gamezplay

Tuesday, April 01, 2008

Nintendo Wii - Mario Kart Wii Fact sheet

Mario Kart Wii

Format: Wii
Launch Date: 04/27/08
ESRB: E (Everyone) - Comic Mischief
Game Type: Kart Racing
Accessories: Wii Wheel (included)
Players: 1-4 locally or up to 12 on Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection with up to 2 players locally
Developer: Nintendo

KEY INFORMATION

The worldwide race is on with a whole new set of tricks, tracks and ways to play.

The Wii Wheel transforms the Wii Remote controller into a steering wheel that feels natural in anyone's hands, while the Wii Remote and Nunchuk controller offer a classic control style for the Mario Kart veteran. In either configuration, players can perform speed-boosting tricks with a shake of the Wii Remote.
Players can race as their favorite Nintendo character, or even as themselves! Mario Kart Wii lets players race with their personalized Mii characters. And racers will see other Mii characters they have created cheering from the sidelines on some race courses.
Players can compete with up to three friends in their living room. Or challenge up to 11 opponents via Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection in the biggest Mario Kart race yet. All tracks and modes of play are available via Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection, and players can visit the Mario Kart Channel to compete in tournaments, check rankings, see when their friends are playing and download ghost data.
Cruise new tracks and arenas or tour classic courses from Super Mario Kart, Mario Kart 64, Mario Kart: Super Circuit, Mario Kart: Double Dash!! and Mario Kart DS. Tired of riding on four wheels? Bust out one of the new motorbikes for special tricks and techniques.

Game storyline: Drawing on courses and battle arenas from every game in the series – not to mention tons of new ones – the true king of the Mushroom Kingdom racing circuits will finally be crowned.

How to progress through the game: Place first in Grand Prix circuits or clear skill-based missions to open up increasingly difficult and thrilling circuits. Players can have multiplayer races on any open courses or battle in arenas.

Characters: Nintendo favorites Mario, Luigi, Peach, Yoshi, Donkey Kong, Wario, Bowser and Toad, plus a host of new faces-including your own! Get into the game and put your Mii character behind the wheel.

Special powers - weapons - moves - features: Whether racing around an obstacle-filled track or battling in an arena, drifting and tossing items are the keys to Mario Kart success. Players can shake the Wii Remote while launching off a ramp to pull off a trick that will temporarily boost their speed. When riding a bike, players can gain additional speed by flicking the Wii Remote up and popping a wheelie.

Control: Mario Kart Wii is compatible with four different control schemes, so players can customize how they want to play:

Wii Remote Controller (with or without Wii Wheel): Steer by tilting the Wii Remote left and right. Or snap the Wii Remote into the Wii Wheel to transform it into a steering wheel for an intuitive, motion-based control scheme.
Nunchuk Controller: Steer with the Control Stick on the Nunchuk and use the Wii Remote to accelerate, perform tricks and drift.
Classic Controller: Mario Kart veterans can let their thumbs do the driving with the Classic Controller. However, players cannot perform certain moves with this control scheme.
Nintendo GameCube Controller: Experienced Mario Kart fans may also enjoy this familiar scheme, although some maneuvers cannot be performed.

Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection: There are two options for races and battles over Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection: up to 12 people via Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection or up to 10 people via Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection with two people playing locally.

SONY ONLINE ENTERTAINMENT TO AWARD UP TO $10,000 SCHOLARSHIP TO HELP GIRLS GET THEIR GAME ON

Applications are now being accepted for the 2008 G.I.R.L. Game Design Competition scholarship of up to $10,000 designed to educate and recruit more women into the field of video game production and design. Sponsored by Sony Online Entertainment LLC. (SOE) a global leader in online gaming, applications and complete rules for entry are available online at www.girl.soe.com.

The SOE G.I.R.L. - Gamers In Real Life - competition is the first of its kind to encourage students toward career paths in the field of video game design and production, ultimately resulting in the development of games that are more interesting for women to play.

"The secret is out: Females game. We're just trying to encourage more women to make the games they obviously enjoy playing, said Torrie Dorrell, Senior Vice President of Global Sales and Marketing, Sony Online Entertainment. "With the application process starting today, we're taking a concrete step towards opening the door a little wider for women who want to go into game development, and that can only help expand our industry's audience."

The SOE G.I.R.L competition was created in response to survey findings that focused on women in the field of video games. The survey interviewed female students currently enrolled in Game Art & Design, Visual & Game Programming and Visual Effects & Motion Graphics programs at The Art Institutes schools. The SOE-sponsored survey revealed that:

- 61% of students surveyed believe male dominance in the industry is a deterrent to women pursuing a career in gaming
- 42% of those surveyed would like to see women portrayed as leaders in video games
- 35% of the students surveyed want to create more games that are fun and interesting for women to play
- 31% of those surveyed want to become involved in gaming because more women need to represent the industry

According to the Entertainment Software Association, thirty-eight percent of all game players are women. In fact, women over the age of 18 represent a significantly greater portion of the game-playing population (31%) than boys age 17 or younger (20%).

The G.I.R.L Game Design Competition officially begins today, April 1, 2008. In order to be eligible to participate, entrants must be currently enrolled at one of The Art Institutes schools, have a graduation date of June 2009 or later and must comply with the Official Rules [Official Rules]. Entrants are required to complete an online application and submit an in-game design, concept art and two (2) essays. Online applications must be completed on or before April 15, 2008 and related asset submissions must be received on or before May 31, 2008. The winner will be announced on or about June 30, 2008.

One skilled student will win up to $10,000 towards tuition for his or her education at The Art Institutes school at which he or she is currently enrolled and a paid internship of up to ten (10) weeks at one of the Sony Online Entertainment studios (located in Austin, Denver, San Diego and Seattle; room, board, transportation and living expenses not included). Entrants will be judged by a panel of industry professionals from SOE. To learn more, visit girl.soe.com.

Red Stone Selected As A WCG Official Tournament Game

K2 Network a worldwide publisher of online games, in cooperation with Samsung Electronics, announces today that Red Stone was selected as the only MMOG (massively multiplayer online game) for the World Cyber Games 2008 (WCG).

Red Stone is unique 2D fantasy MMORPG with an amazing and compelling story.
Players may choose from eight character classes, each of which can transform into fantastic alternative classes to learn new skills and abilities. In Red Stone, you will explore dangerous lands, fight powerful monsters, complete exciting quests, and battle other guilds for superiority and glory. For more information on Red Stone’s upcoming WCG tournament details and to play the game yourself for free visit Gamersfirst.

“We are thrilled that Redstone was selected to participate in such a prestigious event,” says Joon Woo Kim, Associate Producer for Red Stone, K2 Network. “With its robust international community Redstone is a perfect fit for the World Cyber Games and we wish all the participants the best of luck.”

The World Cyber Games is the premiere global tournament and cultural cyber festival in gaming, with well over 1.5 million players from 74 countries participating in 2007.

Announced early this month the largest line up of official tournament games in its history with an epic lineup of PC and Xbox 360 titles, including the debuts of Halo 3 and Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock, along with the return of tournament favorites including Starcraft: Brood War, WarCraft III: The Frozen Throne and more.

The Reawakening – follow-up to Dreamlords announced

Swedish online game developer Lockpick Entertainment is proud to announce the upcoming release of Dreamlords – The Reawakening, the follow-up to last year’s critically acclaimed debut.

The game will be online Q2 2008...and it will be free...and it’s not a joke!

After working like mad ferrets locked down in Skövde, Sweden Lockpick Entertainment is happy to finish the latest installment in the Dreamlords saga: The Reawakening.

The story continues where the original game left off: The world ended in a cosmic disaster (yes we had to use that expression, apart from sounding extremely dramatic it is what really happened) and the Cynos had to put the world to sleep to heal itself. Everything went black but after eons of silence, the Dreamlords slowly reawakens and begins to put the world back together.

Guess what, all is not what it seems though and it is not just the Dreamlords that has been awakened…

What is new in Dreamlords – The Reawakening then?

Well, here are some of the things:

• An improved user interface with a client-based 3D Patria.
• We’ve made an effort to simplify the rules of the game while maintaining the complexity and long-lasting gameplay.
• Ok, this is the biggest change and you’ll love it! The Reawakening will be FREE to play. Yes, you read it right: FREE. No cost at all, just free fun!
• Customization is king! We’ve added new features such as upgrades, items and gear that will boost your Dreamlord.

Dreamlords – The Reawakening… Coming soon to a screen near you...

Fork Downloadable Game Announced For Windows

BingBang Studios unveiled the first screenshots of Fork, the upcoming downloadable action puzzle game for Windows. Boasting a unique style of gameplay, these screenshots offer an exciting glimpse into the beautiful world of Fork.

For more on Fork, please visit the official website: http://www.bingbangstudios.com

Fork: Key Features

- Unique Style of Play - Grow Nightshade trees by creating new branches
- Simple User Interface - 'No Button' control allows you to play by just moving the mouse
- Compelling Strategy - Plan ahead and take risks to get a higher score. Easy to learn but difficult to master
- Breathtaking Sound and Visuals - Immerse yourself with the soothing soundtrack and background animations

About BingBang Studios
BingBang Studios is a game development company based in Orange County, NY, USA. Our goal is to pioneer experimental gameplay while still having a simple user interface. For more information, visit http://www.bingbangstudios.com.

Announcing Dominions 4: Succubi In Heat for PC, Mac, and Linux!

Shrapnel Games and Illwinter Game Design are pleased - nay, giddy like schoolgirls at a High School Musical concert - to announce that work has begun on the next installment of the award-winning, fan favorite, Emmy nominated Dominions series. Dominions 4: Succubi In Heat is now entering beta and is expected to go gold fourth quarter 2008.

That's later this year kids so start saving up those nickels and dimes!

As expected Dominions 4: Succubi In Heat will be available for all major operating systems so whether you're a Windows user, Mac user, or Linux user you'll be able to get your Dominions experience on. In addition for the first time a Dominions game will also be made available on mobile devices (including the telegraph) and a specially designed version for fax play. No more will you have an excuse to not be playing Dominions, now you can play at home, work, on the bus, or even when taking the Pony Express!

This next chapter boasts all the features and gameplay elements you love, but turned up to eleven! There are now over six hundred playable nations, such as:
MA Ulm Suffering From A Mid-Life Crisis: It's just like regular MA Ulm but now everyone has a Corvette.
Inviso-Nation: No, we didn't forget to do the graphics, all your units are invisible.
LA CTD: Can you finish your turn or will you get the blue screen of death? Ooo, feel the excitement!

And yes, there are now thousands of new units, magic items, and spells (including well over two hundred cantrips) to choose from. Some previews include:

•Idiot Game Reviewer (Unit): When unleashed the greasy lonely monstrosity attacks that which he doesn't understand, while screaming about how great Halo is.
•Lactose Intolerant (Spell): Give your enemies the gift of an upset stomach when they drink milk or eat cheese. Mwah-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha!
•Velvet Running Suit (Magic Item): Damn society, drape your pretender in velvet!

Dominions 4: Succubi In Heat also boasts a brand new ASCII based graphics engine and a totally new combat system that puts YOU into the game! Called the Live Action Magical Engine Combat System, LAME works by the use of RFID chips. Each game comes with a thousand of these, easily attached to clothing through a velcro backing.

When you enter combat you simply attach the RFID chips to a thousand of your closest friends, find a large open area, and then attack each other. The chips then transmit the coordinates and actions to the game's server, which then in turn translates it to the battle screen. Now YOU'RE in command of the battle!

As amazing as the LAME system is, Shrapnel Games and Illwinter Game Design will be pushing into new frontiers with the delivery system of Dominions 4: Succubi In Heat.
Physical media? Pssh, that's so 20th century. Digital delivery? Bah, old news. How about In House Coding?

With In House Coding Illwinter Game Design will come to your house and personally code Dominions 4: Succubi In Heat onto your machine! No more having to keep track of your CDs or registration codes! Best of all, for an extra twenty bucks, they'll add in your own personal multiplayer cheat codes so that everyone can be a winner!

Stay tuned for more information on what will be the smash hit of 2008 as it becomes available. In the meantime you might want to head on over to www.shrapnelgames.com and check out our award-winning line of independent strategy and niche titles that you can play right now. Games such as Weird Worlds: Return to Infinite Space, winSPWW2, Air Assault Task Force, Scallywag: In the Lair of the Medusa, and many more. All have nifty little demos you can download, and some titles are even available for free!

Warhammer online - age of reckoning collectors edition

After a hard day of annihilating anyone who dares to threaten your realm, you probably like to unwind by reading a good book or dabbling in the arts.

You're just the kind of sophisticated, discriminating gamer who should own the Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning Collectors Edition.

If you think "reckoning" is what Jed Clampett does when he's deep in thought, then it might not be for you.

It will come with hardbound editions of a graphic novel and an art book; an exclusive Grumlock and Gazbag miniature; and bonus in-game items and customization options.

Ships October 14 for PC.

Pre-order online now.

UK video games chart - 29 March 2008

All formats

(Full price) Week ending 29 March 2008

1 TOM CLANCY'S RAINBOW SIX: VEGAS 2 UBISOFT
2 MARIO & SONIC AT THE OLYMPIC GAMES SEGA
3 PRO EVOLUTION SOCCER 2008 KONAMI
4 GUITAR HERO III: LEGENDS OF ROCK ACTIVISION
5 SEGA SUPERSTARS TENNIS SEGA
6 CALL OF DUTY 4: MODERN WARFARE ACTIVISION
7 VIKING: BATTLE FOR ASGARD SEGA
8 FIFA 08 ELECTRONIC ARTS
9 BULLY: SCHOLARSHIP EDITION TAKE 2
10 ARMY OF TWO ELECTRONIC ARTS
11 THE SIMPSONS GAME ELECTRONIC ARTS
12 COOKING MAMA 2 505 GAMES
13 ASSASSIN'S CREED UBISOFT
14 THE HOUSE OF THE DEAD 2 & 3 RETURN SEGA
15 NEED FOR SPEED: PROSTREET ELECTRONIC ARTS
16 FOOTBALL MANAGER 2008 SEGA
17 NEW SUPER MARIO BROS. NINTENDO
18 GOD OF WAR: CHAINS OF OLYMPUS SONY COMPUTER ENT.
19 MX VS ATV UNTAMED THQ
20 WWE SMACKDOWN VS RAW 2008 THQ

More information on PLAYSTATION Store April revamp

Customer feedback drives new design, interface and navigationUpdates on hold for two weeks; new-look Store launches mid-April.

This April, PLAYSTATION Store, the online content store on PLAYSTATION Network, is getting a whole new look and feel – and it’s in response to feedback from the millions of PSN registrants in the PAL region.

The revamp comes in response to a survey last year which showed that many PLAYSTATION Store users wanted a better interface and easier navigation. The new design will deliver a hugely improved navigation system, much greater scope for categorisation and a dynamic new user interface. Content will be suspended for two weeks while the improvements are carried out but users can look forward to a special update in mid-April.

There will be no weekly content updates between now and the re-launch, although users can still download content from the back catalogue, such as Warhawk and Gran Turismo 5 Prologue.

The PLAYSTATION Store revamp will not affect PLAYSTATION Network accounts or the virtual wallet system.

Yesterday's Gamezplay story - Sony close online PlayStation store for revamp

Fork Downloadable windows puzzle Game

BingBang Studios unveiled the first screenshots of Fork, the upcoming downloadable action puzzle game for Windows. Boasting a unique style of gameplay, these screenshots offer an exciting glimpse into the beautiful world of Fork.

The first SCREENSHOTS, along with the FORK LOGO and other MEDIA can be found here

For more on Fork, please visit the official website

Fork: Key Features

- Unique Style of Play - Grow Nightshade trees by creating new branches
- Simple User Interface - 'No Button' control allows you to play by just moving the mouse
- Compelling Strategy - Plan ahead and take risks to get a higher score. Easy to learn but difficult to master
- Breathtaking Sound and Visuals - Immerse yourself with the soothing soundtrack and background animations

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Tuesday, April 01, 2008