KORG DS-10 - KORG synthesizers on Nintendo DS create unique sounds, anytime and in any place - with video demo

A new and affordable tool for electronic music fans everywhere has arrived. Prepare and create unique sounds, anytime and in any place, as one of the world famous KORG synthesizers heads onto the Nintendo DS. Reproducing the quality and behaviour of original KORG products, KORG DS-10 provides a fully functional, complete synthesizer on the Nintendo DS that will allow musicians to improvise and record their own music alone or with fellow musicians when it launches across Europe on 10th October 2008.

KORG DS-10 lets you produce analogue synthesizer sounds and music samples on this pocket sized, convenient platform. Reviving the KORG MS-10 analogue synthesizer’s behaviour, KORG DS-10 enhances the experience of music creation thanks to the innovative features of the Nintendo DS. Use the Touch Screen to easily access all functions of the synthesizer, including the famous KORG KAOSS Pad which allows for easy beat and melody improvisation. With the stylus or your finger, open the mixer’s channels, lay down a kicker drumbeat, patch synthesizer sounds and add effects as you build up the perfect electro tune or pattern.

Work your way around the synthesizer, using a replication of the original KORG MS-10 interface spread across the two screens of the Nintendo DS. Switch interruptors, modify drumbeats by drawing marks or edit the synthesizer tone colour by tweaking knobs and connecting patch cables between the jacks on the Synthesizer Patch Panel. With the ability to save up to 18 different sessions, you can continually develop and build electro tunes and even wirelessly connect to fellow musicians’ handhelds to work on a project together.

Get ready to create your very own sound on this complete, professional and fully fledged KORG product as KORG DS-10 is made available across Europe on 10th October 2008.

Vertigo to launch on the 3rd April; ball rolling action to feature Balance Board functionality

Play V has announced that it will be releasing Vertigo, a novel ball-rolling race and puzzle hybrid, for PC and the Nintendo Wii on the 3rd April 2009. Vertigo tasks players with controlling a rolling ball though over 50 levels of fiendish, high-tension action.

Supporting both traditional remote and Wii Balance Board control methods, Vertigo harks back to rolling-ball games of old with 54 tracks across nine environments. Three classes of ‘Xorb’ ball are available, each one with their own set of unlockable upgrade options, as well as the ability to customise and tune each ball according to the player’s preferred balance of speed and manoeuvrability.

Additional game modes extend to Arcade, Time Trial and Career modes for singleplayer, with multiplayer functionality including combative versus modes in a traditional deathmatch setting and more traditional ball-based pursuits such as ten-pin bowling and football.

Brian Faller, marketing manager, PlayV, comments “Vertigo’s unique design is a fantastic fit for the Wii. Old classics such as Marble Madness and Spindizzy have been in dire need of an update and Vertigo fits that space perfectly, with motion control being the natural progression for this kind of game concept. Vertigo captures all the frenetic energy and pace of those classics, whilst introducing a fantastic array of multiplayer game types to a much-missed genre.”

Vertigo will be released for PC and Nintendo Wii on the 3rd April 2009.

YU-GI-OH! 5D's Wheelie Breakers for the Nintendo Wii and Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's Stardust Accelerator: World Championship 2009 for the Nintendo DS - in develop

Konami announce that Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's Wheelie Breakers for the Nintendo Wii and Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's Stardust Accelerator: World Championship 2009 for the Nintendo DS are currently in development and set to launch in May 2009. The latest iterations in the popular franchise are based on the Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's series on the 4Kids Network, which takes place in the future and features Yusei Fudo and Jack Atlus, the hottest duelists in Neo Domino City.

Based on "Riding Duel" in the Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's animated series, Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's Wheelie Breakers introduces players to a fast-paced twist on a racing game. Yusei and Jack duel in a new motor sport called "Wheelie Breakers" that combines card dueling with duel wheel racing. As they race around the track in their Duel Runner motorcycles, players call upon monsters from their decks to battle their opponents and prevent them from finishing the race. Using achievement points which players receive based on their race results, they can purchase new cards and add them to their decks providing upgrades.

Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's Wheelie Breakers takes full advantage of the Nintendo Wii as players use the Wii Remote™ for competitive card dueling and Duel Runner racing. Gamers can also use the Nunchuk during races, allowing for split-second maneuvers including, acceleration, steering and recovery. Various gameplay modes are also offered including Story Mode, Grand Prix Mode and Competition Multiplayer Mode with up to 4 friends in racing split screen.

In Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's Stardust Accelerator: World Championship 2009, players can experience the most robust offering in the World Championship franchise to date with up to 2,800 playable cards. The title features multiple gameplay modes including Story Mode, where players journey from Satellite to Neo Domino City and duel with characters from the animated series in various situations. Players can also compete in the World Championship Mode, where head-to-head battles take place against Yu-Gi-Oh! gamers around the world.

Offering more playable cards than any other Yu-Gi-Oh! World Championship title, Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's Stardust Accelerator: World Championship 2009 includes playable cards from the latest booster pack "Crimson Crisis," as well as three exclusive trading cards bundled in the package.

Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's Wheelie Breakers for the Nintendo Wii and Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's Stardust Accelerator: World Championship 2009 for the Nintendo DS are scheduled to launch in May 2009.

Terminator Salvation mobile game released with movie...

Gameloft, a leading developer and publisher of video games for mobile phones and consoles, today announced a licensing agreement with The Halcyon Company to develop, distribute and publish the official mobile game to the first film of the new Terminator trilogy, Terminator Salvation. The game will be available day and date of the film release on May 22, 2009.

In the highly anticipated new installment of The Terminator film franchise, set in post-apocalyptic 2018, Christian Bale stars as John Connor, the man fated to lead the human resistance against Skynet and its army of Terminators. But the future that Connor was raised to believe in is altered in part by the appearance of Marcus Wright (Sam Worthington), a stranger whose last memory is of being on death row. Connor must decide whether Marcus has been sent from the future, or rescued from the past. As Skynet prepares its final onslaught, Connor and Marcus both embark on an odyssey that takes them into the heart of Skynet’s operations, where they uncover the terrible secret behind the possible annihilation of mankind.

“The Terminator franchise is one of the world’s most recognized brands and Gameloft is pleased to create the game that brings the excitement of the movie to your fingertips,” said Gonzague de Vallois, senior vice president of publishing, Gameloft. "The film provides an optimal environment for our new game and will capture the thrills of the sci-fi adventure for Terminator Salvation fans worldwide."

“We are excited to bring an immersive cinematic experience to mobile gaming with the release of Terminator Salvation" said Cos Lazouras, president of Halcyon Games. "Players will have the ability to expand their interaction with the Terminator universe with content that is unique to this platform."

Giana Sisters DS homepage online: Feels like time travelling

Visit the great Giana Sisters online: From now on, the lively jump’n’run gaming heroines can be met online at www.giana-sisters.com.

Net visitors will find a lot of useful information on the upcoming revival of the cult jump’n’run game of the 1980’s: See what’s coming up when Hamburg/Germany-based publisher releases Giana Sisters DS for Nintendo DS in June 2009 (release date for Germany, Austria, Switzerland: April 03rd, 2009).

The new homepage offers rich information on the game as well as handy downloads: Find cool desktop wallpapers on giana-sisters.com and check back often – the download site will be updated regularly. Cool retro-style mobile phone ringtones will be available soon, for instance.

With The Great Giana Sisters Armin Gessert and his team created a Jump’n’Run that had everything home computer gamers back then only could experience on video game consoles: A fantastic game world on many different levels, that challenged the players’ hand eye coordination skills to their maximum to jump over deep canyons, collect bonuses and succeed when fighting enemies just by jumping on their back.

Now, The Great Giana Sisters are finally back! Publisher dtp entertainment and developer Spellbound Entertainment in co-operation with Bitfield are going to release their new adventure on Nintendo DS in June 2009.

In more than 80 levels, players experience all the great features of the original home computer version, as well as new features, that are kept exclusive for Nintendo DS. Players will have the Nintendo DS microphone as well as the touchpad, for instance.

The Great Giana Sisters’ graphics on Nintendo DS both is a redesign as well as reminiscent of the classic game.

dtp entertainment is going to release The Great Giana Sisters DS for Nintendo DS in June 2009.

Battleforge online real-time strategy game open beta launched

Phenomic, an Electronic Arts studio, announce that the real-time strategy (RTS) game BattleForge will open its beta for all players today. Starting today, all players will be able to enter the genre-changing world of BattleForge and experience the thrill of virtual cards coming to life in epic, online RTS battles before the game goes live on March 24th, 2009.

The open beta players will have access to all 200 BattleForge cards and all maps in the game. Everyone who takes part in the beta will get the bonus, upgraded Firedancer unit that will be available after launch. Players who pre-order BattleForge from participating retailers will receive four, exclusive units, one from each faction to jump start their decks.

BattleForge combines fast-paced strategy with a digital trading card mechanic in a dynamic online environment. Players use virtual trading cards to build custom armies and lay waste to their foes. Combining the strategic, real-time gameplay of classics such as Command & Conquer with a fully enabled, online collectible community, BattleForge is a breath of fresh air in the strategy genre. With an all-new style of play that is more accessible for casual gamers, BattleForge also offers a rich, deep gameplay experience that veteran RTS players seek. The collectable cards are the tools of war -- each representing a spell, building or unit that is conjured directly onto the battlefield in stunning 3D graphics.

BattleForge features single-player scenarios and cooperative scenarios for 2 to 12 players, as well as Player vs. Player (PvP) ranked and unranked duels. With co-op play, guilds, chat rooms, and a robust marketplace featuring direct trade, an auction hall, and in-game mail, BattleForge is the first RTS to combine the social and community aspects of an MMO with an exciting RTS. Let the battles begin!

BattleForge ships March 24th, 2009 for the PC.

MapleStory - Hundreds of in-game virtual items are available for free on March 11

Hundreds of in-game virtual items are available for free on March 11 in the Nexon cash shop.

MapleStory players can look forward to March 11 when Nexon America invites all users to try any item in the cape, overall, hat or shoe category for free for one day. In this special "Free Items Day" event, players of this popular MMORPG can visit the in-game cash shop to customize their avatars and try on new looks throughout the day without spending a dime.

"This is a stimulus package for the MapleStory community," said Min Kim, vice president of Nexon America. "While all of our games are free-to-play, this is a great opportunity for players to check out what the Cash Shop in MapleStory has to offer and have fun with different looks without any impact on their wallets."

In addition to the March 11 "Free Items Day," MapleStory players can also log-in to enjoy the game's recent updates including:

* Crimsonwood Keep Party Quest- Players and their fellow classmates can unite in battle through seven stages that test agility, wit, and unity.

* Expansion of the Buddy List – Players can now add up to 100 friends.

* Masteria Mob Invasion - GM's will be summoning a swarm of Masteria's monsters to invade maps and challenge Maplers.

Since the successful launch in North America in 2005, MapleStory has been paving the way for other online MMORPG titles to emulate for its robust user community and the ability to personalize in-game characters in endless combinations. Filled with vibrant backgrounds and charming characters, players interact with each other online through chatting, trading, fun mini-games as well as participating in exciting game play. Groups of players can also ally together in parties or guilds to socialize, hunt monsters, and venture through the immersive lands on thrilling quests.

SEGA's second horror serving, MadWorld, is released across the US today, March 10th.

MADWORLD is an inventive third-person action game exclusively for Wii. Produced by Atsushi Inaba, MADWORLD has a unique black and white style, depicting an incredibly sharp backdrop that straddles graphic novels and 3D worlds.

As players battle opponents, they must master the use of various weapons and items found within their environment, such as chainsaws and street signs, while entertaining sports commentary adds to the third-person gameplay. With its irreverent humour and over-the-top violence, MADWORLD will deliver a unique core gaming experience currently missing on the Wii system.

If your a regular here you'll know we managed to play the game last month and we were quite impressed, however if the game has enough depth is still to be seen, our copy of the game should be arriving any day now so expect our bloody review bloody soon.

MadWorld is released in the US from today and Europe from March 20th.

Warner Bros. Announce download content for F.E.A.R 2

Alma is once again beckoning you to visit a city of paranormal chaos and terror with new DLC available in April!

F.E.A.R. 2: Project Origin will deliver a new dimension of paranormal horror, cinematic combat and highly kinetic action with the release of new downloadable content that will be available beginning in April. The new content will include a “Toy Soldiers” map pack that will allow players to experience multiplayer from a new perspective, as well as a premium theme and picture pack.

F.E.A.R.2: Project Origin is a blend of advanced visceral combat mixed with seamless game pacing set inside a sinister and paranormal universe that begins shortly before the ending of F.E.A.R. A Special Forces squad is on a routine mission when the city of Auburn is rocked by a supernatural explosion. Alma, a girl with immense power and a thirst for revenge, has unleashed her wrath upon the city and thrown it into chaos. Tension builds as the squad must combat enemy forces and the supernatural as they struggle to find a way to stop Alma and uncover the mysterious forces arrayed against them before it’s too late.

F.E.A.R.2: Project Origin is rated “M” for Mature and is available now for Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, PLAYSTATION 3 computer entertainment system and Games for Windows.

Activision returns to the Batter's Box This Summer With Little Leagu World Series Baseball 2009

Activision announced today that Little League World Series Baseball 2009, the sequel to 2008's acclaimed hit baseball game, will be released this June for Nintendo Wii and Nintendo DS. The title is a natural progression for the franchise, offering Little Leaguers and their families more features and refined, accessible gameplay.

"We are very proud of the warm reception our first Little League baseball video game received last year," said David Oxford, Activision Publishing. "Little League World Series Baseball 2009 aims to broaden the franchise's appeal even wider, giving experienced gamers a sense of depth and to feel more challenged while still making it easy for parents or grandparents to pick up and play!"

Little League World Series Baseball 2009 is the second officially licensed Little League video game for next-generation consoles, and once again it is being developed by world renowned Japanese studio NOW Production. Players will have the chance to become a Little League World Series baseball Champion, or play with up to three other friends in a variety of exhibition modes. New features include a full team editor, regional tournaments, all new stadiums, new skills challenges, an expanded set of collectible content and much more. Both versions improve upon the popular motion and stylus controls, respectively, for batting and pitching.

"The response to last year's game was phenomenal, and Little League fans have been enthusiastic in giving us ideas for the 2009 version," Jud Rogers, Sr. Marketing Executive, Little League International. "Activision and NOW Production are the best partners imaginable and we look forward to creating the best family-friendly baseball game of all time."