Nintendo Wii Classic Controller faces sales ban in US

A judge has ruled that sales of Nintendo's Wii Classic Controller, WaveBird and GameCube controllers cannot be sold in the US.

However, the ban has been put on hold while Nintendo appeals the verdict in the US Court of Appeals, with Nintendo forced to post a bond or put royalties in an escrow account to avoid the halt in sales, according to Bloomberg.

The judge in Texas has rejected Nintendo's request for a new trial in a USD 21 million lawsuit won by Anascape, over patent infringement for a controller that covers six types of motion at the same time.

The Wii Nunchuck and Wiimote controllers are not affected. Sony licensed the patent from Anascape in 2004, and Microsoft settled a lawsuit in May before a trial with Anascape began.

While waiting for the appeal to conclude, Nintendo is free to continue selling the Wii Classic Controller, and does no longer sell the GameCube and WaveBird controllers in the US.

According to Anascape's lawyer, the company wants to enter the games peripheral market but Nintendo has completely "clogged the channel."

Nintendo is expected to appeal the ban immediately, with the judge due to issue the order later today.

Source: Games Industry

Multiplayer Big Kahuna Party to Nintendo WiiWare

Reflexive Entertainment is proud to announce Big Kahuna Party, a new multiplayer edition of the popular Big Kahuna franchise that will be surfacing exclusively on WiiWare for the Wii.

Big Kahuna Party, a special multiplayer focused version of one of its most beloved franchises, coming exclusively to WiiWare on the Nintendo Wii.

Featuring both cooperative and competitive play for 2-4 players, in addition to single-player mode, Big Kahuna Party takes players on an exciting adventure through underwater reefs, captivating players as they discover new and exotic fish and explore all 99 levels. Each level has been carefully conceived to create an oceanic holiday for players as they match up sea-themed objects, and unlock 26 beautifully rendered and stunningly life-like fish.

With new intuitive Wii-specific controls, players can swap tiles faster and more fluidly than ever before using either just the Wii Remote, or with both the Wii Remote and the Nunchuk. That speed will come in handy in the multiplayer modes, where the underwater matching madness can get intense.

"When we made the Big Kahuna games on the PC, we added a feature that allowed players to play together using multiple mice, and in the office it was a smash hit," said Lee Cooper, Producer of Big Kahuna Party. "Unfortunately, as most people don't have multiple mice connected to their computer, not enough people have gotten to experience the frantic fun of multiplayer Big Kahuna. For WiiWare, we've made multiplayer the focus. People can still enjoy the game by themselves, but after playing multiplayer we expect you'll only use single-player to brush up on your skills for your next competitive game night with friends."

Big Kahuna Party also features explosives, which have been one of the most popular additions to the Big Kahuna series. Created as players make matches of 5 or more, explosives come in various sizes from little sticks of dynamite to huge nuclear bombs that can be used strategically to clear out large sections or difficult to reach areas of each level. Explosives are especially useful in multiplayer competitive matches where players race to own the most territory on the board by clearing squares before their competitors.

With nearly a hundred levels sure to keep players entertained for hours and friendly casual game play that ensures everyone in the family can join in on the fun, Big Kahuna Party is an unbeatable way to take the family on a tropical holiday from the comfort of your own living room.

Big Kahuna Party is rated "E" for Everyone. A release date will be announced soon.

Nintendo Wii shortage this Christmas statement - already!

Retailers may be facing another year without enough stock of the Nintendo Wii to meet consumer demand.

Nintendo's CEO has said that while the company will do all it can to satisfy demand, it cannot guarantee full supplies for the third year running.

"We are really intending to increase the shipments to the US, especially compared to last year," says Iwata, speaking to Forbes.

"However, I can't give you a 100 per cent commitment [that you'll be able to find a Wii this holiday season]. What I can commit myself to is that Nintendo is going to do its best to supply as many Wii hardware units as possible in order to meet demand there."

Last Christmas retailers in the US and Europe suffered shortages of the popular home console, and while sales of the Wii are leaving the competition behind, consumers and retailers could once again face a frustrating seasonal period.

Nintendo of America boss Reggie Fils-Aime has said that the average unit sits on retail shelves for only an hour before being snapped up.

It's not just the console that has suffered from a poor supply chain. Game and peripheral Wii Fit has jumped in and out of the charts since release with analysts suggesting patience amongst consumers could wear thin if they are not able to buy product so heavily advertised.

Source: Games Industry

Steven Spielberg - Boom Blox video game on Nintendo Wii

A must-have Wii game is on its way! BOOM BLOX, the first game developed in collaboration between EA and director and producer, Steven Spielberg, is a high-energy game featuring over three hundred levels, a variety of activities, a cast of over thirty wacky characters, and an easy-to-use in-game editor that allows players to express their creativity.


Fun for kids and the entire family, BOOM BLOX offers action-packed interactive activities that takes Wii play to a new level of creativity and fun with single player, co-op, and versus gameplay. Explore the visceral gameplay-perfectly suited for the Wii’s interactivity-that keeps you destroying your way through brain-twisting challenges. Interact with entertaining characters such as the Blox-laying chickens or the baseball throwing monkeys, who bring personality to the Tiki, Medieval, Frontier, and Haunted themed environments.


Additionally, remix any level of the game in Create Mode using props, blocks, or characters that have been unlocked during the game. You can virtually build anything you can dream up. Plus, your designs can then be shared with friends or used to challenge others to solve your newly created puzzle via WiiConnect24.


Throw, grab, and blast

Use fun action gestures with the Wii remote to cause strategic destruction in levels like Tiki-Tower-Topple and Medieval Mayhem.

Over 300 Brain-Busting Challenges

Fast-paced Multiplayer Action

Play with or against your friends in co-op, versus, or 4-player games.

Make It Your Own

Unlock characters, worlds, blocks, and props throughout the game and use to build whatever you can imagine in Create Mode. Remix any level and share what you create with friends via WiiConnect24.

Over 30 Wacky Blox Characters

Tackle the action and interact with a cast of entertaining characters including animals like a chicken that lays bomb blocks and a beaver that likes to make them explode.

EA Sports PC video game - Cricket 07 Fact Sheet

Cricket 07 on PC

Thanks to the groundbreaking EA SPORTS Century Stick control system, batting has become more intuitive, responsive and rewarding than ever. For the first time in a cricket game, players can enjoy full control over foot choice, shot, direction, power and timing, all governed through the use of both analog sticks. 

A back or front foot stroke is selected with the left stick, then shot timing and direction are judged with the right stick. Power is determined by how far the stick is moved – a slight tap can nudge the ball for a quick single or a firm push can send the ball fizzing away to the boundary. 

Allied to new cameras that deliver a more natural behind-the-stumps batting perspective and a wider view of the field, cricket has never been so easily accessible. With embellished gameplay, a wealth of tournaments, genuine equipment and authoritative new commentary from Mark Nicholas and Richie Benaud, you won’t experience cricket this authentic without donning whites and walking down the pavilion steps yourself. 

Key Features

• Groundbreaking Control Use the intuitive dual analog Century Stick batting system to select foot choice, shot direction, power and timing. With button controls to loft shots and advance down the track, you're free to crack a full array of shots all around the wicket. Success with the bat also relies upon your batsman's individual skills, allied with his confidence level. A confident batsman maximises his potential to time his shots sweetly - maintaining high confidence can make or break his ability to build a big innings.

• New Cameras Innovative views from behind the batsman offer a realistic batting perspective, and a reworked Broadcast camera gives you a wider view of the play for more authentic coverage.

• Quickplay Cricket Play cricket your way by setting your own pace. Crank up the game speed, ease back the difficulty setting and revel in the razzmatazz of Limited Overs or fully-licensed Twenty20 extravaganzas by playing a fast-blast match of hard-hitting sixes - or slow the pace down, slide the difficulty up and steel yourself for a five day Test.

• Greater Depth A new picture-in-picture display with a shot timing gauge coupled with a running assistance indicator and radar help you make those snap decisions out there in the middle. On-the-fly Dynamic Field Positioning and Quickswitch bowling give you the ability to ratchet up the pressure on the batsmen by changing the field and the bowler's line of attack without a break in play.

• Tournament Options Lead this year's eagerly anticipated 3 mobile Ashes campaign Down Under, replay the legendary 2005 npower Test Series or unlock a stack of rewards by accomplishing Ashes challenges. Take part in the frenzy of the fully-loaded, fully-licensed English and Australian One Day blitz of extreme Twenty20 cricket, dive into a complete schedule of Australian State and English County tournaments, tour the world, win the World Championship or compete for glory in Test matches and One Day Series games with all the top cricketing nations of the world.

• Authentic Content For the first time in an EA SPORTS Cricket title, renowned bat manufacturers Gray-Nicolls, Puma, Slazenger, Kookaburra and Gunn & Moore bring their weight of authenticity to the day's play. Relish the big game atmosphere with new broadcast visuals, wicket textures and astute new commentary from the masterly broadcast team of Mark Nicholas and Richie Benaud as you play out a nail-biter against the faithfully realised backdrop of a legendary international venue or a cherished domestic ground.

Kickster – Multiplayer Trick Soccer for the PC

Starting shot for cult street soccer online game

A new trend sports for the PC is paving its way under the name of Kickster – Online Street Soccer. Stale football simulations are a thing of the past – on the comic-like online grounds of Kickster only those players who control the most individual character and master the coolest special moves will rule. Two vs. two or three vs. three: with their team of real buddies online players stir up international tournaments and leagues. With dashing moves, impressive tricks and absolute ball control, PC kickers gain respect from the ball addicted online community. Only those who have the coolest special skills, climb up the player rankings. "Easy to download and free to play – Kickster offers fun football without complications and any payment liabilities. Nevertheless, the dyed-in-the-wool multiplayer online game can be quickly installed and runs smoothly on any average PC.

From now on casual soccer players and ambitious ball acrobats can register for the beta phases on the official website www.kickster.eu and seal the possibility to play first test matches until the official release. Interested players can browse the state-of-the-art website that has just gone online with up-to-date web 2.0 features, a player forum and a regular weblog.


Rankings, leagues and tournaments – new street soccer community for the PC

Kickster turns street soccer into a highly dynamic and team based community event. With their freely customizable characters, soccer fans can meet hundreds of fellow players in several online leagues. PC kickers play their dynamic matches head-to-head exclusively against human opponents. Buddies exchange tactics and strategic moves in the in-game chat. Backyards, parking lots or factory premises – a fast match can kick off anywhere. Kickster offers various scenarios in authentic street style. With impressively animated dribbling, tackling, tricks and straddles, artists with the ball sweep their opponents from the court thanks to the dynamic motion system. But only players with the best skills receive respect from the streets. As soon as they reach the expert level, Kickster offers even more strategic gameplay and a lot of new powerful moves. Only the best players prevail in the elaborate tournament and league system of Kickster. But don't worry; a tutorial is available to help you get started.

To boast the perfect style, players choose their personal outfit from an ample variety of trendy street wear in the in-game shop. The large-scale item and skill shop offers the coolest sneakers, slack casual wear and mighty special moves. Currently Kickster – Online Street Soccer is in the private alpha stage. The closed and open beta phases are scheduled for August and September respectively. And in autumn the whistle will blow: Kick off in the backyards!



Features Kickster – Online Street Soccer

• Free2Play: free game client, no subscription fees
• Team based multiplayer online game (no single player, no AI opponents)
• Getting started easily: comprehensive tutorial with 13 game missions, hints and rewards for completed missions
• Intuitive controls, but profound gameplay
• Ingame chat and community tools
• Compact game client of about 300 MB and moderate system requirements
• Customization of player character in large-scale item shop: trendy outfits from head to toe and special moves available for micropayment
• Level based game system: advanced skills learnable with progress
• Strategic team play and tactical moves in expert level
• Elaborate league system with ascension and relegation
• Ample tournament system
• Formation of clubs and club ranking possible later on

Nintendo of Japan - Print photos from your Nintendo Wii

This new channel allows Japanese users to print digital photos directly from their Nintendo Wii, thanks to a partnership with Fujifilm.

Hopefully this feature will be released worldwide soon.

read more | digg story

Lineage II: The Chaotic Throne: Gracia - The Perils of Kamaloka

New Lineage II expansion, Gracia, allows groups of two-to-six players to venture forth into the dangerous instance zone of Kamaloka.

Lineage II expansion, Gracia, brave groups of two-to-six adventurers can venture into Kamaloka, an instance zone representing a hellish dream world reality.

Numerous and mysterious disasters suddenly befell the peoples of Aden: whole fields of healthy crops blighted overnight, unknown plagues laid waste to entire villages, and the weather itself became strange and unpredictable. Doomsayers, once deemed insane, took on a fresh and terrifying confidence. The sages sought to reassure the people, but their words lacked conviction—they too had gazed into their crystal globes and read the cards, and they too felt foreboding deep in their bones.


The land’s adventurers and other citizens had been encountering strange dreams, where they fought against endless hordes of shadowy enemies until overwhelmed. Some would wake up with headaches or wounds; some wouldn’t wake up at all. The sages determined that the increasing tales of a dream world and the tales of prophecies had to be connected. They studied the bodies of the dream-killed and listened to the tales of the survivors.

In a tremendous undertaking, the sages’ efforts finally bore fruit as the symptoms of the crisis revealed their true nature one by one. The deadly dreamland was, they determined, a realm created by the power of darkness. The sages named it “Kamaloka,” the place between the world and Hell. It was an apt name—the monsters encountered there, the Kaneus, were the stuff of nightmares.


In the upcoming Lineage II expansion, Gracia, brave groups of two to six adventurers can venture into Kamaloka, an instance zone located “between heaven and hell.” Party leaders can talk to Guard Captains in various villages throughout the land—the level of the instance created depends on which village you go to. For instance, a fairly low level Kamaloka instance is created for the party if you talk to the Guard Captain in Gludio, but the highest level instance possible if you talk to the Guard Captain at Rune Castle. All characters in the party must be within five levels of the level of the instance created. Parties can only complete one successful foray into Kamaloka per day (should they get wiped out they can re-enter).

Kamaloka is very much a raid instance; the party will have to face one raid monster as well as up to nine other subordinate creatures. Exactly which Kaneus monsters you will face depends on the level of the instance; the raid monsters range from the flame strike-capable Blade Otis to the disarming Kaim Abigore or powerful, ice bolt-wielding White Allosce. A party will only have twenty minutes to defeat the Kaneus within; if they succeed, they’ll receive a number of useful rewards that’s well worth their while.

We’ve built Kamaloka as a universally-accessible fun instance that nearly all Lineage II players can make use of, from levels 18 on up. They can experience multiple iterations of Kamaloka as they progress in levels, which shouldn’t take too long given Gracia’s newly-implemented fast and furious leveling. It’s very easy to get to, doesn’t require any special items, quests or a continent-wide NPC approval level; you just need a small group of people to get access. That’s it. We hope to see you enjoying Kamaloka soon!

Exkee presents I-Fluid PC video game download

The independent studio Exkee releases I-Fluid, its first PC title available for digital download for 2008' summer vacations

Exkee announces the release of its first entirely self financed PC title which is available for digital distribution. Entitled I-Fluid, the game innovates thanks to its original concept that let players embody… a drop of water! Plunged into multiple adventures arising from our lifestyle, our little friend will have to face various challenges like crossing a bunch of vegetables cooking in a fry pan without evaporating!


An innovative concept

This innovative title will let you enjoy deep and entertaining interactions with photo-realistic environments. Watch out for objects such as paper, sugar and sponges for they will immediately absorb you while, on the contrary, fruits and vegetables can regenerate you with water.

In I-Fluid the physic goes beyond a simple pyrotechnic effect and becomes the essence of gameplay. Enjoy objects weight, frictions, viscosity, absorption, materials rupture, all of these different feelings coming together for a unprecedented adventure. And thanks to the physic’ unscripted nature, each play has its unique feeling.


The game

I-Fluid is an original platform game in which you control a drop of water facing various and surprising situations. Just imagine having to cross a messy schoolboy working desk while avoiding falling pens and adhesives, to get out of a generous breakfast or Mexican lunch, to cross vegetables cooking in a burning pan or to face thirsty cockroaches while being a fragile drop of water!

Your worst enemies? Absorbing surfaces and heat. Watch out for napkins, bread, deadly flour as well as hobs that will instantly vaporize you.

Your abilities? Jump, cling on walls and control various humid objects such as tomatoes or even a sea urchin.

All 15 missions can be played under 3 different modes: “Mission” in which you have to accomplish different objectives, “Petals” where you need to collect all hidden petals and “Time Attack” that will challenge your rapidity and dexterity.

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FragFX PlayStation 3 - FPS controller gets worldwide distribution via Living Picture.

PlayStation 3 first-person-shooter (FPS) console controllers, announced it has entered into a formal agreement with LIVING PICTURE AG of Zurich Switzerland for the exclusive worldwide distribution of the current and future line of SplitFish's FX line of console game controllers.

The arrangement will allow SPLITFISH access to LIVING PICTURE's established worldwide distribution network and immediately provide financial and additional sales resources required to increase the SPLITFISH production capacity. SplitFish`s popular PlayStation 3 controller, the FRAGFX, has a current backlog of orders in Europe and North America.

"The rapid growth of SPLITFISH has made it necessary to increase our management personel and build on our sales infrastructure. LIVING PICTUREis a perfect fit to bridge this gap and SPLITFISH will benefit from LP's experience in distribution channels, logistics and methods of stringent quality control." says SPLITFISH CEO, Francisco Shipperheijn.

Since its initial launch in August 2007, SplitFish's FragFX for the PS3 has received rave reviews from the media and consumers. The FragFX is a patent- pending two-piece combination motion stick and mouse, that provides gamers with pinpoint accuracy and unmatched control in action games, The FragFX controller received one of the highest review scores (9.1) to date from IGN Gear who called the FragFX "the best controller we have tested on the PS3".

SplitFish game team members later substantiated the FragFX superior performance abilities by gaining the No1 spot in the global leaderboards of the popular Playstation 3 game "Call of Duty 4".