Create your own Xbox 360 video game with KODU Little Big Planet killer for 400 Microsoft points - with video

Microsoft's Kodu Game Lab is now available to buy on the Xbox LIVE Community Games store, allowing all Xbox 360 users to create their own games using a visual programming language.

The game's been dubbed the Xbox 360's LittleBigPlanet - although comparisons seem a little unfair - and has been designed to be accessible for children and enjoyed by anyone.

Video Games | Microsoft | CES 09 Keynote: Kodu Creation and Gameplay Demo

XBox 360 | Playstation 3 | Nintendo Wii

The XBL Marketplace blurb states: "The visual programming environment allows rapid design iteration using only a game controller for input. Share your creations with friends over Xbox LIVE."

Looks like it could be worth your 400 MS Points.

Having shipped last night, Kodu is now available for purchase after two and half years, when the game was first conceived. There are already countless player-made levels more "sophistocated" than what the dev team could dream up, apparently.

So there shouldn't be any worry about lack of content, for those more interested in playing than creating. First, make sure you've got 400 Microsoft Points to spare.

The Xbox LIVE Marketplace description states: "The visual programming environment allows rapid design iteration using only a game controller for input. Share your creations with friends over Xbox LIVE."

It should be noted that Kodu has been experiencing problems with purchase links online, so you may want to buy through your console for the time being. Just to be on the safe side.

Second warrior faction - Birth of the League in Allods Online video game

Allods Online is the upcoming free AAA MMORPG developed by Nival Online, the makers of Heroes of Might & Magic V. It will be published by Gala Networks Europe this Autumn in English, French and German at the gPotato.eu portal. The gPotato Team is proud to introduce players to the second faction. The League is an alliance between three races: the Kanian Federation, the Elves and the Gibberlings. They are opposing the Empire in the war for domination of the Astral.

The League is a democratic society which uses elections and voting systems to manage its realm. The Council of Deputies is democratically elected by the citizen electorate. While local issues are dealt with accordingly, important decisions that will impact on the lives of all League citizens can only be made after a vote within the Council. All three distinct races are fully playable to those who chose the League over the Empire.

• The Kanians are an ancient federal state that has had to rapidly adjust to the new threats that the Astral poses. The human race was set up as a strategic union of the tribes after the defeat of the Orcs a long time ago, and was founded on the principles of a free state for all citizens, legal democracy and personal freedoms. They are willing to fight to the death to protect this, and believe that the Xadaganians suffer under a tyrant.

• The Elves are the most ancient of all the races of Sarnaut and have watched the development of the others from a distance. Their political structure was developed long before the Great Cataclysm and is heavily family orientated. After an unprovoked attack by the Xadaganians and the Orcs which led to the loss of the Elven allod of Grokh to, the Elves signed an accord to join the League.

• The Gibberlings are creatures from the continent Isa. It felt the brunt of the Great Cataclysm leaving them with little space to survive. However, a drunken Gibberling did discover the secret of travelling through the Astral. Exceptionally fertile, most Gibberlings come in a “sprout” of three who live, travel, fight and die as a unit. Their small stature does not put them off raiding Orc settlements when the opportunity arises. They are looking for a new homeland, and this was their main reason for joining the League.

Featuring six distinct playable races and 28 classes, Allods Online will give players a rich new world, with a gaming lore over a decade in the making. It features innovative and diverse new gameplay, and is completely free to play. Further information on the game will be released over the coming weeks and months.

It’s easy to follow Allods Online.

Bob the Builder video game comes to Nintendo Wii

Yes we can! announce the launch of Bob the Builder Festival of Fun for Nintendo Wii. Following the success of the PlayStation 2 and Nintendo DS Bob the Builder titles, this original game for Nintendo Wii, featuring the enormously popular Bob the Builder, has launched in the UK and European market.

Bob the Builder Festival of Fun Wii is a truly collaborative game for parents to play together with their children, so even very young children with limited coordination can play, with the child using the Wii Remote to control the action movement and the older player assisting by using their own Wii Remote to guide and steer. It really does enable young children to control the gameplay themselves and with help from their parents they can share and complete tasks together cooperatively.

Bob the Builder, currently airing on BBC2, Cbeebies and Nick Jr, is the number three pre-school boys brand in the UK* and is recognised as the most-loved character for children aged 0-4 in the UK**. Bob the Builder has enjoyed 10 years of success with 2009 marking his 10th anniversary, with a UK single release planned for summer 09 and the return of Bob the Builder LIVE global theatre tour this Autumn. Bob the Builder Magazine remains a Top Ten UK preschool children’s magazine and the official website receives on average 20 million hits per month globally, and nearly 1 million Bob books were sold in the UK during 2008, with 30 new titles to come from Egmont in 2009.

In Bob the Builder Festival of Fun Wii the player enjoys a vast array of fun and diverse story-based challenges and can tackle tasks with up to three friends or family members in numerous exciting multiplayer modes, enabling them to play competitively or play collaboratively to get the job done.

The game makes full use of the unique Wii technology to control the gameplay, using the Wii Remote as a hammer, a pick axe and spade, to pick up rubbish, blow the leaves, mix the cement or even spin pizzas to help the Bob the Builder characters put on a grand festival for the town. After all their hard work, they can grab the Wii Remote and follow the on-screen cues to enjoy a fabulous sing-along with Bob the Builder himself!

Kickabout League free-to-play browser multiplayer 5 a side football game

Kickabout League has gone live today on www.funorb.com. The free-to-play browser-based multiplayer 5-a-side football game features customisable kits, pitches, formations and players all in a growing persistent game world with real time player auctions.

Kickabout League, playable on almost any PC with an internet connection, can be played by 2 to 8 players or combination in between in any individual match.

The game can be accessed today by visiting www.funorb.com/kickabout/play.ws

Top Gun video game comes to iPhone and iPod touch - watch the video

Paramount Digital Entertainment today announced a Top Gun game for iPhone and iPod touch is available on the Apple App Store. Inspired by the classic film, the Top Gun app places players at the United States Navy Fighter Weapons School, where instructors Maverick and Iceman will help them compete to become the next Top Gun. Players can take control of a F-22 Raptor or a B-2 Spirit stealth bomber, shoot down MiGs and dodge incoming air-to-air and surface-to-air missiles, all while navigating intricate environments and weaving in and out of the Danger Zone.



“Over twenty years after its debut, ‘Top Gun’ remains one of the most popular, iconic movies of all time,” said John Kavanagh, senior vice president, Video Games of Paramount Digital Entertainment. “This unique Top Gun app puts that thrilling cinematic experience at your fingertips. Using the accelerometer and innovative Multi-Touch user interface in iPhone and iPod touch allowed us to create epic aerial battles and hugely entertaining gameplay that's sure to bring out the Maverick in all of us.”

Top Gun takes full advantage of the capabilities of the iPhone and iPod touch and the first person jet shooter game features 10 missions in a variety of environments, including oceans, deserts, canyons and city centers, both during the day and at night. Players can take out enemies by locking-on and firing their missiles, while aerial and ground-based obstacles create multiple Danger Zones to navigate. Top Gun will also feature iconic songs from the “Top Gun” movie soundtrack. Top Gun players can earn medals and achievements while progressing through Story Mode and can also revisit previously completed missions in the game’s Instant Action Mode.

Top Gun for iPhone and iPod touch is available now from Apple’s App Store or here for an introductory launch price of $1.99 and will be regularly priced at $3.99.

Madden NFL 10 video game trailer shows all-new online franchise

The culmination of all things Madden NFL has arrived with Online Franchise in Madden NFL 10. The latest Madden NFL 10 Video Documentary series is now available, which includes details and perspectives on the all-new, award winning Online Franchise mode – direct from the development team.



Enjoy 32 team leagues, featuring anywhere from 1 to 32 human controlled teams, in Online Franchise mode that provides full team management, including trades, live drafts, depth chart changes, and more…and it’s all just one click away!

Online Franchise is the biggest feature to ever grace Madden NFL and it’s all manageable from your console, remotely through a web browser, or via a custom iPod Touch Application. Have full control of your team from anywhere you can log on. With new mobile updates and web connections, Online Franchise is available to you 24/7, and with immediate updates to your console, you’ll never miss a down.

Online Franchise revolutionizes gameplay in that it acts as a true NFL season with 32 teams and a full season, including playoffs and the Super Bowl.

Online Franchise is exclusive to the Xbox 360 and PLAYSTATION 3 versions of Madden NFL 10, which will be available in stores on August 14th.

FIFA 10 high definition in-game video game footage - amazing HD football play

On the heels of winning 25 international gaming awards with FIFA 09, Electronic Arts revealed the first features for its top-selling* football franchise from EA SPORTS. Responding to consumer feedback from more than 275 million online games played**, FIFA 10 will deliver a new standard for authenticity with gameplay refinements and innovations that will make it the most complete and intelligent simulation of football.

On the pitch, critical gameplay fundamentals have been enhanced to ensure that FIFA 10 mirrors real-world football, providing more sophisticated ball control, and physical interaction between players. In addition, players now move, behave and position themselves more realistically. On attack, players analyze space more effectively, curve their runs in an attempt to stay onside, create passing lanes naturally, and drive for more variety in attacking options. On defense, new concepts like position priority enable defenders to multitask so dangerous spaces left open by teammates out of position are covered. Plus, slide tackle targeting, press marking, and better-urgency clearance logic provide new options that make defending a tactical skill in FIFA 10. In goal, a myriad of improvements and refinements to goalkeeper intelligence result in a more responsive and powerful rushing system and ultra-realistic saves.

We have benefited from 275 million games played online to refine FIFA 10 in a way that matters most to our fans, said Andrew Wilson, Vice President & Executive Producer for the FIFA franchise. Weve listened and responded to their feedback to improve player control, responsiveness and intelligence and create what we believe is the worlds most authentic football videogame.

Listening to feedback and addressing gamer frustrations has become a key part of the EA SPORTS strategy to improve the FIFA franchise on an annual basis. Better balance on lofted through balls, improved goalkeeper intelligence, more realistic shooting mechanics with less shots hitting the goal posts, a practice arena to perfect skills, and a more immersive football experience through continuous play and quick free kicks are just a few of the issues raised by fans and addressed in FIFA 10.

Three new innovations revealed today have been developed to change the player control experience in FIFA 10. The first-ever true 360° dribbling system gives players finer control of the ball, enabling them to find spaces between defenders that previously were not possible. Using an all-new animation technology, skilled dribblers now have the ability to face the defender and use highly responsive lateral dribbling to skip past him. An innovative concept called Freedom in Physical Play enables players to perform wider dribble touches and new collision sharing creates a varied, less predictable, and extended fight for possession between the dribbler and a defender.

FIFA 10 also features a deeper iteration of the ever-popular Manager Mode with more than 50 major improvements, including new match realism, realistic player transfers based on multiple decision points, and true-to-life player growth curves.

The Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince Video game is THE Place for Fans to Live the Thrills, Action and Excitement of Harry Potter - HD trailer

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince video game allows players to experience all the magic, adventure and fun of the Warner Bros. Pictures’ film based on J.K. Rowling’s sixth book in the Harry Potter series.



In the game of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, players return to Hogwarts – reproduced from movie blueprints in exacting detail - to help Harry survive a fraught sixth year. Players will be able to master gesture-based spell-casting as they explore the Hogwarts school grounds, from the heights of the Astronomy Tower to Professor Slughorn’s Potions classroom in the depths of the dungeons and iconic locations in between such as the Gryffindor common room and the Great Hall.

For the first time players can move and cast spells simultaneously, creating intense and fast-paced wizard duels as the champions from each house line up to challenge the Boy Who Lived. Players can also chase down the Golden Snitch™ as they take to the air as the Seeker on the Gryffindor Quidditch™ team. In addition to spell-casting and flying, players can put their potion-mixing skills to the test when they learn how to mix and brew magical ingredients in Potions class. Players may even get sidetracked by Ron’s romantic entanglements as they journey towards the dramatic climax and discover the identity of the Half-Blood Prince.

“We are very excited by the fact that fans will be able to use Nintendo’s Wii Remote controller as their wands,” said Harvey Elliott, VP and GM Casual Studios, EA Play Label. “Casting charms and jinxes – Stupefy, Wingardium Leviosa, Accio and Petrificus Totalis among others – has never been easier or more realistic. This is definitely the most authentic translation from the movies and fiction that we have ever produced; the fans are going to love it!”

Developed by EA Bright Light, the team behind the worldwide success of the Harry Potter library of videogames, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince videogame shipped to retailers nationwide today for the Wii, PLAYSTATION 3 computer entertainment system, Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system, PlayStation 2 computer entertainment system, PSP (PlayStation Portable) system, Nintendo DS, Windows PC, Mac, and mobile devices. The Nintendo Wii, PLAYSTATION 3 system, Xbox 360, PlayStation 2, PC, and Mac versions are rated ‘E10+’ and the handheld versions are rated ‘E’ for Everyone by the ESRB.

Winners - The best game trailers of E3 2009 Awards

Celebrating the accomplishments of the industry at the show, one winner was selected from five nominees in 29 distinct categories. SCEA made the largest impact in the awards, taking home top honors in multiple categories including “Best Trailer” for The Last Guardian, “Best Graphics” for Uncharted 2: Among Thieves, “Best Press Conference” and the most noteworthy category, “Best of Show” for God of War III.

“With all eyes on the industry as the show returned to its previous format, it was an impressive showing,” said Shane Satterfield, Editor-in-Chief, GameTrailers “The general level of quality was extremely high, making selecting the nominees and winners incredibly difficult. The editorial team had its hands full, and we applaud the developers and publishers for showing some truly groundbreaking products.”

The expert editorial staff at GameTrailers selected all nominees and winners with 135 total nominees across all platforms and genres. With the exception of the “Best Trailer Award” and “Best Graphics Award,” all games had to be playable by the press at the show to be eligible.

GameTrailers’ extensive E3 2009 coverage included over 850 pieces of original content that garnered over 52 million total video views to date.

For more on E3 and GameTrailers coverage Log on to here to catch all the awards action and the very best of E3 2009.

Winners of the “GameTrailers Best of E3 2009 Awards” are as follows:

GENERAL AWARDS –

Best Of Show: God of War III - SCEA

Best Trailer: The Last Guardian - SCEA

Most Innovative: Project Natal - Microsoft

Best Graphics: Uncharted 2: Among Thieves - SCEA

One To Watch: The Last Guardian - SCEA

Best New IP: Brutal Legend - Electronic Arts

Best Music/Rhythm Game: DJ Hero - Activision

Best Software Lineup: PlayStation 3

Best Press Conference: Sony


PLATFORM AWARDS -

Best PlayStation 3 Game: God of War III - SCEA

Best Xbox 360 Game: Assassin’s Creed II - Ubisoft

Best Wii Game: DJ Hero - Activision

Best PC Game: Assassin’s Creed II - Ubisoft

Best PSP Game: Gran Turismo - SCEA

Best Nintendo DS Game: Scribblenauts -WBIE

Best Downloadable Game: Zombie Apocalypse - Konami


GENRE AWARDS -

Best Action Adventure Game: God of War III - SCEA

Best Fighting Game: The King of Fighters XII – Ignition

Best First-Person Shooter: Modern Warfare 2 - Activision

Best Third-Person Shooter: Uncharted 2: Among Thieves -SCEA

Best RPG: Mass Effect 2 - Electronic Arts

Best Sports Game: Wii Sports Resort - Nintendo

Best Driving Game: Forza Motorsport 3 - Microsoft

Best Online Game: Star Wars: The Old Republic

Best Strategy Game: League of Legends - Riot Games

Biggest Surprise: Metroid: Other M

NinjaBee Lets Avatars be the Hero, Releases New Game as download Band of Bugs for Xbox LIVE Arcade

NinjaBee, the creators of the first fully-enabled Avatar game on Xbox LIVE Arcade, A Kingdom for Keflings, announced today that beginning July 8, Band of Bugs will include Avatar support. In addition, NinjaBee will be releasing Tales of Kaloki, a new, game-changing DLC for Band of Bugs.

The added Avatar support will allow gamers the option of replacing the original story’s hero, Maal, with their custom Avatar as they play through the main story mode. Players will also be able to engage in hand-to-hand combat and spell casting in eight-player Spider Hunter mode. Spider Hunter, one of several multiplayer modes, allows players to battle with or against their friends over Xbox LIVE to survive an onslaught of deadly spiders, mosquitoes, centipedes and more.

The Tales of Kaloki DLC is based on NinjaBee’s first Xbox LIVE Arcade game, Outpost Kaloki X. The DLC is set in space and uses the basic mechanics of Band of Bugs but adds a new tile set, new characters, new story, new skills, new strategy, new attacks and new abilities.

“We’re giving you an entirely new game,” said Steve Taylor, president of NinjaBee. “The Tales of Kaloki DLC is Band of Bugs but with long-range combat using lasers, rocket launchers, OO rays and a ton of other sweet weapons to blow attacking space ships to smithereens. It’s all the wackiness from Outpost Kaloki X and tactics from Band of Bugs rolled into one, and we’re stoked to be releasing it.”

In addition, NinjaBee will release a Band of Bugs Premium Theme. This theme, which features scenes from the game and concept art, can be downloaded through the Xbox LIVE Marketplace for 240 Microsoft Points.

The Avatar support will be added to the original game for free and the Tales of Kaloki DLC will be purchasable through the Xbox LIVE Marketplace for 240 Microsoft Points. Like the extensive collection of DLC already available for Band of Bugs, Tales of Kaloki can be played by downloading the original game, Band of Bugs (800 MS points). The Avatar support, Tales of Kaloki DLC and the Premium Theme will be available Wednesday, July 8. Band of Bugs is rated E for Everyone.

About NinjaBee
NinjaBee, located in Orem, Utah, began developing games in 2004. With every game they make, NinjaBee’s goal is to create a unique, top-quality, fun experience for people of all ages. Their popular titles include Outpost Kaloki X, Cloning Clyde, Band of Bugs, Boingz, Doritos Dash of Destruction and A Kingdom for Keflings.