Scratch - The Ultimate DJ video game on Xbox 360 and PLAYSTATION 3 controller announced

Numark Industries released the first image of the videogame controller for Scratch: The Ultimate DJ for the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system from Microsoft and PLAYSTATION 3 computer entertainment system.

Designed by Leading DJ Technology Manufacturer, SCRATCH DECK Gives Players an Authentic DJ Experience Like No Other

SCRATCH DECK will be showcased for hands-on play at a special event in Los Angeles on June 3, during the week of the videogame industry’s most high profile trade show, the 2009 Electronic Entertainment Expo.

“For decades, Numark has been developing turntables, DJ mixers and digital DJ controllers. We know what professional DJs demand, and we used that knowledge to produce SCRATCH DECK,” said Adam Cohen, Director of Business Development, Numark. “It was critical that we deliver an authentic DJ experience to gamers, whether they be experienced DJs or players who have never put a needle to vinyl.”

SCRATCH DECK combines two essential elements of the DJ and hip-hop experience - a free-spinning, touch sensitive turntable with a crossfader and 5 Akai Pro MPC-style drum pads. The turntable allows players to add their own style and manipulate the songs in real time, while the MPC-style drum pads give players the opportunity to perform and customize tracks by triggering samples using the very same pads that are the cornerstone of professional hip-hop beat production. Samples can either be pre-loaded into the game using 60 unique battle records that will ship with the software, or players can record and upload their own samples using a compatible USB microphone.

In addition to the features created by Numark, SCRATCH DECK also contains standard game controls found in music rhythm games. The turntable features a realistic surface that feels remarkably similar to a vinyl record. The drum pads and the crossfader also deliver an authentic and realistic music production experience. Left-handed DJs will appreciate that SCRATCH DECK is designed for use in right or left-handed configurations.

“Being involved with Hip-Hop for so long, Numark has consistently been the standard for innovation and leadership in computer DJ controllers, their quality is second to none,” said Quincy Jones III of QD3 Entertainment. “We are very excited to partner with them to deliver the most authentic DJ experience for gamers and look forward to letting gamers and Hip Hop enthusiasts get their hands on the controller for the first time at E3.”

Scratch: The Ultimate DJ combines free-form DJ tricks with great rhythm game play similar to top-selling rhythm games. Scratch: The Ultimate DJ is set in distinctive urban environments and will feature songs from the biggest names in Hip-Hop. Scratch: The Ultimate DJ, featuring the Numark SCRATCH DECK, will be available in Fall 2009.

Flight X Air Hauler is now available in download format

Must-have titles of the year Air Hauler is now available in download format. This amazing air freight management and flying add-on is due for release at the beginning of April in boxed format but can be bought and downloaded from the Just Flight website NOW!

Air Hauler puts you in complete control of your own freight company, and you’ll be taking charge of operations both in the boardroom and in the cockpit.

The limitless possibilities and flexibility of Air Hauler will let you immerse yourself totally in every operational detail of your freight company - each crucial flight you make will have an effect on the reputation and reach of your expanding freight empire.

The level of complexity is up to you , you can simply fly jobs between bases and buy or lease aircraft, or you can carve out a career in the air freight industry by hiring AI pilots, trading shares on the stock market with real-world NYSE/FTSE/DAX prices, and even take out loans and insurance - Air Hauler tracks all your financial activity,

As the pilot charged with delivering the goods on time, you can decide to fly a job in multiple legs, or stop anywhere en route for refuelling or maintenance. Contend with real-world weather conditions if you want the extra challenge, and detailed Map views showing all the airports in Flight Simulator will help you keep tabs on available jobs and the locations of your bases and fleet.

Air Hauler puts you in charge every step of the way - from landings to leases, flight plans to finances, and repairs to recruitment. Anyone who enjoyed Cargo Pilot is going to love Air Hauler! We’re all very excited about this new program, and early press previews have also been very positive - You can find a feature list on the Air Hauler In Development page, along with a set of captioned screenshots showing some of the management features included in the program.

Air Hauler is priced at £24.45 / € 29.95 / $36.99 for the Download, and it will cost £27.45 / 34.95 / $41.99 for the DVD version.!

SOFTWARE REQUIREMENTS: Microsoft Flight Simulator X or 2004 - Windows Vista or XP

USB classic joystick for PC and Mac

Old school style video gaming makes a comeback with the USB classic joystick!

Go back to the glorious dawn of the video games era with this classic home arcade system style joystick.

When video games first came out of the arcades and into the home, this is almost exactly the same kind of joystick that came with those systems.

If you want to relive that experience, then there are plenty of emulators available that allow you to recreate the old school arcade games on a modern PC, but it would be just wrong to play those with a mouse and keyboard, or a high tech joystick that looks like it was lifted straight out of the cockpit of a modern fighter plane.

This classic, one stick-one button control system is the answer. It works with virtually any emulator, as well as any game that can use a standard gamepad controller – so you can even use it with modern games, if you want.

What’s more, up to four classic joysticks can be connected to the same PC for an authentic retro home-arcade multi-player experience.

Connects via standard plug and play USB
No drivers required
Compatible with:
Windows versions 98SE up to Vista
Apple Mac OSX
Linux (drivers may be required, depending on Linux version)

Buy it here...

Grand Theft Auto The Ballad of Gay Tony Download on Xbox LIVE and Grand Theft Auto Episodes from Liberty City on Disc for Xbox 360 this Fall

Rockstar Games announce the release of both the second episode of Grand Theft Auto The Ballad of Gay Tony - exclusively for download on Xbox LIVE online entertainment network, and Grand Theft Auto: Episodes from Liberty City, which will include both episode one The Lost and Damned, and episode two The Ballad of Gay Tony together on a single disc exclusively for Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system from Microsoft.

"Liberty City is the most vibrant game world we've created yet. The episodic structure has allowed us to interweave stories, gameplay and atmosphere in a whole new way," said Sam Houser, Founder of Rockstar Games. "The team at Rockstar North have yet again surpassed themselves, and made something that is both epic and very innovative. This episode's focus on high-end night life contrasts with the biker gangs portrayed in The Lost and Damned, whilst giving us a lot of new gameplay possibilities."

Grand Theft Auto IV's second downloadable episode, The Ballad of Gay Tony injects Liberty City with an overdose of guns, glitz, and grime. As Luis Lopez, part-time hoodlum and full-time assistant to legendary nightclub impresario Tony Prince (aka "Gay Tony"), players will struggle with the competing loyalties of family and friends, and with the uncertainty about who is real and who is fake in a world in which everyone has a price.

Grand Theft Auto: Episodes from Liberty City delivers two games on one disc - the all-new episode The Ballad of Gay Tony and the first episode, The Lost and Damned - together on disc for the first time - for Xbox 360 for $39.99 and will not require a copy of the original Grand Theft Auto IV to play.

The Ballad of Gay Tony will release on Xbox LIVE this fall for $19.99 or 1600 MS points and requires players to have Grand Theft Auto IV for Xbox 360 and Xbox LIVE membership to download.

Trine, a unique and absorbing fantasy action game on PC and PSN

CUNNING, SECRETIVE AND WITH THE ABILITY TO SLOW TIME THE THIEF COMPLETES THE TRIO OF HEROES IN NEW ACTION TITLE ON PC AND PSN

Frozenbyte's TRINE introduces a unique co-operative multiplayer mode.
Trine is a unique and absorbing fantasy action game that challenges players to battle with the forces of space, energy and motion in a magical kingdom, will be released on PC in July 2009 by Nobilis and Ascaron Entertainment.

Zoya, the Thief, is the youngest of the 3 protagonists and a talented, nimble archer. Later in the game she develops the capacity to manipulate time, a valuable tool when solving difficult puzzles.

Trine features a co-operative multiplayer mode, in which up to 3 players can participate. The gameplay is ideal for the multiplayer option as 3 people can use one character each, inventing new solutions to puzzles and novel ways to defeat enemies.

At the start of Trine, Zoya’s desire to be rich and her love of all things sparkling lead her to a castle where she attempts to steal a mysterious object called the Trine. On her way she encounters Pontius, the Warrior, and Amadeus, the Wizard; once they touch the treasure their souls are bound to the Trine. Players must now guide the characters through 16 different levels in a quest to free them from its clutches.

Zoya is the most mysterious looking of the 3 heroes, clad in a hooded white robe with half her face concealed. Whilst Pontius is best in close combat, Zoya is better at long range attacks. She begins the game armed with a basic bow and arrow and grappling hook. The latter is ideal for hooking onto objects, enabling players to leap over spike lined chasms and scale or descend walls. An upgrade of a Ninja rope to her bow enables gamers to attach arrows to wooden surfaces and swing her onto difficult to reach ledges.

Zoya’s skills expand later in the game to include the ability to slow time. At a basic level this only lasts for 5 seconds, but as upgrades are added it increases up to 40 seconds. Whilst the slow time feature is in use, Zoya’s movement remains the same speed. Players can therefore utilise this ability to slow down advancing enemies and complete challenges such as running over ledges as a pile of boxes hurtle towards them.

Trine hits stores across the UK on 3rd July 2009.

Fast facts:
Publisher: Nobilis
UK Distributor: Ascaron Entertainment
Web: www.trine-thegame.com
Developer: Frozenbyte
Release date: July 2009
PEGI: 12+
Format: PC / PSN
Genre: Action / Adventure

Super Heroes online game Champions Online - play now

Earth's first and best line of defense is its heroes. For generations, brave men and women have answered the call to protect the world from the villains who threaten its safety and security.

Today, organizations such as VIPER, ARGENT and PSI use both superpowers and super technology in their dastardly plots to control the world.

Creatures from outer space and other dimensions seek to enslave humanity. Super scientist Teleios is creating an army of clones and superpowered constructs to do his bidding.

The greatest threat of all is Doctor Destroyer. A superhuman genius driven to conquer, Destroyer will not stop until all of humanity bends knee to his greatness. In 1992, Destroyer obliterated the city of Detroit and killed thousands. With years to prepare, his next attack is sure to put the entire planet in peril.

Led by The Champions, protectors of Millennium City, the world's heroes have launched a crusade for peace, security and justice. But they need allies. Defender is calling for a new generation of superheroes to fight in a war against evil that spans the globe — and beyond.

Powered by the groundbreaking Cryptic Engine, Champions Online is currently in development for the PC. With literally billions of character options allowing total customization, real-time action combat, the richly detailed Champions universe and an experienced Cryptic Studios team devoted to working directly with gamers to deliver a great gaming experience, Champions Online is set to be the premier superheroic massively multiplayer online role playing game.

Save the world. Be a Champion.

Sushi Go Round coming to Nintendo Wii and Nintendo DS

Sushi Go Round promises frantic eat-‘em-up action and sushi-serving gameplay.

Sushi Go Round has been downloaded more than 60 million times from Miniclip.com and these updated versions build on the addictive time-management gameplay of the original.

Players must run their own sushi restaurant, in which they’re responsible for memorising recipes, preparing food, ordering fresh ingredients and – most importantly – working hard to keep the constant stream of customers happy.

As you progress through the game you’ll meet demanding bosses that require constant feeding, harsh food critics and increasingly fussy customers. Successfully completing these tough challenges unlocks new recipes and even different sushi restaurants.

“We’re pleased to be teaming up with Asylum Entertainment to bring Sushi Go Round to consoles,” said Jonathan Hales, European MD, SouthPeak Games. “We’re sure that new audiences – alongside the millions of established fans – will be hooked on the intuitive and fast-paced gameplay.”

“We are really pleased to be working with Southpeak to bring the highly playable and very cool Sushi Go Round game by Miniclip to the Nintendo DS,” added Nick Holden, Creative Director, Asylum Entertainment. “We’ve retained what was compelling about the original but have included even more fun and re-playability – we've also added a rich quality to its sound, visuals and animation. We feel this title fits in nicely with the tastes of a range of gamers young and old - whether they are sushi lovers or not.”

iPhone game Car Jack Streets Update! win a gold plated iPod Touch

Update 1.1 includes chance to win a limited edition gold plated iPod Touch engraved with the CJS logo!

Tag Games has today launched the first in a series of free updates for its explosive App Store hit, Car Jack Streets.

In addition to a huge number of improvements and fixes the free update offers both existing and new players the opportunity to win a limited edition Gold plated iPod Touch, engraved with the Car Jack Streets logo!

Only one exclusive Gold plated Car Jack Streets iPod Touch will be produced in conjunction with Goldstriker International (www.goldstriker.co.uk). Tag expects the competition to appeal to anyone with a love of bling! Competition entry is simple, gamers must collect all of the 50 hidden packages strewn across Jack City and register to the online ranking boards. The competition closes on 3rd July 2009 when Tag will draw one winner at random.

While the innovative crime simulator received an average review score of 8.2 from over 22 leading game review sites, the update has been created entirely around the suggestions of both player and critic feedback. Delivering the best in dedicated fan service, Tag Games has listened closely to the fans and has modified the game based on their suggestions.

Creative director at Tag Games Jamie Bryan said: “Because we are an independent developer, we really appreciate every single sale of our games and really do take onboard the feedback we receive in the hope of producing bigger and better titles that cater to the fans. This really is a massive update that revamps many aspects of the game that critics felt could have been improved on. I think players of the initial launch will be pleasantly surprised by what we have done in this update, while newcomers will experience a slick title, offering hours of mayhem and fun.”

The first expansive update will add a wide range of new features and fixes to Car Jack Streets including:

*Fully interactive ‘Jack City’ map available from your GPS
*All major reported bugs will be remedied once players install the update
*New ‘steering wheel’ control method for casual players and increased button responsiveness
*Randal now has increased lives. Players now have five chances to pay mob boss Frankie, making the game less harsh if you miss a payment
*Randal can now carry up to five weapons at a time and cycle through them at will
*Players now have the option of returning to their condo safe house to save weapons and vehicle before exiting the game
*Two new vehicles. The destructive Sports Utility Tank and the Sky Copter
*Players can now play their own iPod music in the game

The second update pack for Car Jack Streets iPhone is already in development at Tag Games, with a targeted release date for early June. It will further bolster the game with multiple languages and further improvements. Also, a free survival mode mini-game is also in development entitled Car Jack Streets: Survival. Inspired by classic games such as Smash TV and Geometry Wars, Tag hope it will both appeal to those yet to purchase the game as well as existing CJS fans.

Car Jack Streets is currently available now on the iPhone App Store priced £1.79 / $2.99 / Euro 2.39.

Pirates of the Caribbean - Armada of the Damned new video game

New Action Role-Playing Video Game Featuring Open World Exploration and an Original Story in Development at Propaganda Games

Live to tell the tale of becoming a notorious pirate captain or suffer a fate of eternal damnation. Disney Interactive Studios today announced the development of Pirates of the Caribbean: Armada of the Damned, an epic, action role-playing game (RPG) from Propaganda Games, Disney’s video game development studio in Vancouver, British Columbia.

Armada of the Damned is an entirely new experience within the Pirates of the Caribbean universe. The game takes place before the events of the blockbuster films. Players will take on the role of a pirate and embark on epic land and sea adventures. Numerous moral and character choices will need to be made that affect their character and the original story within the world. Players will explore a massive open world while fighting enemies, mystical creatures and Mother Nature, both to gain experience and stay alive. Supernatural elements familiar to the Pirates of the Caribbean world will also affect their character’s story and influence their choices.

“Armada of the Damned is a dynamic action role-playing game that captures all of the franchise’s excitement, unpredictability and action while delving into narrative elements never before explored within this unique universe,” said Dan Tudge, vice president and general manager, Propaganda Games. “Our team’s collective experience with industry-leading RPGs and action titles provides a strong foundation for us to create and build a compelling action role-playing title.”

Armada of the Damned is scheduled to be released in autumn 2010 for next-generation consoles and Windows PC.

Armada of the Damned is an extension of the globally successful Pirates of the Caribbean franchise, which began more than 40 years ago as a theme park attraction at Disneyland in Anaheim, Calif. The franchise continues to excite park goers with millions of visitors experiencing the four current theme park attractions at Disney parks around the world. The three blockbuster films grossed more than $2.6 billion worldwide in theaters and have continued to be successful on home video. Disney Interactive Studios has shipped more than 6 million units worldwide of self-published multiplatform Pirates of the Caribbean video games, which were inspired by the “Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest” and “Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End” films.

Yosumin! Puzzler previously for Japanese eyes only but now available via Xbox LIVE arcade and PC download.

Square Enix announce Yosumin! LIVE for Xbox LIVE Arcade for the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system from Microsoft and Yosumin! for Windows are now available globally via Xbox LIVE market place and Windows content digital distribution sites, including STEAM and Big Fish Games.

Yosumin! LIVE and Yosumin! are the latest renditions of the innovative puzzle game Yosumin, previously released only for the Japanese market. Players must give a colourful panel of yosumin a sweeping glance, locate a square or rectangle with four corners of the same colour and click on the corresponding yosumin to make them disappear. Enjoy an engaging puzzle-game experience just by following these simple rules.

While the basic rules and system remain the same, the latest releases include unique modes specific to each platform version. In the Xbox LIVE arcade version, players can compete against the computer or with friends, and when online, with other players around the world. In the Windows version, players can collect pieces of stained glass as they clear the puzzles in “Yosumin Adventure mode,” enjoying the best of both the puzzle and item-collecting experiences.

A free trial version is available for both platform releases.

Yosumin! LIVE
Platform: Xbox 360 (Xbox LIVE Arcade)
Genre: Puzzle
Launch Date: May 27, 2009
Price: Xbox LIVE Arcade 800 Microsoft Points
ESRB: E (Everyone)
PEGI: 3+/4+

Yosumin!
Platform: Windows PC
Genre: Puzzle
Launch Date: May 27, 2009
Price: $19.99
ESRB: E (Everyone)
PEGI: 3+/4+

System Requirements
Operating System: Microsoft Windows XP/Vista
Processor: 800MHz
Memory: 512MB RAM
Hard Disk Space: 65MB
Video Card: On Board Video Card
Sound Card: DirectX 9.0 Compatible
DirectX Version: DirectX 9.0c (2007 Nov or later)

Distributor Websites
STEAM http://store.steampowered.com/
Big Fish Games http://www.bigfishgames.com/
*Yosumin! will become available at other digital distribution sites at a later time