Search This Blog

Wednesday, March 12, 2008

Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter 2 Legacy Edition For Microsoft Xbox 360


Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter 2 Legacy Edition For Xbox 360 In EMEA Territories in April 2008


Ubisoft, one of the world’s largest video game publishers, announced that it would release a special Legacy Edition for Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter 2, the follow up to the massively popular squad-based action franchise, and next generation smash hit of 2006.

This exciting new Legacy Edition will include the original game, and an additional disk containing all the GRAW 2 downloadable packs available on Xbox Live to date! It includes:

- 32 additional maps, a combination of new maps and best of maps!

- New exciting game modes and a large variety of exclusive ground-breaking missions

- Exclusive additional weapons that enrich the tactical possibilities in Single Player

Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter ® 2 Legacy Edition is scheduled for release on the Xbox 360™ video game and entertainment system from Microsoft in April 2008 and will be available in stores at Mid-Price.

For more information about Ubisoft, please visit www.ghostrecon.com or www.ubi.com.

Nintendo announce details of Mario Kart Wii


Nintendo has officially announced that the latest in its seminal Mario Kart series, Mario Kart Wii, will be released on April 27th in North America, with its own exclusive Wii channel, Mii and online support, and the Wii Wheel peripheral.

First announced at E3 of 2007, Nintendo says the game will include online support via the Nintendo Wi-Fi connection for multiplayer races of up to 12 players. The game will include 16 new and 16 classic courses, motorbike as well as Kart races, and Mii support for personalized drivers, and will support a number of controller configurations, including the Classic Controller and GameCube controller.

Nintendo has also announced the addition of a new Wii channel to accompany the launch of the game -- the aptly titled Mario Kart Wii Channel. In it, Nintendo will track and support the online community of players with tournaments, worldwide rankings, online friends lists, and downloadable ghost data.

Said marketing executive VP Cammie Dunaway, "Mario Kart Wii transforms one of our most popular franchises into a race that every member of the family can join. Driving with the Wii Wheel could not be more natural, and this is one place where speeding is encouraged."

Source: Gamasutra

XIII Century PC game Death or Glory now live on GamersGate


Exclusive digital worldwide premiere

XIII Century: Death or Glory now live on GamersGate

Leading PC digital distribution platform GamersGate and 1C Company announced today the exclusive digital worldwide premiere of eagerly awaited XIII Century: Death or Glory.

"This game has been referred to as having enough battles to choke a general and we are thrilled to be able to offer it to gamers worldwide weeks before it is scheduled to reach any other distribution channels, said Theodore Bergquist, CEO GamersGate.

XIII Century: Death or Glory is an RTS game that immerses players in the Middle Ages. This is a world of noble knights and ruthless nomads, a world of courageous deeds and internal wars.

As one of the famous military leaders of the 13th Century, gamers are able to test their steel against the neighboring nations and carve their names into history.

The game is developed by Unicorn Games Studio and published worldwide by 1C Company. You can find more information about the game at http://xiiicentury.1cpublishing.eu.

Larry Bond's Harpoon – Commander's Edition Update released


A New Larry Bond's Harpoon – Commander's Edition Update Puts to Sea!

Tons of new features and improvements, heading at flank speed to Harpoon fans everywhere

Matrix Games (www.matrixgames.com) and Advanced Gaming Systems (www.advancedgaming.biz) are excited to announce the first update for their popular naval warfare simulator, Larry Bond’s Harpoon – Commander’s Edition. The major new update brings many new features and plenty of gameplay improvements.

Highlights of the new v2008.024 include a BattleSet builder so users can create their own Harpoon Classic BattleSets covering nearly any part of the planet, major surface gun modeling improvements, countless game database changes including the adoption of more platform photos, CPU use optimization, support for higher resolutions in the scenario editor, and much more!

David Heath, Director of Operations at Matrix Games, said “The Commander’s Edition team at Advanced Gaming Systems have been hard at work since the release of Harpoon – Commander’s Edition and have made some great progress to further enhance this classic and realistic game system. Fans of naval warfare strategy now have even more reasons to try out Harpoon – Commander’s Edition.”

Larry Bond’s Harpoon – Commander’s Edition is the latest addition to the longstanding naval warfare simulation series that has earned awards and accolades from naval strategy fans and military personnel alike. Like its predecessors, Harpoon – Commander’s Edition allows players to assume the role of a fleet commander, making the same type of decisions he has to make, using the same type and quality of information he might expect to get in wartime. This is naval warfare strategy and simulation at its very best – addicting and wholly realistic!

As players take to the seas and command a huge variety of ships in an equally as varied choice of theaters and historical conflicts, naval simulation realists and strategy fans alike will revel in the depth and richness of Larry Bond's Harpoon – Commander’s Edition. Experience realistic gameplay with all new features, art, and more! Choosing from an accurate and editable database of platforms, weapons, and sensors, players can fight one of 269 provided scenarios covering the height of the Cold War to Pirates in Malaysia, or use the provided editors to create their own.

Get more information on Harpoon – Commander’s Edition from its official Matrix Games webpage. This update is comprehensive and will bring the game up to version 2008.024.

Please note: This update is quite large at 278 MB because of the battleset and art additions.

SAGA MMORTS Video Game Releases Free Version - free to play


SAGA Releases Free Version

SAGA, a new Massive-Multiplayer Online Real-Time Strategy (MMORTS) game from Silverlode Interactive today announced the launch of their free-to-play version.

Silverlode Interactive has released a free version of SAGA on schedule, as promised.

The free version of SAGA will allow players to access the game without purchase and without credit card, in the same realms on the same servers with the paying SAGA players. Certain features will be locked, but otherwise players are welcome to join their friends online and participate in online massive strategy warfare without shelling out a penny.

Thousands of players are queued up and waiting for the free version to get a look at SAGA before purchasing, and will be admitted online to join the thousands of players who already have the fully registered version.

Some features are locked, such as the online auction house, official rated battles, and the ability to create and join guilds, but otherwise the free client is identical to the full version. The free version will even allow players to do cooperative party quests alongside the full version players, a feature which is unique to SAGA as an RTS with MMO-style strategy questing.

“We needed to protect the in-game market and other inter-player relations from being flooded with input from free-to-play accounts, but otherwise we have tried to maintain as much of the SAGA experience as possible in the free version,” says Kynan Griffin, Content Manager and Producer at Silverlode.

Free accounts may be upgraded to the full version for $19.95. Upgrading the account unlocks all the features disabled in the free version, and does not reset a player’s nations, troops or remove any of the items acquired through questing.

The game trailer can be viewed at http://www.gametrailers.com/player/31166.html

Sign up to play SAGA now at www.playsaga.com.

Virgin PLAY to release videogame for Imira Entertainment's Lola & Virginia


Virgin PLAY adquires the rights to produce and distribute the videogame for Imira Entertainment´s Lola & Virginia

Virgin PLAY and Imira Entertainment have recently signed a contract in which the Spanish videogame distributor and editor obtain the rights to produce and distribute the Lola & Virginia licensed videogame. The game is being developed for the Nintendo DS platform, and will be available fall 2008.

Lola & Virginia is an internationally known license, shown in over 90 countries around the world. The videogame will also be available worldwide by Virgin PLAY and its affiliates.

The series is about Lola, a 12 year old girl who lives in your regular neighbourhood, has to take care of her 2 bratty little brothers, dress with hand-me-down and second-hand clothing and put up with her friends who are a bit on the nutty side. However, she takes it all in stride, feels like the Queen of the hill, that is, until Virginia comes along. Virginia has everything that Lola doesn’t, looks, brains, boys, money and parents who let her do whatever she wants. Envy is a bad thing and the relationship between the two girls quickly develops into a series of strategies, alliances and competitions. Lola is a good girl, but she´s no angel!

The videogame will be in line with the original series and the player will have to help Lola in overcoming Virginia.

Developed for girls between 8 and 12 years old and mirrors the same traits that are portrayed in the series and that are of interest in this age group: fashion, being the most popular girl in school and getting the cute kid in class to like you.

Mar Gaya, International merchandising, publishing & DVD of Imira Entertainment, comments: “We are happy to have closed this worldwide deal with Virgin PLAY. With the Nintendo DS platform, the LOLA & VIRGINIA series will have several licenses adapted to new technologies thanks to the high definition and easy adaptation of the license for videogames, mobile phones and the like.”

Paco Encinas, General Director of Virgin PLAY, adds “Its great to count on Imira Entertainment for this joint project. We have put a lot of hard work and hopes into it and are sure that it will be a great success and open doors to new projects with Imira in the future. ”

The series Lola & Virginia is currently aired in the United States, Latin America, Asia, Europe and the Mid-East. For information on TV channels and show times: www.lolavirginia.com.

The Kart n' Crazy Open Beta PC game launched Free to Play.


The Kart n' Crazy Open Beta has just been launched.

All drivers to the starting line!

Kart n’ Crazy, Goa.com’s online racing game, commences its open beta phase from the 11th March onwards. Everyone can take part in the online races behind the wheel of the craziest karts going.

The first phase of the closed beta has brought together many European drivers who were able to test the different racing cars and world circuits of Kart n’ Crazy.

It’s in this screwball environment that you can lose yourself on the wacky tracks and compete against 16 other players. Tornadoes, icebergs and funky mushrooms spruce up these fantastic game tracks where all of your challengers are armed to the teeth! Master your driving techniques and use the many different items at your disposal to help you win. You can also develop your character and racing car; blast off into six completely different environments and have 16 tracks to choose from. The revised beta will offer many new tracks and is free to play, so remember to drive crazy!

Kart n’ Crazy is a game developed by the Korean Windysoft studio.

For more information go to: http://www.goa.com/#/kartncrazy

2K Play Expands Carnival Games with Carnival Games for Nintendo DS and Carnival Games Mini-Golf Exclusive


Step Right Up! 2K Play Expands Its Carnival Games Franchise With Carnival Games For Nintendo DS And Carnival Games: Mini-Golf Exclusive

Original Wii Version of Carnival Games Ships More Than One Million Copies

2K Play, a publishing label of Take-Two Interactive Software, today announced two new titles as a part of its brand extension strategy for its highly popular Carnival Games series. The new titles include Carnival Games for Nintendo DS, which is scheduled to ship this summer, and Carnival Games: Mini-Golf, an all-new game exclusive to the Wii home video game system, which will debut this fall. 2K Play is also announcing that its flagship Carnival Games title has reached a milestone of shipping more than one million units worldwide, while remaining a top-selling game with a number 5 ranking on the January 2008 NPD Wii chart.

"The success of Carnival Games is proof that the casual game market continues to grow," said Christoph Hartmann, president of 2K. "We are actively working to expand the 2K Play label and are committed to producing fun, quality games for the mass market with the Carnival Games franchise paving the way."

"The consumer response to Carnival Games has been extraordinary," said Steve Lux, vice president of business development for 2K Play. "The game resonates with every demographic and the feedback we have received from moms, dads, kids and grandparents shows Carnival Games as one of the drivers of family game time. Our new games build on the strength of the first title and will promote this growing trend."

Carnival Games for DS brings the fun of the original to the world's best-selling portable system during the summer vacation and travel season. Each game is designed from the ground up to take full advantage of the DS control mechanism. A frenzied combination of tapping, blowing, speaking and stylus maneuvering brings the now famous midway to life. Favorites such as Alley Ball, Frog Leap and Dunk Tank are complemented with fresh games including RC Raceway and Clown Hammer.

This fall, the all-new Carnival Games: Mini-Golf comes exclusively to Wii. Featuring Carnival Bob™ and characters made popular in the original, Carnival Games: Mini-Golf is home to larger-than-life, theme park style miniature golf courses. Whether back in time to the land of dinosaurs, keeping order in the Wild West or searching for treasure on an island full of pirates, the game combines traditional miniature golf fare with action-oriented game play utilizing the unique capabilities of the Wii Remote™. It is designed for four players and can best be described as "a hole in fun."

"We work hand-in-hand with Nintendo on the design of our Carnival Games titles to make sure they deliver the best-possible gaming experience for their consoles," said Harley Howe and Patrick Wilkinson, studio heads of 2K Play's Cat Daddy Games. "These new titles in our growing Carnival Games franchise are fun, have true-to-life physics and deliver on the promise of the original: you can almost smell the cotton candy."

For more information, log onto www.2kgames.com/2kplay.

Tuesday, March 11, 2008

The Commodore 64 Book 1982-199X available now


The Commodore 64 Book 1982-199X available now

"The Commodore 64 Games Book 1982-199X" has been published by Hiive Books and is now available to order. Full details can be found at the website - http://c64goldenyears.com

The book covers over 200 classic games for the best-selling home computer of the 1980's, with trivia about the games, the programmers and the companies. Each review is illustrated with full colour screenshots and images of the packaging. Split into sections for each year from 1982 to 1992, with an additional chapter bringing the story right up to the present day, it tells the story of a machine that found a place in people's homes and hearts, and paved the way for a computer in every home...
The book also comes with a foreword from gaming legend Jeff Minter, describing his love for the Commodore 64. Each chapter is introduced with a short history of what was happening to Commodore and the games industry in that year. The index makes finding a favourite game easy.

This is the second book in the GOLDEN YEARS series. The first book, The ZX Spectrum Book 1982-199x was written and produced by Andrew Rollings and published in December 2006 through Hiive Books LLC. That title has now sold out.

Author Andrew Fisher has written for UK magazines including Commodore Force, Commodore Format, Micro Mart, games Retro and Retro Gamer. Editor and designer Andrew Rollings of Hiive Books LLC has created a fresh new design based on the Spectrum Book, allowing the two books to complement each other.

Orders can be placed by credit card or PayPal through the official site ONLY at
http://c64goldenyears.com

Guilty Gear 2 Overture On Xbox 360 In Fall Of 2008


Guilty Gear 2: Overture On Xbox 360 In Fall Of 2008

The 2D fighting game phenomenon is now an intense tactical action game!

Torrance, Aksys Games, a publisher of interactive entertainment products, announced today that Guilty Gear 2: Overture will arrive exclusively on Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system from Microsoft in Q3 2008. This Xbox 360 exclusive will take the frantic one-on-one fighting game series in an exciting new direction as an intense tactical action game.

"Guilty Gear 2: Overture retains a lot of elements that the fighting games are known for, so it's cool to see how familiar moves like the Gun Flame make the transition to 3D," said Michael Manzanares, Project Lead, Aksys Games. " Except now though, you’re facing off against an entire army instead of just one character. You'll lose (badly) if you think you're a one-man army, so you definitely have to remember that you have your own army to command."

Guilty Gear 2: Overture Prologue
In the far future, humanity succeeded in developing an endless energy called the divine power. But although they were able to obtain wisdom, mankind could not cast aside their foolishness. Tension among the major powers led to the creation of biological weapons that were based on that power - Gears.

Justice, the only Gear able to command the legions of biological weapons, went berserk and declared war on all of humanity. That was the beginning of the worst war in history - The Crusades.

In response, mankind formed an order of elite knights, and with their participation, Justice was defeated. With her fall, all Gears ceased to function and entered a dormant state. The long-lasted Crusades came to an end, and it seemed like mankind restored peace.

However, true history has yet to reveal itself

Guilty Gear 2: Overture Features
  • Tactical Melee Action
  • Take part in battle alongside your servants and destroy your enemies!
  • Over Fifty Servants at Your Disposal
  • Engage in dynamic battles by balancing resources and deploying troops to turn the tide of battle!
  • Dual Language
  • Experience the thrilling continuation of the Guilty Gear saga with fully voiced dialogue!
  • Multiplayer Deathmatch
  • Team battle or Free-for-all, test your mettle on Xbox Live with up to four players!
  • Refined Mechanics
  • Enjoy new items, skills, tweaks, and additional modes not seen in the original import!

Guilty Gear 2: Overture has not yet been rated by the ESRB. More information about Aksys Games and Guilty Gear 2: Overture can be found at www.aksysgames.com.