SimAnimals, and all-new franchise from the Sims label!

The Sims, an Electronic Arts Label announced the first details for the all-new SimAnimals. This all-new franchise and original intellectual property from The Sims Label establishes a whole new category of wild animal games. Made exclusively for the Wii and the Nintendo DS, SimAnimals will be available worldwide in January 2009.

Now, for the first time players can engage with the wild world of animals in their natural surroundings in an immersive and tactile way. In this game you are challenged to engage, touch, move and try to control more than 60 animals as you journey deeper and deeper into the forest. You control an on-screen animated hand that allows you to reach out and touch, pick up and move everything in the game from foxes and bears to trees and flowers. Cohabitate with these animals in their natural surroundings, and based on how you treat them, the animals will come to know and love – or dislike you! Have fun developing relationships with wild animals and their families, and experience the humor and drama of surviving in the wilderness.

“SimAnimals opens up a new world of creativity with wild animal adventure, fun and mischief,” said Rod Humble, Head of Studio for The Sims Label. “For the first time in an animal game, you can reach out and touch, engage and play with a huge cast of wild animals in their natural surroundings. SimAnimals offers an immersive and tactile experience using the Wii remote and the Nintendo DS stylus that allows you to easily and intuitively become part of the wood’s expressive, quirky and sometimes surprising narrative. Classic story-telling about wild animals comes to life in SimAnimals.”

Wild animals abound! You will meet a host of friendly wild animals including deer, squirrels, rabbits, hedgehogs and owls. And also some mischievous characters like foxes, raccoons, badgers, crows and bears who love to stir up trouble. Get in the middle of the action as they all come together in your very own forest setting for a wild time!

Solve challenges and achieve goals throughout the game, because the animals need you to help them thrive. Discover secrets, unlock forest areas and uncover one-of-a-kind objects and wild animals, some with special abilities, by successfully completing tasks. It’s survival of the fittest, as you find out who the troublemakers are and who the good guys are to make sure everyone gets along – or not!

In SimAnimals on the Wii, take up to three of your friends with you on a forest adventure in cooperative play mode! The forest, filled with exciting wildlife, is big enough for you and your pals.

SimAnimals is tailored for the Nintendo DS. Use the stylus to orchestrate your wild animals and their environments!

Guitar Hero DS on the streets

To celebrate the launch of Guitar Hero: On Tour for Nintendo DS, videogame publisher Activision took to the streets to demonstrate the music-making game in the heart of London.

Members of the public were invited to entertain passers-by at Covent Garden, London’s home of busking, with renditions of rock hits by No Doubt, Ozzy Osbourne, Bloc Party, Jet and Maroon 5.

In an area of Covent Garden Market more used to hosting jugglers, mime artists and other diablo entertainers, those passing through the tourist hotspot were alternately impressed or bemused depending on their understanding of the technology.


Guitar Hero: On Tour is released in the UK today for Nintendo DS. It is the first time the world’s biggest franchise has appeared on a handheld games console, and comes with a unique guitar grip peripheral.

Time of War Released - Classic Shooter Fun Is Back!

Oniric Games announced today the international online launch of Time of War. A modern day shooter featuring addictive old school gameplay, Time of War brings back the mindless fun of battling huge hordes of enemies, shooting big weapons and blowing everything up in ground shaking explosions.

Sixcorp has issued an ultimatum: all the world nations are to surrender power to them or they will use cyber energy, their devastating new technology, to wipe out all of the world’s major capitals. Sean Harmmor, a former member of the World Alliance’s elite forces, is brought back into duty to put an end to the threat.

In Harmmor's boots, players will have to face dangerous opponents each step of the way, but will have a special weapon on their side: cyber energy. Harmmor’s cyborg arm gives him the ability to turn Sixcorp’s latest development against them.

With the help of Harmmor’s special cyber powers, players will have to infiltrate Sixcorp’s bases and battle with heavily armed soldiers and high tech defense systems in a quest against time to undermine Sixcorp’s military superiority and bring the world powers back into balance.

Features:

- Addictive shooter action with non-linear gameplay.
- Lots of powerful weapons –arm yourself to your teeth!
- Destructible environments –blow up everything!
- Use cyber energy in destructive special attacks.

Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EMNvKQvMA-U

For screenshots and further information visit: http://www.timeofwargame.com

Speed Racer - The Videogame - Fact Sheet

PlayStation 2

RELEASE DATE: Fall 2008
PUBLISHER: Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment
DEVELOPER: Sidhe Interactive
ESRB RATING: RP
GENRE: Arcade Action Racing

PRODUCT OVERVIEW:

Speed Racer: The Videogame for PlayStation®2 will be released in Fall 2008 along with the DVD version of the fast action film, Speed Racer. Set in a hyper-realistic world where car culture is the culture, players compete in the World Racing League against up to 25 different racers across rollercoaster-like race tracks. Players will enjoy a combative racing experience like no other when they take control of each T180 race car, achieving amazing speeds and mastering four independently turning wheels that allow drivers to engage in “Car-Fu” to jump, flip, and outmaneuver their opponents. Speed Racer: The Videogame captures the action, look and feel of the high adrenaline arena racing developed for the film in an accessible, fun-filled game that allows players to actually get behind the wheel on incredible tracks straight out of the world of Speed Racer.

PRODUCT FEATURES:

Master “Car-Fu” combat, using the T180 race car as a weapon to fight your way to the finish line by smashing, jumping, flipping and spinning other cars off the track
Choose from 25 different drivers and cars, including Speed Racer and the Mach 6 or Cannonball Taylor and the GRX
Careen down the track as the mischievous Chim-Chim – a new unlockable driver
Race across the all-new 13 mile Skorost track, which twists through an abandoned Soviet rocket base
o The game features the voices of Speed Racer (Emile Hirsch), Racer X (Matthew Fox) and Trixie (Christina Ricci) as playable characters
Trixie’s T180 race car is designed exclusively for the game
Utilize “The Zone” to boost your speed up to 500 MPH and gain an advantage on the track
Create powerful alliances with other racers to increase your chances of winning championships
Players will experience futuristic racing across 18 incredible tracks in 6 vibrant environments
Award-winning composer Winifred Phillips, created an original score for the videogame fusing rock, classical and retro beats into a unique soundtrack

Five Most Embarrasing Moments Of Nintendo’s E3 Conference

It’s easy to just forget this year’s Nintendo conference, pretend it never happened, or ignore it entirely. That won’t change the fact that by and large, it was a miserable trainwreck of failure and easily the company’s worst in history. What went wrong? Oh, about a thousand things, really, but nobody has time to relive it. So here's the run down.

read more | digg story

Blizzard wins Warcraft bot battle

Blizzard has won the first round of a legal battle against the maker of software that automates game play in World of Warcraft. It brought the case against MDY Industries claiming its WowGlider program infringed its copyright.An Arizona district court has ruled MDY does infringe Blizzard's copyright but not in the way the game maker claimed.

read more | digg story

Namco Bandai - Soulcalibur IV out soon on PlayStation 3 and Xbox

Critically Acclaimed Fighter Gears Up for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360.

Soulcalibur IV, the newest installment in the highly acclaimed weapons-based fighting game franchise, has gone gold for the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system from Microsoft and PLAYSTATION 3 computer entertainment system. Developed by Project Soul, the legendary team behind Soul Blade and Soulcalibur I-III, Soulcalibur IV will redefine the fighting genre when it is available nationwide on July 29.



Take control of an expanded roster of warriors from around the galaxy in their unrelenting search for the Soul Edge and Soul Calibur swords. Soulcalibur IV will also play host to a bevy of special characters including legendary STAR WARS icons Master Yoda for the Xbox 360, Darth Vader for the PLAYSTATION 3 system, and appearing on both platforms, Darth Vader’s Secret Apprentice from LucasArt’s hotly anticipated STAR WARS - The Force Unleashed. Adding to the mythos, Soulcalibur IV will also include a number of special characters designed by famous Japanese manga artists and character designers.



Retooled from the ground up, Soulcalibur IV perfects its highly celebrated weapons-based fighting system with stunning high definition graphics and new gameplay mechanics. Adding to the depth of combat, players can now destroy protective armor; weakening their enemy’s resolve and unleash Critical Finish moves to defeat opponents in one final blow. Also new to the series is the ability to compete online against players from around the world with their favorite Soulcalibur characters or customized characters for global domination.

To support the release of Soulcalibur IV, an extensive national marketing campaign is underway that will generate more than 250 million consumer impressions. Television ad campaigns will run throughout July and August, consisting of :30 and :15 second spots aimed at cable programming in the U.S. and Canada. Additional initiatives include online and print programs, as well as promotional and retail partnerships that will raise the anticipation for this premiere franchise.



Also to further whet appetites, players can now download the original Soulcalibur for Xbox LIVE Arcade for Xbox 360. Originally released in 1999, Soulcalibur remains the highest rated fighting game of all time and continues to garner critical acclaim with its graceful transition into the high definition era. Gamers can prove their worth against the world with dozens of leaderboards spanning every character and mode. Players can sharpen fighting instincts in Arcade, Survival and Training modes or challenge a friend in local-play Versus mode.

Soulcalibur IV will carry a suggested MSRP of $59.99 and a limited Premium Edition with exclusive content will be available for $79.99. Soulcalibur for Xbox LIVE Arcade for Xbox 360 is now available worldwide for 800 Microsoft Points. Soulcalibur IV and Soulcalibur are rated “T” for Teen by the ESRB.

PopCap - Amazing Adventures Around the World Puzzle Game Free download

New Hidden Object Adventure from the SpinTop Studio Takes Players on a Global Expedition

SpinTop Games, a division of leading casual game developer and publisher PopCap Games, today announced the immediate availability of Amazing Adventures Around the World , a new “hidden object” puzzle game with an adventure that spans the globe. Amazing Adventures Around the World is the second game in the series, following last year’s hit title Amazing Adventures The Lost Tomb, which has already been downloaded nearly 20 million times since launching late last year. Amazing Adventures Around the World takes players on a globe-trotting “seek and find” journey in search of the world’s most valuable gem, the “World Diamond.” The new game carries a retail price of US$19.95, and a free trial of the PC game is available now for download at www.popcap.com and www.spintop-games.com. The game will also be available on other leading game portals, including RealArcade.com, MSN Games and Yahoo! Games, and will be available worldwide in eight languages, in September.

“There’s no limit to where you can transport players in an adventure game, so we wanted this game to take players to the four corners of the world to view amazing places that few of us ever get to visit in person,” stated Duncan Magee, co-director and co-founder of SpinTop. “Exploring exotic locations like the Great Wall of China, the Great Barrier Reef, the African Serengeti, the Amazon and many more has never been easier or more fun.”

In Amazing Adventures Around the World, you play an adventure seeker hired by the Museum to track down pieces of an ancient stone tablet that, when pieced together, unearth the location of the “World Diamond.” Play over 100 levels and travel to 25 exotic locations which provide the hiding places of more than 2,100 cleverly concealed items. Unique puzzle traps and eight different kinds of mini-games add to the adventure and challenge available in three different game modes – Story Mode plus two unlockable “unlimited play” modes.

Key features of Amazing Adventures Around the World include:

• Seek and find over 2,100 cleverly hidden objects.
• Investigate 25 exotic scenes featuring beautifully rendered artwork and themed music and sound effects.
• Play 8 unique mini-games including Spot-The-Differences, Word Search, Tile Rotation, Jigsaw and more!
• Locate gems and tablet pieces on each mission of the Story Mode to unlock new modes of play.
• Unlock interesting facts in your journal as you travel the globe.
• Play against the clock or in Relaxed Mode with no time limits.

First Combat Mission Shock Force - Marines Video After- Action Reports released

Visit the CMSF Marines Videos page here

Our first expansion module for Combat Mission Shock Force, titled CMSF Marines, is nearing its release date and to help showcase some of the new units, vehicles and features of the game, one of the projects beta-testers has prepared the very first in-game video sneak preview and submitted it as part of our ongoing CMSF Video AAR Contest, sponsored by Matrox TripleHead2Go.



Composed of three video chapters, these new vids were captured from a beta copy of Combat Mission Shock Force- Marines and depict a USMC armed recon into some heavily defended enemy infested terrain. Since the videos come from a beta version of the game, please note that they may not be indicative of final game performance, graphics or sounds.
Among other units featured in the videos are various models of the Marine Corps Light Attack Vehicle, or "LAV" including the 25mm cannon armed LAV-25 A2, the missile equipped LAV AT and the command vehicle variant, the LAV C2 A2.



You are invited to submit your own Video After-Action Reports to the contest! You can win a Matrox TripleHead2Go Digital Edition multi-screen Surround Gaming Module (\$329 value) as well as free copies of the upcoming Combat Mission Shock Force - Marines module!





More details at the official contest page on the Battlefront channel on YouTube

Zoo Hospital - on Nintendo Wii - Fact Sheet

Zoo Hospital

Publisher: Majesco Entertainment
Developer: Torus Games
Platform: Wii
Genre: Simulation
Release Date: September 2008
Price / Rating: $29.99 / E

Overview
You’ve graduated from Veterinary College not a moment too soon-your Aunt Lucy just called from the world famous Zoo Hospital she manages because she needs your help! A local property magnate, Gordon Grimm, is eyeing the zoo’s land as the potential site for a profitable mini-golf course. Under Aunt Lucy’s tutelage it’s now up to you to help restore the zoo to its former glory by treating its ailing inhabitants, improving its Zoo Rating and attracting new exotic animals that will in turn attract the crowds!

Features

• Treat animals by playing medical mini games with your Wii Remote including:
  • Big Stealth Bugs: Expose and kill parasitic pests, then clean the patient afterwards using your Wii Remote in a FPS style mini game battling ticks, rashes and other forms of inflammation.
  • Dentistry: Clean, inject novocaine, wiggle and pull rotten teeth while battling tooth decay with the dental drill.
  • Removing Foreign Bodies: Drag foreign bodies out of the patient through a "maze" and eliminate Gall Stones by blasting them with a laser without hitting other organs.
  • Microscopic Treatment: The action takes place at the microscopic level. Under high magnification, the player must fight a battle against evil microscopic viruses by clearing the screen of all bad organisms and protecting the good organisms from attack.
  
  
• Use your Wii Remote to pat, feed or treat patients in their enclosures. Find how each animal prefers to be soothed to help keep it happy and your Zoo Rating sky high.
• Features 48 animals, including seven not featured in the original DS version (camel, capuchin, dolphin, gorilla, macaw, mandrill and owl)
• 2 player Cooperative Multiplayer mode allows players to treat the same animals together and interact with animals in their enclosures.
• Experience a 3D zoo environment to visit or treat its exotic inhabitants.
• Follow up on patients by visiting enclosures to ensure animals are healing properly and quickly. The Zoo Rating is lowered while animals are recovering, so the quicker you help them recuperate by feeding or petting them, the quicker your rating will rise.
• Proper care and treatment will improve the all-new Zoo Rating. A high Zoo Rating will introduce new animals and enclosures to the Zoo. Be careful, though, because poor treatment and care will decrease the Zoo Rating and animals will leave the zoo just as fast as they came.
• View your Zoo Rating, Medical Ratings and Plaques earned throughout the game in the Zoo Hospital Gallery
• Unlock new animals, enclosures, medical mini-games, and plaques by successfully performing procedures and raising the Zoo Rating.