Red Bull BC One Nintendo DS game playable demo available

Playlogic announces playable prototype of Red Bull BC One

Playlogic, an independent worldwide publisher of entertainment software, announced the launch of a web based prototype to the Red Bull BC One DS game.
The game takes the player to the international Red Bull BC One breakdance tournament that challenges B-boys and B-girls alike. Players control their break dancer by solving puzzles under strict time limits. Puzzles consist of drawing geometrical shapes, which will get more complex as the game progresses. A steady hand and speed are required to set a high score that is worth bragging about. The game features fresh and stylish graphics with urban music as well as tense puzzle rounds alternating with a variety of minigames. Red Bull BC One is currently being
developed for Nintendo DS by Smackdown.

The game prototype allows players to look at the concept of the game and help the developing team by providing the ever important feedback. The player’s comments and suggestions will be used to improve the final version of the game. Furthermore, the players that forward the best ideas or comments will even be credited in the final game.


Red Bull BC One for Nintendo DS will be published worldwide in early Summer 2008.

For more information about Red Bull BC One and for playing the prototype game please visit: http://www.redbullbcone.com/game

Dynamite Fishing video game - fun fishing simulator PC game

HandyGames blasts you away!

Have a big blast with what could easily be the world’s craziest fishing simulation! Arm yourself for an explosive raid on the wet and weird underwater world!

As a Texas redneck with acute money problems, you join the profitable fish business. Get your unsinkable tub and buy sticks of dynamite at the local weapon vendor to blow up some big fish! Learn about new technologies, e.g. stimulating pheromone bait or evil super weapons like the squirrel bomb! Find hidden underwater treasures and beat rare boss fish by using the unfair methods of dynamite fishing! If you do well, you might even catch the girl of your dreams and not just smelly fish! After all, you hope for a son to whom you can teach your dirty tricks in the future!

The most explosive Casual Game of all times is available now!

Features:

- Crazy fishing action with dynamite sticks

- Weird story with explosive gags

- 30 wet levels full of satirical themes

- 20 dangerous weapons for gill destruction

- 6 unsinkable boats with individual upgrades

- 2 extremely funny game modes: Story mode, Freestyle

- Relaxing aquarium mode for Peeping Toms

- Coloured gallery with much more coloured story pictures

- Authentic Hillbilly soundtrack

- Highscore for all fish fetishists

- Tutorial for chief blaster training

Available here...

Nintendo Wii and DS game - Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games sells 5 Million

Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games Hits 5 Million in Global Sales

TOKYO-SEGA Corporation today announced that its history-making video game title, Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games, has sold five million copies worldwide in just over three months. Developed by SEGA for the Wii video game system and the Nintendo DS™ system, with creative input and executive milestone approvals by Nintendo’s developers, the title brought together for the first time the two most beloved icons in the entertainment industry. In the spirit of the Olympic Games, the legendary mascots also brought friends from their storied franchises along, including Luigi, Knuckles, Yoshi and Tails, to compete in a variety of Olympic events.

“With adored icons and fun game play, Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games has shot to the top of the sales charts and is clearly resonating with the growing audience of casual gamers that want an engaging and accessible gaming experience,” said Simon Jeffery, President and COO, SEGA of America.

Published by SEGA across Europe and North America, and by Nintendo in Japan, Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games made its worldwide debut on November 6, 2007, when the Wii version hit store shelves in the United States. According to the NPD Group, which tracks sales data in the United States, the game was one of the top-ten best-sellers in the United States – across all platforms – in the critical holiday sales month of December.

When Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games launched in Europe just days later, it was an immediate hit, rising rapidly to the top of sales charts. Mario & Sonic became the best-ever performing Wii game over the seven-day period that ended on December 11, 2007. In January, Mario & Sonic was the best-selling video game in England across all formats.

“The market for entertaining games that everyone can enjoy is growing faster than any other segment in the industry, thanks in part to the explosive popularity of Wii and Nintendo DS,” continued Jeffery. “A key element of our growth strategy at SEGA is to develop and publish games that appeal to this expanding market.”

Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games is licensed through a worldwide partnership with International Sports Multimedia (ISM), the exclusive Interactive Entertainment Software licensee of the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

CAL RIPKEN'S REAL BASEBALL LAUNCHES LIVE FROM DISNEY'S ESPN THE WEEKEND

CAL RIPKEN'S REAL BASEBALL LAUNCHES LIVE FROM DISNEY'S ESPN THE WEEKEND

New Website Offers a Free One-of-a-Kind Video Game and Online Community for Baseball Enthusiasts Around the World

Key Facts:
Baseball’s all-time “Iron Man” and member of the National Baseball Hall of Fame, Cal Ripken, Jr. was today announced as the official spokesperson for Real Baseball, a free online video game and community for baseball enthusiasts around the world. Cal Ripken’s Real Baseball is the new name of the community/video game which was previously known as Ultimate Baseball Online or UBO.

The new website is at: www.PlayRealBaseball.com.

Cal Ripken’s Real Baseball enables gamers to compete in a Massively Multiplayer Online Sport Game (MMOSG), meaning each position on the field is manned by a human player in a 3-D virtual stadium. Players can create their own characters and build their skill level (player stats) through successful play on the field against other real human players. Unlike current video games that aim to simulate professional sports, Real Baseball (RB) delivers a first-person perspective of a character, created and developed by the player, interacting online in real-time with teammates and opponents playing from numerous locations.

Real Baseball was created by Andy Wang, founder and CEO of Netamin Communication Corporation, the first company in the world to develop the technology to build a Massively Multiplayer Online Sports Game (MMSOG). Netamin is headquartered in Diamond Bar, California with additional operations in Korea.

Real Baseball has been in existence for three years in a beta mode under the name Ultimate Baseball Online, and currently boasts approximately 7,000 players worldwide. Over the past three years Ultimate Baseball Online have seen strong participation in the United States, Canada, Taiwan, Korea, England, Italy, South Africa, Brazil and Australia.

Quotes:

Cal Ripken Jr., Member of National Baseball Hall of Fame:

“Real Baseball is a fun game that provides the players with a unique perspective and delivers a one of a kind lifelike baseball experience. The online baseball community reinforces baseball fundamentals and provides baseball fans and gamers with a challenging experience. It is a great destination for baseball fans of all ages.”

Andy Wang, Founder & CEO of Netamin:

“We are very excited to partner with Cal in an effort to make our website and video game even better for baseball lovers across the globe. We strive to make Real Baseball the most authentic baseball video game it can be, and adding Cal to our team not only strengthens our brand, but connects us with a baseball legend that will take our video game and community to the next level.”

Imperium Romanum PC video game website update

"Imperium Romanum": The Updated Website!

Kalypso Media Group is pleased to announce that a number of new features have been added to the official website of the strategy highlight “Imperium Romanum”.

To follow-up the release of “Imperium Romanum” two weeks ago Kalypso have now provided players with a range of new content including a newsletter service (where users can sign up to receive the latest information about new game content), the patch which solves problems with the copy protection, download links for the demo version, as well as two wallpapers, the tech tree, the developer interview video and the fansite-kit (logos, screenshots, artwork material etc).

If you haven’t already visited the site, march over to http://www.imperium-game.com to also learn more about the city-building game, to see a variety of screenshots, the trailer of the game and to join the discussion forum.

Build, reign and defend! “Imperium Romanum” allows the player to take the future of an empire into their own hands, as the game sees them take the role of a governor of a Roman province and strive to build a well organised, prosperous and commanding settlement. Set in the time-honoured Roman Empire players will marvel at the incredible attention to detail, as they construct fortifications, build towers, gates and bridges, and pay for them with the new currency which has been implemented into the game for a challenging, enjoyable, and authentic quest to rule the World.

“Imperium Romanum” was released in the UK on 22nd February 2008.

PANASONIC PROJECTORS PARTNERS MAJOR LEAGUE GAMING TO SPONSOR PRO GAMER TOM "TSQUARED" TAYLOR

PANASONIC PROJECTOR SYSTEMS COMPANY PARTNERS WITH MAJOR LEAGUE GAMING TO SPONSOR PRO GAMER TOM "TSQUARED" TAYLOR

Pro Gamer Has Tested and Will Promote Panasonic's PT-AX200U, the First Home Theater Projector Designed with Gaming in Mind

Panasonic Projector Systems Company (PJSC), Unit of Panasonic Corporation of North America, today announced its partnership with Major League Gaming (MLG), the professional video game league, to work with one of their top ranked professional gamers, Tom "Tsquared" Taylor. Tsquared has tested the "Game mode" on the new PT-AX200U home theater projector and found that it is the first projector to deliver a high-quality, gaming experience. The high definition 720p projector will remove virtually any lag in response time and expands detail reproduction, revealing gradation in saturated areas that are otherwise lost to darkness.

Tsquared, one of the top ranked professional Halo players, is a leading member of the Halo team, Str8 Rippin. Over the last two years, Tsquared has appeared in the Wall Street Journal, ranked #1 by Stuff Magazine in the "Top 20 Under 30 Power List", starred in MTV's "True Life: I want to be a professional gamer," and featured on G4TV's "XPlay" gaming tutorial. At the age of 20, Tsquared has become one of the most recognized professional video game celebrities in the industry.

"I'm very excited to work with Panasonic Projector Systems Company in this new partnership. Panasonic's AX200 is truly in a class by itself. This is the only projector I'll ever need to use. I practice on it at home before tournaments, use it for casual gaming and it's great for watching sports with my friends"

said pro gamer Tom "Tsquared" Taylor.

"We recognized the growing gaming market, both recreational and professional, and designed a quality home theater projector that caters to gamers' needs. We're excited to partner with Major League Gaming and one of their top ranked professional gamers, who both agree that Panasonic's AX200 offers a superior experience for gaming," said Thomas Zitelli, president of Panasonic Projector Systems Company.

Tsquared joined PJSC at this year's International Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, NV to promote and demonstrate the PT-AX200U to reporters and attendees. He will participate in events and promotional opportunities throughout the year with the Panasonic Projector Systems Company team and can be seen at the following MLG (www.mlgpro.com) Pro Circuit events:

MLG Pro Circuit Event: 

• April 11-13: Meadowlands, NJ
  
• June 13-15: San Diego, CA
  
• July 11-13: Orlando, FL
  
• August 22-24: Toronto
  
• October 3-5: Dallas, TX
  

To learn more about the brand new AX200 projector, please visit www.panasonic.com/projectors

Rainbow Web Returns in Challenging Sequel!

Rainbow Web Returns in Challenging Sequel!

It is not very easy to create a follow-up to one of the most popular match-three games, but Sugar Games has succeeded in this task with honors.

Thousands of Rainbow Web fans worldwide are jumping in exhilaration as Sugar Games announces Rainbow Web 2, an even-more-entertaining head-scratching puzzle that plunges players into the magic world of Rainbow Kingdom positioned in front of the ultimate enemy.

When in October 2005 Sugar Games released its first game, Rainbow Web, it literally rocked the whole casual game community resulting in 85,000 copies sold towards the end of 2007. It exceeded in advance the average number of sales for a casual game which according to Casual Games Association usually varies from 5,000 to 20,000 copies. Moreover, it challenged similar figures for non-casual PC titles: according to DreamCatcher Games, 100,000 units is often an industry success benchmark. Due to such popularity and anticipation of the fans, the release of the sequel seemed imminent. And so it happened.

Neither the gameplay nor the tale surrounding it has grown stale in the two-and-a-half year gap between the original Rainbow Web and the current follow-up. The ongoing story of the captivating Rainbow Kingdom, the idyllic world of wonderland, the citizens of which once again opened a portal to our world, is compelling and will evoke recollections of fairy tales you used to read in childhood.

The puzzles in Rainbow Web 2 do not stray far from the addictive recipe of the original. Your goal is to match three or more bubbles of different colors to clear them from the game board. And here comes the most remarkable distinction of the game: the game field designed as a spider’s web, not a corny rectangular field. The bubbles are matched according to the threads of the web. When a match is made, those bubbles disappear from the web and new ones slide into place. But you do not have just to match bubbles of the same color: your objective is to compile a word from letters entrapped inside some bubbles. It makes the game even more fascinating.

Rainbow Web 2 provides two modes: classic where you will have a consistent challenge with time limits and relaxation mode with no time restrictions. Classic mode adds some suspense to the gameplay as it is rather craft-demanding to make a match on webs of tricky sizes and shapes within a time limit.

Augmenting the fun experience are the beautiful graphics that make bubbles glisten, shine and explode with iridescent sparkles, neat sound effects and memorable music inspired by ethno legends and tales themes.

Availability

Rainbow Web 2 runs under all versions of Microsoft Windows including Windows Vista and costs $19.99 (USD) for a single-user license. Further information on Rainbow Web 2, as well as a free trial copy is available free of charge from http://www.SugarGames.com/rainbow-web-2/

MatchBox360 XL – Tournament sponsored by SteelSeries

MatchBox360 XL – Tournaments sponsored by SteelSeries

Event: MatchBox360 XL

Date: 21st - 23rd March 2008

Venue: NEC Toute Suite, Birmingham

MatchBox360 XL are pleased to announce that SteelSeries will be an official sponsor of the forthcoming MatchBox360 XL eSports tournaments on 21st-23rd March at the Birmingham NEC Toute Suite.

SteelSeries will be providing the winning players and teams each with a pair of the latest SteelSeries Siberia Neckband Headsets, which are fully compatible and conducive to competitive Xbox 360 gaming. In addition to these fantastic prizes, the SteelSeries Neckbands will also be available on demonstration throughout the 3 day MatchBox360 XL weekend:

"SteelSeries have always designed high quality headsets for PC gamers, and they are now supporting console gaming which is great news for everyone attending XL! We're delighted to be working closely with SteelSeries to provide what promises to be an incredible weekend of gaming action." – Graham Hoffman (MatchBox360 XL Event Manager).

SteelSeries is all about gaming and to provide performance enhancing gaming gear, created for and by leading professional gamers from 3 different continents in order to continuously improve upon their wide range of gaming products:

"SteelSeries is proud to partner up with MatchBox360 for the upcoming XL4 event. The MatchBox360 organization continues to support the growth of the console gaming scene and we are happy to be a part of that, by providing the winning teams with our professional gaming gear and equipping the demo consoles with our headsets. We wish good luck to the participating teams!"– Casper Mejiholm (SteelSeries Marketing Manager).

The new SteelSeries Siberia Neckband Headset features a similar eye-catching visual design, as well as the popular white theme, that made the original Siberia headset so popular. The comfort and soundscape in the SteelSeries Siberia Neckband Headset was fine-tuned with the help of professional gamers, electronic DJ's and rock musicians. The headset is also fully compatible with the Xbox 360 and plugs directly into the Microsoft Xbox 360 controller, where in-game sound and voice communication can be combined.

In addition to cash prizes worth upto £10,000, MatchBox360 XL continues to set the standard for competitive console tournaments in Europe and the winners of the following tournaments will each receive SteelSeries Siberia Neckbands:

• Halo 3 FFA
  
• Halo 4 4v4
  
• Call of Duty 4 FFA
  
• Call of Duty 4 5v5
  
• Gears of War 4v4
  

Tickets are selling out fast, so if you want to test out and have a chance to win yourself a pair of SteelSeries Siberia Neckbands please purchase your tickets asap from the MatchBox360 XL Ticket Office: http://tickets.matchbox360.co.uk

For more information on SteelSeries or if you wish to see more of their products, please visit them online: http://www.steelseries.com

God of War: Chains of Olympus Debut on Sony PSP - PlayStationPortable

Award-Winning Franchise Makes Its Debut on PSP - PlayStationPortable With God of War: Chains of Olympus

Third Installment of the Multi-Million Unit Franchise is a Prequel...

Sony Computer Entertainment America announced today the North American release of God of War: Chains of Olympus, exclusively on Sony PSP - PlayStationPortable. Collaboratively developed by Sony Computer Entertainment’s Worldwide Studios, Santa Monica Studio and Ready at Dawn Studios, the acclaimed development team that brought you the best-selling Daxter for PSP, the highly-anticipated God of War: Chains of Olympus combines stunning graphics, intense action and an intricate new storyline that delivers yet another tale of epic proportions from the dark and brutal world of Greek Mythology.

Following in the footsteps of its predecessors, God of War: Chains of Olympus is set to deliver everything that fans have come to expect from the God of War franchise. With high fan anticipation and a 94% rating on GameRankings.com, supported with the following review scores from leading gaming media outlets: PlayStation the Official Magazine – 5/5 and the Editor’s Choice Award, Game Informer – 9/10 and the Handheld Game of the Month Award, Game Pro – 4.75/5 and the Editor’s Choice Award, IGN.com – 9.4/10 and the Editor’s Choice Award, 1Up.com – 9.5/10, and Gamezone.com – 9.5/10, God of War: Chains of Olympus is poised to set a new standard for PSP titles.

“God of War: Chains of Olympus is a stellar achievement that truly shows off the capabilities of PSP and fully demonstrates our efforts to bring highly-innovative and unique content to PSP,” said Jeff Reese, Director, Software Marketing, SCEA. “If you’re a fan of the God of War universe or even just the action-adventure genre, God of War: Chains of Olympus delivers an epic gameplay experience and is a-must-own title.”

Baseball Franchise set for the new Season with MLB 08 The Show on Sony PLAYSTATION 3 PlayStation 2 and PSP - PlayStationPortable

Critically Acclaimed Baseball Franchise Set For the New Season With MLB 08 The ShowTM on PLAYSTATION 3, PlayStation 2 and PSP - PlayStationPortable

Popular Baseball Title Delivers the Perfect Blend of Unique...

Sony Computer Entertainment America announced the North American launch of MLB 08 THE SHOW, available exclusively for PLAYSTATION 3 (PS3), PlayStation 2 and PSP - PlayStationPortable. Already widely considered the most authentic baseball franchise on the market, MLB 08 THE SHOW comes out swinging for the fences to deliver an unrivaled simulation with broadcast quality presentation. Developed by Sony Computer Entertainment’s Worldwide Studios, San Diego Studio, MLB 08 THE SHOW looks to build on its critical acclaim and its history as the longest-running officially licensed baseball title on PlayStation platforms.

To provide the closest experience possible, next to actually trying to make it in the Majors, MLB 08 THE SHOW introduces a more immersive Road to The Show mode. As gamers attempt to make a starting line-up in the Big Leagues, playing on both offense and defense from a custom-created player’s perspective, a more robust dynamic goal system and a new career advancement system will determine when a player is eligible for a promotion. Additionally, the custom-created players are more interactive, with pitchers now experiencing mound visits, catchers enduring more defense situations, and with gamers being able to further adjust a player’s positioning – all making Road to The Show mode even more realistic.

“Baseball fans know that the MLB franchise has a long-standing winning tradition and that we strive to create highly-innovative and intuitive features in order to deliver the best baseball title on the market,” said Jeff Reese, Director, Software Marketing, SCEA. “With the advancements made to the feature set, along with the lighting, textures and the added little nuances in the game, MLB 08 THE SHOW sets a new bar for authentic play and unsurpassed realism.”

Providing players with some additional performance incentives, the MLB franchise introduces the new Progressive Batting Performance feature, which will both reward players for superior performance and penalize them for hitting slumps. Specific to each individual batter, players will be rewarded or punished, based on how that batter that performs beyond his “natural ability” while under user control. Adding to the online feature set, which includes customizable Online League Play,scrolling MLB Score Ticker and more, MLB 08 THE SHOW introduces SCOUT (SportsConnect Online User Tracking), which allows gamers to set and store their game preferences on the MLB server, and then enables the system to look for a Quick Match with opponents that fit similar competitive criteria.

As the only first party franchise officially licensed by Major League Baseball Properties Inc. (MLBP), Major League Baseball Advanced Media (MLBAM) and the Major League Baseball Players Association (MLBPA), MLB 08 THE SHOW features more than 3,000 individual player animations, including personalized stances, pitching animations, individual swings, batting rituals and motion captures from MLB® players. Additionally, the franchise adds to the realism by including Umpire Personalities combined with Interactive Hot and Cold Zones and Player-scaled Strike Zones, Release, and comprehensive commentary, featuring the three-man booth of Rex Huddler, Matt Vasgerian and Dave Campbell.

Joining an elite group of MLB All-Stars that have graced the cover of the MLB franchise, such as New York Mets third baseman David Wright, Boston Red Sox designated hitter David Oritz, and Angels outfielder Vladimir Guerrero, this year’s cover athlete and spokesman, Philadelphia Phillies™ All-Star first basemen Ryan Howard, is known for his personality and work ethic, which exemplifies the MLB franchise. Howard is just the second player in Major League Baseball™ history to win the Rookie of the Year honors and a Most Valuable Player award in successive seasons.

Marketing efforts for MLB 08 THE SHOW include a marketing campaign across TV, radio, print and online, that will run nationally throughout the entire Major League Baseball season. Additionally, MLB 08 THE SHOW will receive full public relations and promotional support, as well as dedicated point-of-purchase displays and merchandising support.