre for Wii in November 2007.

WATCH MOVIES

Rather than watching your favourite movie clips & downloads on PC, simply use X-OOM Media Centre for Wii to direct all your files straight into your living room and watch in comfort at your television using the Nintendo Wii.

LISTEN TO MUSIC

With its clear, accessible structure, the X-OOM Media Centre for Wii is an easy way to view the hundreds of multimedia files stored on your PC, meaning you can access and play your favourite music simply and easily through your TV.

VIEW DIGITAL PHOTOS

Showcase your latest photographs live on TV in your lounge. Use the Wii’s wireless remote control to browse and select your favourite files on PC to show friends & family at Christmas or family gatherings.

Due to the Nintendo Wii’s built-in Wi-Fi connection, there is no need to rely on cumbersome memory cards, CDs or cables in order to transfer data from one system to another. The software allows you to transfer all of your media files at the click of a button, giving you the option to store movies, music and photographs on your PC but access them in your living room.

X-OOM Media Centre for Wii will also provide access to 1000s of Web TV channels and radio stations.

Network connection through WLAN or LAN. Supports MP3, WMA, OGG, DivX, XviD, MPEG 2, MPEG 4, WMV, JPG, BMP.

Codemasters signs licence for Wii, DS games

Templar's 14 million-selling books to come to Nintendo formats

Codemasters has signed with Templar Publishing to produce games based on its best-selling Ology books.

The UK publisher will create titles based on the 14 million-selling series, with Dragonology, Wizardology and Pirateology the first three titles confirmed for the Nintendo Wii and DS.

"Extending Codemasters' reach in the family entertainment category, this alliance with Templar further demonstrates the continued growth and diversification of our portfolio," said Barry Jafrato, senior vice president of brand at Codemasters.

The Wii titles will be focused on action gaming, while the DS counterparts are to include more exploration gameplay. Dragonology will be the first title released, due in the second half of 2008.

"The Ology book brand is a powerful contemporary franchise and we always seek to work with high calibre creative partners," commented Richard Scrivener, commercial and operations director at Templar Publishing.

"Right from the outset, we were impressed by the combination of Codemasters' passion for the product and their global reach," he said.

Sony to cut chip production costs

Joint venture with Infineon will help stem department losses

Sony has announced a partnership with Infineon Technologies for future production of DRAM chips, which should have an impact on the semiconductor unit's fortunes.

The division, which also makes processors for the PlayStation 3, posted a JPY 10 billion (USD 86 million) loss last year according to a report on Bloomberg.

The deal will take the form of a Tokyo-based joint venture and will work initially on chips for consumer electronics goods, such as cameras and mobile phones.

The move follows not long after rumours that Sony is planning to sell the production line for the PS3's Cell processor to Toshiba, and comes at a point at which the company is under increasing pressure to announce a price cut in Europe for the flagship console.

Stressed? Try a Computer Game

Playing computer games to de-stress yourself? Sounds counterintuitive to me. But then again, I get stressed just playing FreeCell. So what do you make of this?

According to Dr. Kathleen Hall and the Stress Institute, playing a game for five minutes can be just the thing you need to lower your blood pressure and get your body into a more Zen state. Dr. Hall, a stress expert, is working with Pogo, a casual gaming site that's aimed primarily at women. Pogo, which offers both a free site (Pogo) and a paid subscription-based site (Club Pogo.com) with a focus on multiplayer play, combines casino games, word games, puzzlers, and other easy-to-learn games with the power of community. "Women," says Beatrice Spaine, vice-president of Pogo marketing, "love to chat and bond while they play."

Hall, who Martha Stewart called the Queen of Stress, advises that games like the ones on Pogo.com can work wonders, increasing brain health and staving off depression, anxiety, and disease. At a recent Pogo event, Hall said that older women in particular could benefit by playing games that keep their brains fit. She told stories of triumph about women who thought of themselves as overweight, suffered from depression, had substance abuse and self-image problems, and more. They all believed Club Pogo contributed to their personal solutions.

Together, Hall and Pogo are launching "Take 5 To Play," a campaign to encourage women everywhere to pick up their mice and start playing games like Pogo's hits Poppit! and Word Whomp. As part of the campaign, you'll find Hall on the Pogo web site answering questions about stress that are posed to her by the players.

Pogo's not alone in the casual gaming space by a long shot. The casual category has been identified as the fastest-growing part of the gaming industry. Each has a different twist, though. Bonus.com is relaunching this month as a place for Gen X families to play together. It will combine family social networking activities with casual gaming and entertainment. PopCap, creators of popular casual games like Bejeweled and Zuma, want you to download their games and play casually by yourself, minus the social networking. What they all have in common is a belief in "better living through gaming."

I've said it before—I don't play computer games in my spare time (probably because I'm on the computer so much of my non-spare time). The thought of relaxing in front of my computer is right up there with relaxing in front of my dentist. For me, equating games with de-stressing is like Ponce de Leon equating Florida's waters with everlasting youth, but then again, maybe not. The number of casual gamers is just too high.

Maybe there is something to this notion of gaming to help you distress that I'm missing.

Set me right if I'm wrong. Does gaming help you cope with stress?

Source: Yahoo Tech

Nintendo shares hit all-time high

Shares in Nintendo hit an all-time high of JPY 64,800 before closing up 2.7 per cent, or JPY 64,300 on Wednesday, following Goldman Sachs giving the company a “buy” rating.

Goldman Sachs compared Nintendo's success in new markets to that of Apple, suggesting that both companies had managed to knock rival Sony off its top spots in both the portable music and home console markets.

"We believe Nintendo's talent in creating new markets, evident from the launch of the DS and Wii, could bring it close to the level of Apple, whose high valuations are due in large part to its innovative business model," reports Reuters.

Shares were also boosted by speculation that Nintendo will again raise its earnings forecasts thanks to continued strong sales of the Wii and DS and its associated software.

Source: Games Industry

Channel 4 and EA mobile game competition

Winner to receive placement and £2500

Channel 4's 4Talent department and Electronic Arts are offering aspiring games designers a chance to pitch their ideas for a new mobile phone game.

The winner will receive £2500 and a placement at EA Mobile.

"4Talent is committed to helping emerging content producers maximise their creative potential," commented James Estill, senior producer for 4Talent.

"This partnership with EA provides the perfect opportunity to support the gaming industry and nurture the next generation of games developers."

The closing date for submissions is October 17, with the winner being announced at this year's Golden Joystick Awards on October 26.

The judging panel will consist of Channel 4 Education's Matt Locke, EA Mobile's Tim Harrison and Chris Gibbs and O2's head of games Despina Kaparaki.

New Xbox 360 Arcade package

5 XBLA titles and wireless controller for $279.99

Retailers in the US are taking pre-orders for a new Xbox 360 Arcade bundle, due for release later this month.

The Arcade bundle consists of a Core unit, a memory card, wireless controller and five Xbox Live arcade titles including Pac-Man Championship Edition and Uno.

Toys R Us and Amazon.com both have the deal listed, with a price of USD 279.99 – the current asking price for the Core unit.

In the US, leading retailer GameStop has removed listings for the Xbox 360 Core, leading to suggestions that this new Arcade bundle will replace the existing USD 279.99 SKU.

Source: Games Industry

Halo 3 Records More Than $300 Million In First-Week Sales Worldwide

Xbox 360 Console Sales More Than Doubled; Nearly 3 Million Gamers Play Online Via Xbox LIVE

Interactive entertainment will never be the same, with the launch of one title that has changed the way the world thinks about video games. “Halo 3” has captured the attention of consumers worldwide and has made history as one of the biggest entertainment launches of all time.

Microsoft Corp. today announced that “Halo 3” has officially become a global phenomenon, garnering more than $300 million in sales in the first week alone. The critically acclaimed Xbox 360 exclusive, which was released in Europe on Wednesday 26th September, is the fastest-selling video game ever and already one of the most successful entertainment properties in history.

Initial reports from retailers worldwide show console sales have more than doubled compared with the weekly average before the launch of “Halo 3.” With games like “Halo 3,” “BioShock,” “Mass Effect” and “Project Gotham Racing 4,” Xbox 360 has the greatest line-up in the history of video games and the only console where consumers can play all of the year’s biggest blockbusters.

“‘Halo’ is truly a cultural phenomenon, and the launch of ‘Halo 3’ is an important milestone for Xbox 360 and for video games as entertainment and as an art form,” said Bill Gates, chairman of Microsoft. “‘Halo 3’ embodies our vision for the future of entertainment, where some of the world’s greatest creative minds will deliver a new generation of interactive storytelling.”

“Halo 3” is quickly staking its place as the most popular Xbox LIVE® game in history with members gathering in record numbers to play on the world’s largest online gaming and entertainment network on TV. More than 2.7 million gamers have played “Halo 3” on Xbox LIVE in the first week, representing nearly one-third of the 7 million Xbox LIVE members worldwide. Within the first day of its launch, “Halo 3” players worldwide racked up more than 3.6 million hours of online gameplay, which increased more than elevenfold to 40 million hours by the end of the first week, representing more than 4,500 years of continuous gameplay. Since “Halo 3 launched,” gamers have unlocked nearly 30 million achievements. In its first week alone, “Halo 3” drove a record number of Xbox LIVE Gold Memberships as hundreds of thousands of new members gathered online with friends, family members and other gamers around the world to collectively compete and complete the game.

“Halo 3” is the conclusion to the epic trilogy and picks up where “Halo 2” left off, answering questions about the fates of the beloved protagonist Master Chief™ and his artificial intelligence sidekick Cortana as they struggle to save humankind from destruction at the hands of the alien coalition known as the Covenant. In addition to the rich storyline, “Halo 3” continues the franchise’s grand tradition of delivering innovative online multiplayer experiences via Xbox LIVE. The game’s online multiplayer and innovative four-player cooperative gameplay for Xbox LIVE Gold users, the much-talked-about Saved Films feature that enables players to capture and save their favourite moments on their hard drives, and Forge, an innovative map editor that enables myriad customization options, are just some of the new features gamers are experiencing.

Developed by Bungie Studios and published by Microsoft Game Studios, the “Halo” franchise is exclusive to the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system and optimized for the Xbox LIVE online entertainment network. “Halo 3” was released in 37 countries and 17 languages. To date, more than 20 million copies of the games in the “Halo” trilogy have been sold worldwide.

Record week-one sales come on the heels of the previously announced $170 million in sales in the U.S. within the first 24 hours of the game’s release, which marked not just the biggest video game launch, but the biggest entertainment launch in history. The Xbox 360 title beat previous U.S. sales records set by blockbuster openings for entertainment events such as the release of “Spider-Man 3” and “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.” In addition, more than 1.7 million copies of “Halo 3” were pre-ordered in the United States, making it the fastest pre-selling game in history, surpassing the previous record-setting pre-sales of “Halo 2.”