Monster Jam: Urban Assault the genre-defining monster truck action game

Monster Jam: Urban Assault. The genre-defining monster truck action in the original hit Monster Jam has destroyed the stadium barriers and players will now be able to wreak havoc on city streets around the world. The game will be available on the PlayStation2 computer entertainment system, PSP (PlayStationPortable) system, Wii and Nintendo DS in fall 2008.

Selling a record of over 4 million tickets at over 325 performances in 2007 at the premier stadiums and arenas in the world, Monster Jam is one of the best known touring entertainment brands in both North America and Europe, in addition to its recent international expansion into Central America. The 2008 Monster Jam tour kicked off this year with further record breaking attendances and is on pace to be the greatest year to date in terms of live event attendance, television coverage on network and cable, worldwide licensed merchandise, international event growth and online presence.



"Last year's launch of the Activision produced Monster Jam, which was the first Monster Jam branded video game at retail in over five years, exceeded our expectations in terms of both gameplay and positive fan response," Charlie Mancuso, President of Live Nation Motor Sports, Inc. "But Monster Jam fans and gamers are not easily satisfied. For the sequel, we agreed with Activision that we had only one choice: throw the rules out the window and go for total destruction outside the normal Monster Jam environments!"

Taking Monster Jam monster trucks onto the streets and other urban settings and being rewarded for the scale of the damage and destruction is one of the new key features of Monster Jam: Urban Assault. Feel the crunch of twisting metal underneath as you drive legendary and world famous monster truck favourites like Grave Digger, Maximum Destruction, Monster Mutt, El Toro Loco, Captain's Curse, and Blue Thunder, or select from newer stars on the Monster Jam tour like Stone Crusher, Backwards Bob and Spitfire Monster Truck. Your goal is to demolish every vehicle you see.

"What would Monster Jam fans do if they could unleash the raw power of the world's biggest and baddest monster trucks in an urban setting, however they liked? Monster Jam: Urban Assault is our attempt to answer this question," said Dave Oxford, Activision Publishing. "We are confident Monster Jam fans and all gamers will enjoy doing things like crushing a NYC cab or smashing through one of London's famous double-decker buses."

For purists, Monster Jam: Urban Assault will still offer stadium racing and stadium freestyle competitions with gamezplay much improved over the original game. Mini games have also been added, including ones brand new to the franchise like Monster Jump, Truck Trickster, Skee Ball and Air Strike.

Stay tuned to www.MonsterJamOnline.com to learn how you can have a chance to qualify for the second annual Monster Jam Video Game National Tournament. The inaugural tournament was won at the 2008 Monster Jam World Finals in Las Vegas by 14-year-old Jordan Rager of Loganville, Georgia after he qualified through a series of regional qualifiers at the Atlanta Georgia Dome and Las Vegas' Sam Body Stadium.

The “Whore”-ible Truth About Video Game Hookers

It may be one of the oldest professions in existence, but lady-companions are a still-evolving addition to the virtual world. Are games devolving into complete sexual escapes, or is the world which produces them merely expanding its horizons...horizontally.

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Atari team up with Renault for Driving Theory Training on Nintendo DS

Atari UK have teamed up with Renault UK for ‘Driving Theory Training’ on Nintendo DS.

Renault will be the official car manufacturer featured in the driving mini games. Their cars will also feature in the ‘learn about your car’ section of the application.

This will be the first time that the Nintendo DS has been used as a new media device to help learners study and simulate the actual test. Driving Theory Training is aimed at provisional license holders who need that little extra help to be successful when the day of the real test comes around and offers valuable help to anyone who’s learning to drive.

Available in August 2008, Driving Theory Training will feature driving theory questions and answers officially licensed by the DSA (Driving Standards Agency). In addition to a full theory test based on the real life exam, learners can benefit from revision, graphs, mini games and questions and answers relating to vehicles. The application also features the full Highway-code, ways to learn and revise as well as fun games to entertain whilst stimulating the mind.



“We’re very pleased at the feedback we’ve been getting on this title, and it will most definitely help those that need that added support for their theory exam as well as assist current drivers who want to brush up on their skills.” Lee Kirton ‘Head of UK PR’ Atari UK

Driving Theory Training is on sale August 29th for Nintendo DS

Dion Phaneuf named worldwide cover athlete of EA's NHL 09

NHL Stars Alexander Ovechkin and Daniel Alfredsson Featured on Packaging in Russia and Sweden Respectively

Calgary Flames defenseman Dion Phaneuf will be the cover athlete and spokesman for NHL 09. With just three NHL seasons under his belt, Dion Phaneuf has been nominated for the 2007-2008 Norris Trophy, is a two-time All-Star, and has put up 159 points thus far in his short NHL career. Phaneuf is joined by some of the NHL’s biggest international stars on packaging across Europe, including Alexander Ovechkin (Russia) and Daniel Alfredsson (Sweden). NHL 09 is being developed under the EA SPORTS brand by EA Canada in Vancouver, B.C and will be available worldwide this September.

“It is an incredible honor to be named to the cover of NHL 09,” said Phaneuf. “I’ve been a really big fan of the franchise for as long as I can remember and am looking forward to being the face of the game this year, particularly because of the significant improvements that have been made to the defensive game and the new checking engine.”

Player Territory Team
Dion Phaneuf Worldwide* Calgary Flames
Alexander Ovechkin Russia Washington Capitals
Daniel Alfredsson Sweden Ottawa Senators
*with the exception of the countries named below

As the successor to the critically acclaimed NHL 08, winner of seven sports game of the year awards, NHL 09 builds on the momentum of last year, with innovative controls, added depth and new features designed to help newcomers jump into the series.

The revolutionary Skill Stick System evolves to bring an unparalleled level of control to the defensive side of the puck. The all new Defensive Skill Stick gives you the ability to sweep your stick to block passing lanes and lift an opponent’s stick to prevent one-timers. Take your game online with 6 vs.6 team play, where 12 people can play together on 12 different consoles around the world. With new teams from the Russian, Czech Republic and German Elite leagues, NHL 09 connects hockey fans around the globe like never before.

Players new to the series can now shoot, pass and check with ease. NHL 09 features Be A Pro, a game mode that will put you on the ice with a dynamic new 3rd person camera that allows you to play the role of one player. With a performance tracker grading your progress in more than 50 categories, you will know exactly where you need to improve to become the next NHL superstar.

The EA SPORTS NHL franchise is the #1 selling hockey game and the No1 selling sports game in Canada**. The game will be available for the PLAYSTATION 3 computer entertainment system, PlayStation 2 computer entertainment system, Xbox 360 video game system from Microsoft, and PC. For more information, log onto www.easports.com/nhl09. Media can find screenshots and video of the game at http://info.ea.com.

Card-Based Strategy RPG Yggdra Union For Sony PSP System

Yggdra Union, a card-based strategy RPG for the Sony PlayStation Portable system (PSP). 

For years, strategy RPG fans have accepted repetitive, non-interactive battle sequences as the genre standard; few games have dared to break the mold. Yggdra Union blows through, shattering the mold into tiny, unrecognizable bits. 

One reviewer wrote of the game’s ground-breaking mechanics, “It's no easy feat to invigorate a genre that has remained fairly set in its ways for the last few generations, let alone do it with the imagination and energy present here.”* Experience a fresh mix of turn-based strategy and real-time action, constantly engaging the player and providing intense, riveting gameplay combined with tactical card-based combat.

Originally released for Game Boy Advance to warm praise, Yggdra Union is beautifully remade and loaded with enhancements, including fully remastered audio and visuals (featuring the artwork of famed character designer and manga artist Satoko Kiyuzuki), fully-voiced dialogue in both Japanese and English, a widescreen aspect ratio, additional difficulty settings, new unlockable content, and more… all exclusive to the PSP system!



Yggdra Union is currently scheduled for release on September 16.

Key Features

• Break-the-mold strategy system – Turn-based strategy meets real-time action in this innovative battle mechanic! Build your strongest deck of cards to rain down special attacks, monitor the aggression meter to adjust the power of each hit, and create troop unions that will overwhelm the enemy’s numbers.
  
• Rebuilt for the PSP – Yggdra Union is brand new again on the PSP system, boasting remastered audio and visuals, new playable characters, additional missions, difficulty options, widescreen support, and dual English and Japanese voiceover tracks.
  
• Unlock even greater rewards – There is more to Yggdra Union than can be revealed in a single game. With 3 different endings plus a hidden ending and secret characters, there’s tons of treasure for a true gamer to uncover.
  

Nintendo Supports Edinburgh Interactive Festival 2008

The Edinburgh Interactive Festival today announced an agreement with Nintendo UK to become a Gold Partner of this year’s event which takes place at the Edinburgh International Conference Centre between Sunday 10th and Tuesday 12th August 2008.

Edinburgh Interactive Festival Chairman Chris Deering added: “Nintendo’s support of Interactive Festival in Edinburgh is great news and demonstrates an understanding of the importance of a cultural games event within the landscape of the world’s biggest cultural Festival. Games and EIF have been embraced this year by Scotland PLC like no other year and the support of Nintendo is an important factor in encouraging these respected organisations’ commitment to us.”

EIF 2008 will take place from Sunday 10th to Tuesday 12th August, and will this year move to the Edinburgh International Conference Centre as part of a move to develop the scale and profile of the event.

2008 will feature a major two-day conference programme, an array of networking events, an expansion of the EIF Games Screenings programme covering three cinema rooms, a major public area with gaming features, retail and recruitment sites. The Dare Protoplay exhibition will also take place under the same roof as the Edinburgh Interactive Festival and will run from Sunday 10th to Tuesday 12th August alongside the public areas and Games Screenings.

Edinburgh Interactive Festival is the only event that brings together the games industry’s key decision makers from games publishing, hardware and development along side Government, TV, film, press and other entertainment industries as well as students seeking to work within the creative industries.

In 2007 delegates included professionals from Ubisoft, Nintendo, Sony Computer Entertainment, Microsoft, Codemasters, BBC, Channel 4, 19 Entertainment, Endemol, Rare, Electronic Arts, Gamestation, Ncsoft, Havok, Midway, Eidos, Realtime Worlds, BAFTA, BERR, BSAC and Rising Star Games.

New to Interactive Festival 2008 will be Features, Exhibition and Recruitment areas specifically tailored to cater for the public - allowing them access to the latest games and job opportunities in games.

As ever, the three-day Interactive Festival wouldn’t be complete without the cornerstones of conferences, keynotes, panel sessions, debates, games screenings and even more people than ever jostling to get through the doors.

Edinburgh Interactive Festival 2008 - Edinburgh International Conference Centre - 150 Morrison Street, Edinburgh EH3 8EE

Sunday 10th August
Game Screenings
Dare ProtoPlay
Public games area and retail site

Monday 11th August
EIF Conference
Game Screenings
Dare ProtoPlay
Public games area and retail site
Conference Networking event

Tuesday 12th August
EIF Conference
Game Screenings
Dare ProtoPlay
Public games area and retail site

Edinburgh Interactive Festival will also play host to the Digital Interactive Symposium, the games event aimed at academics and games industry professionals. It takes place on Wednesday 13th August.

Registration is open now at www.edinburghinteractivefestival.com
There is also a Facebook Group in 2008 at http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=12251081247

Edinburgh Interactive Festival 2008 registration details:

Register before Tuesday 1st July 2008 - £120 (ex VAT)
Register on or after Tuesday 1st July 2008 - £149 (ex VAT)
Scottish based developers and companies - £99 (ex VAT)
Students - £75 (ex VAT)

Nintendo's Green Secret - Wii don't use much power

The Nintendo Wii is an extremely efficient gaming console. Check this comparison with power consumption of the PC, Sony PlayStation 3 and Microsoft Xbox 360.

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Sid Meier's Civilization IV - Colonization for Games for Windows

Sid Meier's Classic Colonization is recreated as a new stand-alone title in the Civilization IV universe

Sid Meier’s Civilization IV: Colonization, the next offering in the award-winning Civilization IV universe, is currently in development at 2K’s world-renowned Firaxis Games development studio. Conceived from the ground up to take advantage of the Civilization IV engine, Colonization will be available fall 2008 exclusively for Games for Windows.

“We’ve received many requests from fans over the years to bring back Colonization and now seemed to be the perfect time to do that,” said Sid Meier, director of creative development at Firaxis Games. “The Civilization IV engine provided a fantastic foundation for a new Colonization experience and allowed us to create something great for both new players and long time fans of the game.”

In Colonization, players lead one of four European nations on a quest to conquer and rule the New World. Players will be challenged to guide their people from the oppressive motherland, discover the New World, and negotiate, trade and fight with both the natives and other nations as they acquire power and fight for freedom and independence.



As a complete reimagining of the 1994 classic, Colonization is a total conversion of Civilization IV that combines Civilization’s addictive “just one more turn” gameplay with all-new graphics and features that add more depth to the franchise. New features, such as a brand-new interface, improved diplomacy options and the included modding tools ensure that Colonization will be the next great title from gaming’s premier strategy game developer.

Sid Meier’s Civilization IV: Colonization for Games for Windows will be available fall 2008 and has not yet been rated by the ESRB. For more information, please visit www.civilization.com

*Colonization does not require the original Civilization IV product in order to be played.

Microsite and Screenshots of Little Red Riding Hood's Zombie BBQ on Nintendo DS

New microsite of Little Red Riding Hood’s Zombie BBQ, along with new screenshots.

After finishing with a ferocious wolf, the story ended and the nightmare began. Little "Ready to Rock" Riding Hood and her friend Momotaro face the greatest threat that has ever besieged folk tales.

Go to www.gammickentertainment.com/zombie/ and discover why Granny has become a horrible green monster, why Pinoccio is now a blood thirsty cyborg, or how Prince Charming woke up Sleeping Beauty… along with her thirst for blood!

Can you save fairy tale land or will you let its creatures live an unhappily-ever-after-life?

Source: LucasArts to Halt Internal Development

Following word of routine terminations at develolper LucasArts, a reliable source has informed Shacknews that the company plans to cease internal development and fire roughly 100 more employees after the completion of Star Wars: The Force Unleashed.

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