New cities download in Grand Theft Auto IV on Microsoft XBox 360

Rumours suggest that the Xbox 360's exclusive DLC for GTA IV may include new cities, let alone missions...

The Xbox 360 exclusive DLC for GTA IV, which Microsoft supposedly paid in excess of $50 million for, may include new cities (let alone missions) when the first portion is released this autumn. At least, that's what certain rumours are suggesting as GTA IV gets set for its release in just under a fortnight.

The reports come from CVG's collector's edition magazine for GTA IV, which suggests that the Xbox 360 DLC will be what San Andreas and Vice City were to GTA III:

"Of course, to call games as vastly ambitious as Vice City or San Andreas mere 'expansion packs' seems childish, but nevertheless, the downloadable content (DLC) coming for the Xbox 360 version of IV has repositioned those games in just this way. DLC so far has meant the odd new car, jumper or bit of horse armour, but GTA IV is set to completely redefine the idea with expansions that are to GTA IV what Vice City or San Andreas were to GTA III. Yes, Rockstar is clearly hinting at new downloadable cities; and the chances of them being London, Vice City or SA again are slim to none. So that's new as in brand new. GTA IV's Liberty City is the beginning. Think about that and be excited," commented the publication.

Having seen this we contacted Rockstar for comment, but received the standard "No comment on rumour or speculation" knock down (it was worth a try).

The Xbox 360 will exclusively receive two substantial portions of DLC for GTA IV, the first of which is scheduled for release this autumn according to Microsoft.

Free to play - Football Challenge 08 - the next Greentube - hit after Ski Challenge

Yesterday the new masterpiece of online-gaming was launched: The "Football Challenge 08". The game http://www.football-challenge.com will, as usual, be free to all end users, financed by the booming „In-Game-Advertising" form of marketing. „Football Challenge" is made possible by a partnership with eight media partners in seven European countries: ORF (Austria), SF (Switzerland), Sport1 (Germany), Inform Media (Hungary), Zurnal24 (Slovenia), 24sata (Croatia) and Inform Media (Rumania). More countries are likely to follow.

„I am very proud that we at Greentube will be the first to develop a high-quality football game for the mass market", reports Dr. Eberhard Dürrschmid, CEO of Greentube AG. „The challenge for us is combining a quality gaming concept with simple handling. Our experience with games such as the development of „Ski Challenge" will help us and our partners appeal to large segments of users."



Football challenge comprises three tournament rounds (spring, summer and autumn), each of which will include several weekend-tournaments. The combined results of the tournament weekends will determine the overall results of Football Challenge. There will be a tournament winner as well as a final score calculated for each player. Whoever goes online will find a team of players with similar skill levels on a field. After downloading the game for free, players can put together their own teams, (setting players' heights, shape, haircut, color…) or open a group competition with friends.

The game can be played using the arrow keys and one extra key, „motivating millions of people", knows Eberhard Dürrschmid.

In-game advertising is booming
"Football-Challenge" will be financed by that innovative marketing and sponsoring tool known as „in-game advertising", which already helped "Ski Challenge" attain very high revenues in the past three years. The technology used was developed in-house by Greentube AG, is continually optimized and will be updated this year. International studies predict that the „in-game advertising" sector will double in revenue in the next few years.

More information can be found at http://www.greentube.com.

Izuna 2 - The Unemployed Ninja Returns On Nintendo DS

Romp Some Dungeons with the Cutest Ninja-for-Hire Around

Atlus U.S.A., Inc. today announced Izuna 2: The Unemployed Ninja Returns for Nintendo DSTM, starring everyone's favorite careless, jobless, and penniless female protagonist with a love for dungeon crawls. Combining zany characters and hilarious dialogue with hardcore dungeon RPG gameplay, Izuna 2 stands out from the crowd with its unique and memorable RPG experience. This sequel offers more game content, combat options, and RPG depth. Also, the lead character's a sexy, self-absorbed ninja.

Izuna 2: The Unemployed Ninja Returns is currently scheduled to release on July 22.

Key Features:

- Play hardcore with Izuna - Get in the action by combining down-and-dirty old-school dungeon RPG play with the cutest girl ninja ever, for a "stimulating" RPG experience.
- TAG team system - Take any two party members into a dungeon for a greater range of combat strategy. Combine power to unleash fierce TAG attacks.
- More Izuna than ever before - Get everything that made the original game a fan favorite, plus more! This bigger, better package includes more dungeons, items, enemies, characters, as well as a wacky new story, side quests, and TAG team system.

Izuna 2: The Unemployed Ninja Returns has been rated "T" for Teen with Mild Fantasy Violence, Mild Language, Suggestive Themes by the ESRB.

Guitar Hero III - Legends of Rock - Exclusive unreleased single by Def Leppard

Quintessential Def Leppard Track Pack Releases on April 24, 2008

Rock heavyweights Def Leppard have partnered with Activision Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock on an epic three-song track pack that will give fans an exclusive opportunity to sample the band’s No1 new radio single, “Nine Lives,” five days before their upcoming studio album Songs from the Sparkle Lounge releases on April, 29, 2008.

The single is the result of Def Leppard’s groundbreaking collaboration with country music legend Tim McGraw, and will be featured on their highly anticipated upcoming record Songs from the Sparkle Lounge, the band’s first new studio release since 2006’s YEAH, which begins yet another remarkable new chapter in the band’s 30-year recording career.

The track pack also features live versions of “Photograph” and “Rock of Ages,” two of Def Leppard’s most beloved chart-toppers from their multi-platinum Pyromania album.

“Being involved with Guitar Hero is very exciting for us and adds a whole new layer of appreciation," says Joe Elliott, lead singer, Def Leppard. "I know from personal experience how much more you get into the music by playing the game - which is why we were keen to explore this opportunity. Guitar Hero is extremely popular with all kinds of music heads, which includes a lot of our fans- and we think releasing ‘Nine Lives’ this way first is just fantastic!"

“We are extremely thrilled to be partnering with Def Leppard, who are true rock icons,” said Dusty Welch, Head of Publishing for RedOctane. “The band’s participation in offering ‘Nine Lives’ to fans exclusively via Guitar Hero III downloadable content before their album hits store shelves, before the single is available for purchase on iTunes, demonstrates the level of commitment these legendary artists are making to Guitar Hero and how the franchise is transforming the music landscape.”

The track pack will be available for Xbox LIVE® Marketplace for Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system from Microsoft on April 24, 2008 and will be available in early May in the PLAYSTATION®Store for the PLAYSTATION 3 computer entertainment system.

Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock offers the ultimate rock experience with new wireless guitars, freshly added content and features including a multiplayer action-inspired battle mode, grueling boss battles, a host of exclusive unlockable content and visually stunning rock venues. Expanded online multiplayer modes allow axe-shredders worldwide to compete head-to-head for true rock status as they riff through a star-studded soundtrack including master tracks by legendary artists such as Aerosmith, Guns 'N' Roses, The Rolling Stones, Beastie Boys, Rage Against the Machine and Pearl Jam, as well as original songs by guitar icons Slash and Tom Morello. Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock is now available and is rated "T" for Teen by the ESRB. For more information visit www.guitarhero.com.

New 3D Puzzle Game on PC includes Puzzle Screensaver

New 3D Puzzle Game Released For PC (+ Puzzle Screensaver)

Gaia Dream Creation Inc. has released its new 3d jigsaw puzzle game and a puzzle screensaver. This game brings an innovation in the way to play jigsaw puzzles on computers. A new puzzle screensaver based on the game has also been released. The product names are:

- The game is named: "Gaia 3D Puzzle"
- The screensaver is named: "Gaia 3D Puzzle Screensaver"

This 3D jigsaw puzzle game allows players to play jigsaw puzzles on their computer by selecting their favorite images and the number of pieces. The 3D view creates a totally immersive playing experience like a real puzzle game.

Gaia 3D Puzzle allows players to play with almost any images found on the Internet. That represents an unlimited number of hours of entertainment.

Unlike other computer puzzle games, Gaia 3D Puzzle is in 3D. That means that players can see their puzzle as a real jigsaw puzzle and the pieces are as real as true jigsaw pieces. The pieces are not pre-cut image shapes. They are generated from advanced mathematic procedures to show the exact look and feel of true jigsaw pieces. It is even possible to see and feel the cardboard thickness.

With this puzzle game, players are able to play puzzles from 9 to 2000 pieces. Even children will be able to play and enjoy the same puzzles that adults play, but with less pieces.

Another feature not available on classic jigsaw puzzles is the possibility to choose the shape of the pieces. A selection of 4 different piece shapes is available. That increases or decreases the difficulty level. It is also possible to modify the degree of distortion in the pieces. That means the pieces can all look the same, which is harder to play, or all look really different, which is easier to play.

The puzzle game and screensaver are available in English and French for Windows 2000/XP/Vista. The puzzle game (Gaia 3D Puzzle) is priced at $29.95 USD and the screensaver (Gaia 3D Puzzle Screensaver) is priced at $14.95 USD.

The game's website


The screensaver's website

NFL Head Coach 09 Movies

NFL Head Coach 09 provides a complete NFL experience, offering a variety of different ways to control an NFL franchise, on and off the field, in-season and off-season. With strategic game planning features, NFL Head Coach 09 places gamers in the coach’s seat by allowing gamers to comprehensively scout the opponent, build playbooks, and develop a team that will adapt to the philosophy and system of an NFL franchise.

The sideline is your playing field in NFL Head Coach 09 - gamers can make adjustments to plays and game strategies in an instant. The outcome of every game depends on game-time decisions made on the sideline. Success depends on proper preparation and knowledge of the opposing teams’ strategies, as well as expert and timely play calling.

Age restrictions apply

Watch the HD videos here on xbox movies

Japan gets Magnetica on WiiWare this month

Nintendo is giving Magnetica / Actionloop / Shunkan Puzzloop a facelift and multiplayer support when it comes to WiiWare as Minna de Puzzloop (aka Actionloop Twist in Europe). Names aside the game remains relatively the same from the Nintendo DS version. Players aim and attempt to match colored orbs moving on a loop. Match three and they vanish. Miis man the cannons in Minna de Puzzloop.

The other twist is Minna de Puzzloop is being modified into a light party game. Up to four players can compete to see who the champion of Puzzloop is. Special items like smoke distract opponents from seeing what colored orb is in their cannon. If competition isn’t your thing Minna de Puzzloop has a cooperative mode where players work together to stop the trail of orbs from reaching the hole. There is also a two on two team mode, a mix of cooperation and competition.

Nintendo is selling Minna de Puzzloop for 1,000 Wii Points ($10) on April 22 and this will be the first new WiiWare game since the launch of the service.

Source: Siliconera

Super Mario 64 boxed and signed by Miyamoto for sale on eBay

Metal Gear Solid 4 - Guns of the Patriots screenshots

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Lineage II: The Chaotic Throne – The Kamael (Hellbound) Pets

An in-depth developer feature highlighting the advances to the pet system within the game



Lineage II players just absolutely love their pets. They are useful companions in the lands of Aden, able to conduct a varied series of attacks, use special skills, and more, all in aid of the player. In addition, pets can go through a series of evolutions, earning new abilities and becoming much more powerful with each step. Pets only have a few downsides—they lose some experience upon death and must consume a quantity of food before they grow hungry and ineffective, but overall to players they are a boon.

Since Chronicle 2 we've been slowly improving the pet system, added a new type of pet here, a new layer of evolution there. With the release of Hellbound we've expanded the pet system even more, with benefits that will help most players in one way or another. Those that have a Wolf as a pet can evolve it normally into a Great Wolf once it gets to level 55, and then further evolve it into a Fenrir if it’s above level 70. The Fenrir is the third evolutionary stage of the basic Wolf and offers many powerful skills and special attacks. Players can upgrade their pets through the Pet Manager NPCs in most towns; these Pet Managers also have a pet raising guide and other useful tips they’d be more than willing to share.



Fenrirs are also special because players can use them as mounts—when summoned, they can climb on the pet and use it in battle. Previously, Striders were the only common mountable pet (clan leaders who controlled castles could summon and mount Wyverns, but that is a special case). Besides looking cool, there are some real tangible benefits to mounting a pet. The owner will assume the same attack power as well as speed of the mount in question. The Fenrir doesn't have to be mounted of course, it can attack and defend its owner on its own quite well.

Speaking of clan leaders, players that are members in a clan also have further advantages to being Great Wolf (or Strider) owners. Players can specially evolve these pets into Great Snow Wolves or Red Striders, and even a Snow Fenrir. These clan-based pets have access to more unique skills, which sets them apart from ordinary pets. Their speed and defense ratings are much higher than usual when mounted.



We're not neglecting some of the other pet varieties either. While we’ve raised the character level cap to 85, we had to do the same to the pets and they have been adjusted accordingly. Baby Buffalo, Baby Kookaburra and Baby Cougar owners will now also be able to evolve their pets into “improved” pets once they are above level 55. We’ve geared each of these baby pets towards a general class type, and the baby pets will give buffs accordingly. For instance, a Baby Buffalo will grant fighter-oriented buffs, while the Baby Cougar grants buffs good for all classes. The higher the level of the improved baby pet, the higher the number of buffs available.