Cake Mania 3 video game coming to Nintendo DS

Third Edition of Best-Selling Franchise Features All New Mini-Games, Bakeries and Customization

Majesco and Sandlot Games creator of the Cake Mania franchise announce Cake Mania 3 for Nintendo DS.

Based on Sandlot Games' award-winning online PC franchise that has been downloaded more than 100 million times, Cake Mania 3 features all-new bakeries, bakery upgrades, kitchen customization, customers and mini-games.

"We are excited to continue building on the success of the Cake Mania franchise on Nintendo DS™," said Daniel Bernstein, Founder and CEO of Sandlot Games. "Millions of Cake Mania fans will be thrilled to play the latest and most ambitious installment in Jill's cake-baking adventures."

"Sandlot Games' Cake Mania franchise is beloved by casual gamers of all ages and Cake Mania 3 delivers the frantic gameplay fans expect, but topped off with many new features," said Gui Karyo, Executive Vice President of Operations for Majesco. "With worldwide sales of more than 650,000 units, the Cake Mania franchise remains a strong property for us that we will continue to leverage with this third release."

Cake Mania 3 boasts new features that will attract everyone from loyal fans to first time players. More than 80 new levels, 30 new customers and 6 beautiful time-spanning environments test Jill's speed and efficiency. Gamers will meet the challenge of spell-casting Egyptian Pharaohs, Dinosaurs with dangerous appetites, and impatient Medieval English princes with a myriad of exciting new kitchen upgrades. In addition, players can unlock three new mini games, and for the first time in the series, change Jill's outfits throughout the game. So no matter the era, she'll never be out of style!

Developed by Digital Embryo in partnership with Sandlot Games, Cake Mania 3 on Nintendo DS™ is expected to release early fall.

Numerous Free features are added to MapleStory, including its undefeated monster, Pink Bean

Summer is officially here and MapleStory rolled out its latest update with a sunny new set of features to provide its players more fun and adventures. The update offers an exciting new title system, time travel to battle the game’s biggest challenge, Pink Bean, work as a secret agent and the opportunity to be a hero as part of a party quest to save the polluted Ellin Forest.

Here are more details on these exciting updates:

Time Temple – Players travel through time via the ‘Time Temple,’ to stop Kirston from reviving the Black Wizard. There are numerous new monsters to battle, including the toughest boss ever, Pink Bean. This undefeated monster champ of the world might look cuddly but is so deadly, it has yet to experience defeat.

Title System - Players complete special challenge quests and earn medals that display below their characters names in game.

Title medals include:
• Diligent Explorer: Log in for three hours every day for a set number of days.
• Veteran Hunter: Kill 100,000 monsters your level or above.
• Party Quest Mania: Achieve the S rank on eight party quests.
• Quest Specialist: Complete 800 quests.
• Celebrity: Acquire 20,000 fame points.
• Ultimate Warrior, Magician, Thief, Bowman, or Pirate: Reach level 200

Some titles can only be held by one Mapler at a time and will be replaced if another player tops their record. These titles are:
• Donation King: Donate the most mesos to any one town.
• Maple Idol Star: Be the most famed person in MapleStory.
• Legendary Hunter: Kill the most monsters of any type your level or above

Finding Master M - Look out for secret agents, who have invaded the Maple World. Players can join them on exciting missions to uncover the true identity of Master M. Event quests give players the chance to gather clues which assist in unveiling Master M’s identity. Players who complete this mission will be rewarded with an Agent Equipment set. This event runs through August 25.

Agent Training Program - Players will test their combat skills in this new program, which pits an individual player or team of players against boss monsters for the ultimate monster battle. Players must defeat each monster to advance to the next stage and do not see their EXP suffer if defeated.

Ellin Forest Party Quest – Three to five players rally together in this party quest to save the polluted Ellin Forest. Players travel back in time and battle their way through the poisoned forest to uncover the cause of the pollution.

All these new features are now available for free in MapleStory.

Mastertronic releases World of Goo on new Great Indie Games label

Mastertronic have announced the release of the critically acclaimed “World of Goo” on PC, previously available as download and as WiiWare, but now a debut for boxed product. It will also be the first title to be released on their new label, Great Indie Games, a label set up to offer a route to market for independent games developers.

World of Goo is a simple puzzle/building game with a quirky sense of humour. The main objective of the game is to get a requisite number of goo balls to a pipe representing the exit. In order to do so, the player must use the goo balls to construct bridges, towers, and other structures to overcome gravity and various terrain difficulties such as chasms, hills, spikes, or cliffs.

The 48 levels are varied with wide-ranging objectives and a variety of goo. New goo is introduced early on in each chapter, and subsequent missions progressively ramp up the challenge and force you to put it to good use. Different types of goo have special abilities – black goo is rigid and cannot be moved after being placed, green goo can be moved around after initial placement, white goo hangs down like long water drips, red goo can be deployed to act as helium balloons to help keep long bridges in the air over treacherous pits, yellow goo can stick to vertical surfaces while Skull goo is resistant to being popped by spikes.

World of Goo on the PC is a unique visual experience. Brilliant design is achieved through vibrant and contrasting colours and beautiful graphics, giving a surreal cartoon feel to the game. Realistic sound effects add to the games wit and personality and the game is accompanied by a fantastic, atmospheric soundtrack whereby carefully chosen music tracks set the atmosphere for each level.

World of Goo boasts raving reviews and extremely high scores. PC Gamer awarded World of Goo 93% along with PC Format, and PC Zone came in just short of that at 90%. Eurogamer scored World of Goo 9/10 commenting “The world of Goo is a raging pleasure to spend time in, and interact with” whilst Gamespy gave it five stars commenting “(World of Goo is) an amazing, breathtaking and immeasurably charming piece of game design”. The comments continue - “The most charming, creative and generally weird indie title to come out this year” Escapist magazine and “One of the most original and addictive gaming experiences to come along in years” Gamespot

World of Goo has been developed by 2D Boy, an independent developer consisting of Kyle Gabler and Ron Carmel, both former Electronic Arts employees, who with World Of Goo won awards at the Independent Games Festival at the Game Developers Conference in 2007.

Kirsty Payne, Marketing and PR Manager at Mastertronic commented “We are so proud to be releasing World of Goo on PC. It has all the makings of a classic and has received phenomonal reviews from the specialist games press. We will be rolling out a full mainstream consumer marketing and PR campaign targeting specialist PC press, lads mags, national press and womens press as this game can be played and enjoyed by absolutely everyone”.

World of Goo is released on 3rd July 2009

Limited edition game locker, Kobe Bryant figurine and poster, NBA 2K retrospective video and VIP online lobby with NBA 2K10 anniversary edition

To celebrate 10 years of the popular NBA 2K franchise, and the milestone of having sold two million units of NBA 2K9 worldwide, 2K Sports today announced that the NBA 2K10: Anniversary Edition is planned for release in North America this fall for the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system from Microsoft and PLAYSTATION 3 computer entertainment system.

NBA 2K10: Anniversary Edition will come packaged in a specially designed 2K Sports locker configured for game storage, and include exclusive items featuring 2009 NBA Finals MVP, Kobe Bryant of the Los Angeles Lakers, along with a special commemorative video looking back on 10 years of the NBA 2K franchise and its past cover athletes.

As part of a limited edition offering of only 30,000 copies, each NBA 2K10: Anniversary Edition will be individually numbered for authenticity. Fans can now preorder their copy online and at local retail outlets across the country. Ten lucky fans will have the rare opportunity to find an autographed Kobe Bryant fine-art print, designed by Shepard Fairey’s Studio Number One, which will be hidden and randomly packaged among the different lockers. Gamers with Xbox LIVE online entertainment network and PlayStation Network membership will also be able to enjoy special privileges for NBA 2K10: Anniversary Edition, including exclusive access to an online lobby - the Gold Room - where celebrities and other VIP members will go to play, and only players with the Anniversary Edition will be allowed to enter.

NBA 2K10: Anniversary Edition will include:

• NBA 2K10 video game
• 2K Sports’ NBA 2K10 game locker
• 3” Figurine of Kobe Bryant by McFarlane Toys
• 16” x 36” Kobe Bryant poster
• Commemorative NBA 2K 10th anniversary DVD
• Access to the Gold Room, the NBA 2K10 VIP online lobby (accessible only with Xbox LIVE and PlayStation Network membership)

“NBA 2K is the premier basketball video game franchise for serious players, deeply rooted in rich and pure authenticity that real hoop heads get, which is why we’ve been the favorite NBA simulation for so long,” said Greg Thomas, senior vice president of sports development for 2K. “We’ve always been very proud of how we engage our fans on a community level, and NBA 2K10: Anniversary Edition is our way of giving back to all those that have supported us along the way.”

Coming this fall, NBA 2K10 is expected to deliver the most realistic, stylistic, and feature-rich simulation experience ever available in the NBA 2K franchise – from gameplay to graphics, presentation and online features. Developed by Visual Concepts, NBA 2K10 is not yet rated by the ESRB and will be available for Xbox 360, PLAYSTATION 3, PlayStation 2 computer entertainment system, PSP (PlayStation Portable) system, Nintendo Wii system from Nintendo, and Windows PC. NBA 2K10: Anniversary Edition will be available for Xbox 360 and PLAYSTATION 3.

Dream Stick 360 Wireless Arcade Stick Now Available from Dream Arcades

The Dream Stick 360 by Dream Arcades features the first commercially available wireless arcade control panel compatible with Xbox 360 and Windows PC.

Dream Arcades
(http://www.DreamArcades.com) is proud to announce the immediate availability of the new Dream Stick 360. The Dream Stick 360 brings a new contender to the fighting game ring and introduces the first competition quality wireless arcade stick for Xbox 360.

The Dream Stick 360, which is available now, features authentic arcade buttons, joystick and commercial quality cabinet. Windows PC support is also available via an optional adapter. The Dream Stick 360 is priced at just $139 plus shipping.

"The Dream Stick 360 is the perfect opportunity for us to bring the arcade experience into the home, at a lower price point and a smaller footprint than our full-size arcades," says Michael Ware, owner of Dream Arcades. "Also, because we are the only home arcade manufacturer to offer a complete line of home arcade products from control panels to 120-inch projection arcades, we can help grow your home arcade collection over time."

Dream Arcades is the only home arcade manufacturer with a complete line of products from personal arcade joysticks, arcade kits (just add your own monitor and game console or PC), and complete arcades (ready to plug in and play). Since 2002, the company has had one goal - to deliver the ultimate home arcade.

Grease the movie turned into a video game for Nintendo Wii and DS

New video game based on the original high school musical, Grease is being made. Working in collaboration with Paramount Digital Entertainment, 505 Games will oversee and publish a Grease video game for the Nintendo Wii and Nintendo DS.

The Grease video game will allow players to sing and dance alongside Danny, Sandy, The Pink Ladies and the T-Birds. The game will take full advantage of the Nintendo Wii’s motion-sensing controls and microphone, and the DS’s touch screen to create exciting gameplay for casual and family gamers eager to experience Grease in a new medium.

“We are really excited about working with Paramount Digital Entertainment to turn this world famous film into a video game for the very first time. Working with such a well known and much loved brand is a great opportunity and we believe the collaboration further strengthens 505 Games’ entertainment portfolio,” commented Ian Howe, Managing Director 505 Games.

“Paramount Digital Entertainment is pleased to be working with 505 Games to develop Grease,” said John Kavanagh, Senior Vice President of Video Games for Paramount Digital Entertainment. “Grease is the ideal opportunity to reach a broad gaming audience who love to sing, dance and have fun with a party-style game.”

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